Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

Study for the Minnesota Civics Test. Enhance your understanding with multiple choice questions, each providing insightful hints and explanations. Get prepared for your exam!

The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, is the constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the United States. This landmark legislation signified a profound transformation in American society, as it legally freed all enslaved individuals and prohibited slavery and involuntary servitude across the nation, except as punishment for a crime.

The significance of this amendment cannot be understated, as it marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for civil rights and equality in the United States. It laid the groundwork for subsequent civil rights advancements and legislative efforts aimed at ensuring freedom and civil liberties for all individuals.

In the context of the other options, the First Amendment protects various rights related to freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition, and does not pertain to slavery. The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, addresses the right to vote and prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920, grants women the right to vote, focusing on gender equality in suffrage. While all these amendments play crucial roles in expanding civil rights, they do not specifically address the issue of slavery as the Thirteenth Amendment does.

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