The 13th Amendment makes slavery illegal in the United States, finally abolishing it completely. It is a common misconception that the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery, but this is false. The Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in the Confederate states who rebelled against the Union, not in the free or border states.
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
The 13th Amendment states that "slavery nor involuntary servitude" which is the act of someone holding slaves, "shall exist in the United States." This clearly outlaws slavery in the United States, or "any place subject to their jurisdiction." The 13th Amendment also points out that the only time involuntary servitude is allowed to exist is as a punishment, where the party has been rightfully convicted. This means that people in prison, who have done crimes, can still be held to do involuntary servitude.
