13th Amendment Thesis

The thirteenth Amendment played a major role in American History. President Lincoln issued Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 stating that all slaves should be free. It took many years and revisions to pass the amendment that would allow all slaves to be free worldwide. The 13th Amendment declared in section 1 “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, nor any place subject to their jurisdiction.” There were many people that did not like the proposal of the thirteenth Amendment especially the South since slavery was really big in that area. “Even though the 13th amendment did not fully stop slavery and inequality
among the "black" and "white" Americans, it still became an instrument and a stepping stone for change.” Slavery was not just an impact on African Americans, but also other race. Slavery started in 1441 when the European started slave trading in Africa. It continued over the years and became very popular in the South. Prior to the thirteen Amendment Northern states gradually begin to end slavery and wanted to end slavery worldwide. The North started an abolitionist movement to end slavery nation wide in the United States. By this time over 5 million Africans were slaves in Americas.
James Oglethorpe a member of the British Parliament was one of the first people in power to take a stand to end slavery.
He also encouraged his friends Granville Sharp and Hanna More to pursue the cause. He later died in 1785, but his death did not stop his movement. His friends continued to have anti-slavery segments widespread, but the Southern states continued to practice slavery. Because the North wanted to end slavery but the South did not it cause a huge rough between the states. There were many states in the south wanted to continue the practice of slavery president Lincoln issued "Proclamation for Amnesty and Reconstruction” which was a 10 percent plan that allowed a Southern State to join the union of abolishing slavery if 10 percent of its voters would oath of the allegiance to the union, however the Southern states declined the offer. Slavery continued over the years, lawmakers continued to present many proposals to reconstruct to have every state on the same
accordance. On February 8, 1864 the Senator of Massachusetts Charles Sumner created a constitutional amendment stating “All persons are equal before the law, so that no person can hold another as a slave; and the Congress shall have power to make all laws necessary and proper to carry this declaration into effect everywhere in the United States.” His proposal was also a failure, but the committee later decided to create its own version from previous proposals that were submitted. “There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." This was passed by the senate on April 8, 1864, however it needed enough votes in order to pass congress by not having enough votes on the Democrat side the amendment was unable to get passed. At this time the presidential election was happening and because of Lincoln winning the election it was now a better chance for slaves becoming free. President Lincoln main focused was to rebuild the country that he is a leader of not to disrupt the system of slavery. Before he was the president the military was only open for whites to sign up. During his second term of being president he decided to open the army to all colors including African Americans. If a slaved African American joined the army that would also set him to freedom. Some stated that he made deals with the Democrat party to win their votes on the amendment. He also encourages others that did not vote at all to vote. He was able to get enough votes and the 13th Amendment was passed December 6, 1865. The road to recovery finally knocked down the first challenge.
There still was a long road ahead for the freed men and women. With the 13th Amendment it was expected that the freed people would be able to improve their life being able to move freely, earning money to provide for their family to have a decent living. It did not it only made it harder for African Americans. More laws were created anything to bring down a black person. Especially the south since they were against freeing slavery from the beginning. Viewing back on the amendment in the first section it stated “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” The question is are African Americans really free? If you were convicted of a crime then the amendment stated that you wad not free and you are once a slave again. The Southern states created more and more laws that they knew was easy for an African American to break.
Southern states would place the prisoners in industries of labor work that would lower the cost for business owners. The states also rented the slaves to companies for them to work. The longer the sentence was for higher the cost the state would charge to rent the slave. This was a profit for the state for convict leasing. Mental abuse, being chained up and also physical abuse the prisoners was living
under.
To conclude the essay the 13th Amendment freed the slaves but it also came with a loop hole. As being a convicted criminal you would still be held and suffer the consequence as a slave. The government system is structured around the 13th Amendment and how African Americans are being treated over the years yes it helped African Americans, however the people has always remained a slave.