The Thirteenth Amendment

The thirteenth amendment is probably the most controversial amendment to be passed in the history of our government. This amendment, which our sixteenth president Abraham Lincoln desperately needed to be passed, was finally passed on April 8, 1864 after long weeks of debate. It would set in motion the end of the civil war which had claimed over 600,000 lives at this point, and it would free the slaves. However, getting to this point where it was added to our constitution was no easy task.

This law was incredibly difficult to pass at this time. If the slaves were all of a sudden set free in the southern states, four million of them, the scare of job scarcity might become a reality to racist white people who view themselves as supreme to the uneducated, African-Americans. Also, racism played a huge role in the freedom of slaves in America. As I said, many people at this time saw themselves as superior the African-Americans and they did not want them in their society. The final issue that caused the long debate over this amendment was the fact that if the slaves were set free, that would mean they would have rights that white men had such as voting. This would complicate the 3/5 compromise set in place a long time ago.

Through all of these difficulties, President Lincoln needed this amendment passed, desperately. At this point in the Civil War, over 600,000 Americans had been killed. To cease the madness and bring America back to one strong union, this amendment needed to be passed. However, Lincoln had to pull a few strings that some may say would be “corrupt”. He offered lame duck democrat’s jobs such as mayors and post masters in order to get their support in the ratification of this amendment. Politically, it is corrupt, however, desperate times call for desperate measures and I believe it was just for Lincoln to do this. America was at its breaking point and what was done had to be done, in order to save the union.

In the end, the amendment was ratified and reconstruction could finally begin. Thus ending the war, and bringing America back to its original state; as one.