Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

• A. 12th
• B. 14th
• C. 13th
• D. 15th

Answer: (C)

This question centers on how slavery was formally ended in the United States. The 13th Amendment specifically prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude everywhere in the country, with only a narrow exception for punishment after a legal conviction. This constitutional ban made emancipation a legal reality nationwide, following the Civil War and building on the groundwork of the Emancipation Proclamation. It was ratified in 1865, establishing abolition in law.

The other amendments address different issues: one revised the process for electing the president and vice president, another defines citizenship and provides equal protection under the law, and another prohibits voting discrimination based on race. While each is crucial to civil rights and governance, they do not abolish slavery, which is why the 13th Amendment is the correct one.