“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.”
- Slavery being defined as being forced to work without being compensated.
- “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted,” – If you are convicted of a crime, and are sentenced to community service, such slavery is legal. This also applies if while in prison, and you are requested or mandated to perform outside labor; since you are serving time after being convicted of a crime, slavery is still allowed in this context.
- “or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” – Refers to any area considered a jurisdiction of the United States and territories, including military installations, and embassies.
- This amendment effectively abolished slavery in the United States.
Reading The Bill 