Constitution Daily Blog

13th Amendment

On this day in 1856: Violence on the U.S. Senate floor

by NCC Staff

A nearly fatal beating on the U.S. senate floor on this day in 1856 was another step toward a Civil War five years later. The…

On this day in 1856: Violence on the U.S. Senate floor
A Common Interpretation: The Thirteenth Amendment

by Jamal Greene And Jennifer Mason McAward

On the 151st anniversary of the constitutional amendment that officially ended slavery in the United States, scholars Jamal Greene…

The case of the missing 13th amendment to the Constitution

by Scott Bomboy

A few years ago, a group of Iowa Republicans claimed the legitimate 13th Amendment to the Constitution was “missing.” The…

Has a clumsy sentence kept “slavery” in the Colorado constitution?

by Scott Bomboy

An election recount could be underway soon in Colorado about a ballot initiative seeking to redefine the presence and meaning of…

Happy Birthday, Civil Rights Act

by NCC Staff

On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. The landmark law was a turning point in American history,…

American Revolution 2.0

by Richard Brookhiser

Richard Brookhiser looks at the question of whether the abolition of slavery and federally-guaranteed black citizenship were…

The Slaughterhouse Cases: Interpreting the Reconstruction Amendments

by Jonathan Stahl

A narrow reading of the 14th Amendment's Privilege or Immunities Clause altered the trajectory of constitutional law.

The 13th Amendment turns 150

by Tom Donnelly

In this commentary, Tom Donnelly of the Constitutional Accountability Center calls us to remember the constitutional achievements…

Dred Scott gets a brief moment in the national spotlight

by NCC Staff

A lot of topics crop up when people argue about politics and Supreme Court decisions, but the historic 1857 Dred Scott decision…

Celebrating one of the Voting Rights Act’s many anniversaries

by Brianne Gorod

In this commentary, Brianne Gorod of the Constitutional Accountability Center argues that the Voting Rights Act's multiple…

More from the National Constitution Center
Constitution 101 logo
Constitution 101

Explore our new 15-unit core curriculum with educational videos, primary texts, and more.

Photo of student watching online program
Media Library

Search and browse videos, podcasts, and blog posts on constitutional topics.

Painting of Founders meeting
Founders’ Library

Discover primary texts and historical documents that span American history and have shaped the American constitutional tradition.

Constitution Daily Blog