What significant amendment was passed in 1865?

The Thirteenth Amendment, passed in 1865, is significant because it abolished slavery in the United States. Ratified on December 6, 1865, this amendment was a crucial step in the larger process of Reconstruction following the Civil War. It formally ended the legal institution of slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, thereby setting the stage for further civil rights advancements.

With the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, the federal government took a definitive stand against the institution of slavery, which had been a longstanding and contentious issue in American history. This amendment laid the foundation for subsequent amendments aimed at securing civil rights for formerly enslaved individuals, which would lead to further reforms and legal protections in the future.

The other amendments referenced in the options were passed later or addressed different issues. The Nineteenth Amendment, for instance, granted women the right to vote and was ratified in 1920. The Fourteenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1868, provided citizenship and equal protection under the law for all persons born or naturalized in the United States. The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race. Each of these amendments