Reconstruction: 13th Amendment

January 26, 2021
Harry Sandick

We review the history of resistance by enslaved people in the United States, and how the Civil War changed things, leading to widespread self-emancipation. We then talk about the intended scope of the amendment, its passage through moral arguments, solidarity, bribery, and self-interested political calculation, and conclude by discussing how the Supreme Court has narrowed its self-executing provisions while leaving room for more expansive legislation.

Participants: Harry Sandick, Jon Hatch