JAN. 31, 1865: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES AMENDMENT TO ABOLISH SLAVERY
On this day, the House of Representatives passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution to abolish slavery. The Senate had passed it almost a year earlier in April 1864.
See what else happened in 1865 - explore the slavery timeline from our 2005 show, “Slavery and the Making of America.”
DECEMBER 15: THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS RATIFIED (1791)
On this day in 1791, Virginia ratified the Bill of Rights, allowing the United States Congress to add ten amendments to the Constitution. The Bill of Rights guaranteed for the first time individual rights. Among them are freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly.
The above image is part of the site for the PBS program “Liberty!” in which newspaper chronicles let you experience first-hand the excitement and uncertainty of the American Revolution as it happened.
Test your knowledge on the American Revolution, and see if you can navigate your way to independence with the Road to Revolution game.
