The historical document that formally abolished slavery in the United States is the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Ratified on December 6, 1865, the amendment states, "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." This pivotal legislation marked a significant moment in American history as it effectively ended the legal institution of slavery, granting freedom to millions of African Americans who had endured inhumane treatment for generations.