Basic Information on the Thirteenth Amendment:The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was introduced to free slaves from slavery and make the United States a free country by abolishing and prohibiting slavery. This amendment finalized the abolition of the slave trade in the United States. The 13th Amendment originates from the proposal made by Abraham Lincoln to his cabinet regarding the freeing of all slaves in rebellious states. It was proposed by the 38th United States Congress and approved by the Senate on April 8, 1864 before being adopted on December 6, 1865 following the Secretary of State's announcement declaring it adopted. President Lincoln made an Emancipation Proclamation that aimed to outlaw slavery in the ten Confederate states and which led to the abolition of slavery in the Confederate states. However, the slave trade continued in the border states until the formulation of the Thirteenth Amendment. This amendment ended slavery in all parts of the United States, including the border states. Section 1 of this amendment provides that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist in the United States except under conditions in which the individual is punished for crimes committed. Ratification of this amendment was completed on December 6, 1865 following approval by most states (Goluboff 1609). The ratification of the 13th Amendment had a significant impact on trade as slaves were the primary source of labor in most industries, factories, and agricultural plantations. After this ratification, slaves were freed from plantations and factories which forced more white men to work on plantations and work with paper or other heavy equipment. There was a significant decline in exports to these states, followed by the collapse of their currency and this made it difficult for these states to obtain credit (Engerman 208). The significant reduction in agricultural production across the state has resulted in a shortage of agricultural commodities which in turn has increased prices of agricultural products as well as export surpluses. References Goluboff, R. (2001). The 13th Amendment and the lost origins of civil rights. Duke Law Journal, 50(228): 1609Engerman, S. L. (1982). Economic adjustments to emancipation in the United States and the British West Indies. The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 13(2): 191 – 220McGlynn, F., & Drescher, S. (1992). The meaning of economic, political and cultural freedom after slavery. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.