What did the 13th Amendment achieve in 1865?

The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, achieved the abolition of slavery in the United States. It specifically states that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to its jurisdiction. This amendment marked a significant legal and moral turning point in American history, dismantling the institutional framework of slavery which had been deeply entrenched in society, particularly in the Southern states.

The correct answer highlights that this abolition occurred without compensation for slave-owners, underscoring the profound social and economic upheaval of the time. The other options, while addressing important historical issues, do not relate to the 13th Amendment; they pertain instead to later legislation or movements focused on workers' rights or civil rights. For instance, minimum wage laws, voting rights guarantees, and protections for labor unions came about through different legislative efforts and constitutional amendments that followed the end of slavery.