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Congress Passes Peonage Act

1867

The Peonage Act is passed to enforce the 13th Amendment’s ban on “involuntary servitude.” Under this law, people in the United States cannot be forced to work against their will, even if one person is indebted to another. In addition to physically restraining or harming someone, the use of threats to get someone to work is also illegal. This law does not apply to prisoners who have been convicted of a crime.