In 1866, the Republican-dominated Congress wanted to make sure that ex-slaves could vote, so they passed a Civil Rights Act declaring ex-slaves to be U.S. citizens.
--Why did Congress also submit the 14th Amendment in 1866 confirming citizenship for ex-slaves?
A)The president could later successfully veto the Civil Rights Act
B)The Southern states' legislatures cold nullify the Civil Rights Act
C)The Northern states' legislatures would not enforce the voting rights.
D)The Supreme Court could not declare an amendment unconstitutional.
THANK YOU!!
**we think it could be "B", but are not sure if that is right. Please help.
I agree, D is best. B is not correct in that nullification of a federal law by a state was a matter of contention in that some states said they could do that, but it was not acceptable even before the 14th amendment.
I think D is the best answer.
The correct answer is B) The Southern states' legislatures could nullify the Civil Rights Act.
The reason Congress also submitted the 14th Amendment in 1866 was to ensure that the citizenship rights given to ex-slaves through the Civil Rights Act could not be easily challenged or revoked by the Southern states. The Southern states had a history of resisting equal rights for African Americans and could potentially enact laws or policies to undermine the Civil Rights Act. By amending the Constitution through the 14th Amendment, Congress aimed to make the citizenship rights of ex-slaves more secure and less susceptible to being undone by state legislatures.
The 14th Amendment, once ratified, incorporated the principle of birthright citizenship, establishing that anyone born or naturalized in the United States, regardless of race or color, is a citizen of the country and enjoys all the privileges and immunities thereof. This constitutional guarantee made it much more difficult for the Southern states or any other state to deny citizenship rights to individuals, including ex-slaves.
Therefore, the correct answer is B) The Southern states' legislatures could nullify the Civil Rights Act.