Why did the Republicans in Congress feel that the Fourteenth Amendment was necessary? (1 point)
They worried the wealthy southern planters would not comply with the Civil Rights Act.
They worried that President Johnson would not enforce the Civil Rights Act.
They worried that the South would secede from the Union again.
They worried that the Supreme Court would find the Civil Rights Act unconstitutional
To understand why the Republicans in Congress felt that the Fourteenth Amendment was necessary, we need to evaluate the context and events surrounding its creation. The Fourteenth Amendment was proposed and ratified in the aftermath of the American Civil War, during the period known as Reconstruction.
At that time, the Republicans had a broad goal of ensuring civil rights and protections for newly freed African Americans, who had previously been enslaved. The Republicans were concerned about potential obstacles to achieving this goal and wanted to secure their vision of equality.
Firstly, the Republicans worried that the wealthy southern planters, who had held significant power and influence before the war, would not comply with the Civil Rights Act. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first federal law providing citizenship rights and equal protection under the law for all individuals born in the United States, regardless of race. However, the Republicans feared that without further constitutional protection, the southern planters would resist implementing the act's provisions, thus denying equal rights to African Americans.
Additionally, there were concerns that President Andrew Johnson, who sympathized with the southern states and had a lenient approach towards Reconstruction, would not fully enforce the Civil Rights Act. The Republicans feared that Johnson's policies might undermine their efforts to secure civil rights for newly freed slaves.
Furthermore, the Republicans held concerns about the South seceding from the Union again. They wanted to ensure that the southern states remained loyal to the Union and that the progress made during Reconstruction could be safeguarded. The ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment aimed to provide constitutional protections to secure the rights and citizenship of African Americans and stave off any potential secessionist movements.
Lastly, the Republicans worried that the Supreme Court might declare the Civil Rights Act unconstitutional. They wanted to fortify the legal foundation for civil rights by enshrining those protections in the Constitution. The Fourteenth Amendment, once ratified, rendered certain aspects of the Civil Rights Act constitutional by constitutionalizing the principles of equal protection under the law and due process.
Overall, the Republicans in Congress believed that the Fourteenth Amendment was necessary to counter potential resistance to civil rights, ensure enforcement of legislation protecting African Americans, prevent secessionist movements, and address concerns about possible judicial challenges to the Civil Rights Act.