ESSAY QUESTION
The Reconstruction Amendments, or the Civil War Amendments, are the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, adopted between 1865 and 1870. The amendments were a part of the implementation of the Reconstruction of the American South which occurred after the Civil War.
Explain in detail what each of the Reconstruction Amendments said and established.
(4 points)
The Thirteenth Amendment was ratified in December 1865 and abolished slavery in the United States. The amendment stated, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." This effectively ended the institution of slavery in the United States and prohibited any form of forced labor.
The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in July 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves. It also included the Equal Protection Clause, which ensured that no state could deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Additionally, the amendment addressed the issue of former Confederate states by prohibiting those who had engaged in rebellion against the United States from holding public office. It also guaranteed the payment of debts incurred during the Civil War while repudiating Confederate debts.
The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in February 1870, prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It aimed to protect the voting rights of African American men who had been granted citizenship by the Fourteenth Amendment. However, the amendment did not grant universal suffrage, as it did not address other factors such as gender or literacy requirements.
Overall, the Reconstruction Amendments aimed to ensure the rights and freedoms of formerly enslaved individuals and to establish equal protection under the law for all citizens. They represented a significant shift in the legal and social landscape of the United States following the Civil War, laying the groundwork for future civil rights advancements.