The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870 granted African American men the legal right to vote, prohibiting states from denying suffrage based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This landmark legislation aimed to ensure political participation for newly freed slaves and was a significant step toward achieving racial equality in the United States. However, despite its ratification, many Southern states implemented discriminatory practices, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, to circumvent the amendment and suppress Black voter registration and turnout.
Passage of the 18th Amendment, passage of the Volstead Act, passage of the 21st Amendment, and the St. Valentine's Day massacre.
The beginning of Reconstruction is often marked by the passage of the 13th Amendment in December 1865, which abolished slavery in the United States. This period aimed to rebuild the South and integrate formerly enslaved individuals into society as free citizens. It involved significant political, social, and economic changes, including the establishment of new laws and institutions to support African American rights. The era lasted until 1877, when federal troops withdrew from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction efforts.
The most long-lasting victory for civil rights achieved during Reconstruction was the passage of the 14th Amendment in 1868, which granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves. This amendment established the principle of equal protection under the law, laying the groundwork for future civil rights advancements. Additionally, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, aimed to protect the voting rights of African American men. Together, these amendments significantly shaped the legal landscape for civil rights in America, despite subsequent challenges and setbacks.
The different approaches to Reconstruction after the American Civil War primarily included Presidential Reconstruction, led by Abraham Lincoln and later Andrew Johnson, which favored a lenient approach to reintegrating the Southern states, and Congressional Reconstruction, spearheaded by the Radical Republicans, which sought to impose stricter terms and protect the rights of newly freed African Americans. Presidential Reconstruction aimed for quick restoration of the Union with minimal changes, while Congressional Reconstruction focused on significant social and political reforms, including the passage of the Reconstruction Amendments. These differing philosophies ultimately led to conflicts over the direction and implementation of Reconstruction policies.
In 1920, women received the right to vote in the United States with the passage of the 19th Amendment.
It outlawed voting discrimination based on race.
The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment
It outlawed voting discrimination based on race.
It outlawed voting discrimination based on race.
It outlawed voting discrimination based on race.
The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in 1865, but more work was needed to ensure that African American citizens had equal rights. The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment gave African American men the right to vote, although the law was not upheld in all states.
The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment
The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment
During Reconstruction, southern state governments underwent significant changes, including the establishment of new state constitutions that expanded civil rights and voting access for African American men, thanks to the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment. This amendment prohibited states from denying the right to vote based on race, leading to increased political participation among Black citizens. As a result, many African Americans were elected to local, state, and federal offices, fundamentally altering the political landscape in the South. However, these gains were met with resistance and ultimately led to the imposition of Jim Crow laws and other discriminatory practices in the following decades.
The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment
The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment
The passage of the Fifteenth Amendment