Why was the 15th Amendment needed?

The 15th Amendment, which sought to protect the voting rights of African American men after the Civil War, was adopted into the U.S. Constitution in 1870. Despite the amendment, by the late 1870s discriminatory practices were used to prevent Black citizens from exercising their right to vote, especially in the South.

What was wrong with the 15th Amendment?

The Fifteenth Amendment had a significant loophole: it did not grant suffrage to all men, but only prohibited discrimination on the basis of race and former slave status. States could require voters to pass literacy tests or pay poll taxes — difficult tasks for the formerly enslaved, who had little education or money.

What is the 13th Amendment in simple terms?

The 13th amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “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.”

What did the 14th Amendment do?

Passed by the Senate on June 8, 1866, and ratified two years later, on July 9, 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to all persons “born or naturalized in the United States,” including formerly enslaved people, and provided all citizens with “equal protection under the laws,” extending the provisions of …

What was the 13th Amendment?

The Thirteenth Amendment—passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864; by the House on January 31, 1865; and ratified by the states on December 6, 1865—abolished slavery “within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Congress required former Confederate states to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment as a …

Who supported the 14th Amendment and who opposed it?

Thaddeus Stevens President Johnson made clear his opposition to the 14th Amendment as it made its way through the ratification process, but Congressional elections in late 1866 gave Republicans veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate.

Who benefits from the 13th Amendment?

On December 18, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment was adopted as part of the United States Constitution. The amendment officially abolished slavery, and immediately freed more than 100,000 enslaved people, from Kentucky to Delaware.

Which states ratified 15th Amendment?

Ratified in some states. The 15th amendment then was ratified by Nevada, Maine. Illinois, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

What is the purpose of the 15th Amendment?

The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution reads: In brief, this Amendment, ratified in 1870, was supposed to guarantee the right to vote to former slaves while barring discrimination on the basis of racial origin or skin color at the same time.

What does the 15th Amendment say?

The 15th Amendment states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition…

What is the 15th Amendment in your own words?

The 15th Amendment states: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The 15th Amendment granting African-American men the right to vote was adopted into the U.S. Jun 7 2019