Reconstruction Amendments

Quick Facts: Who was Reconstruction Amendments?

Subject:

Reconstruction Amendments

Known for:

Three constitutional amendments (XIII, XIV, XV) establishing rights post-Civil War.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

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 that occurred after the Civil War. The Thirteenth Amendment (proposed in 1864 and ratified in 1865) abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except for those duly convicted of a crime. The Fourteenth Amendment (proposed in 1866 and ratified in 1868) addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws for all persons. The Fifteenth Amendment (proposed in 1869 and ratified in 1870) prohibits discrimination in voting rights of citizens on the basis of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." These amendments were intended to guarantee the freedom of the formerly enslaved and grant certain civil rights to them, and to protect the formerly enslaved and all citizens of the United States from discrimination.

Career & Major Achievements

However, the promise of these amendments was eroded by state laws and federal court decisions throughout the late 19th century. It was not fully realized until the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 and laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Reconstruction Amendments were adopted between 1865 and 1870, the five years immediately following the American Civil War. The last time the Constitution had been amended was by the Twelfth Amendment in 1804, more than 60 years before. These three amendments were part of a large movement to reconstruct the United States that followed the Civil War.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Their proponents believed that they would transform the United States from a country that President Abraham Lincoln previously described as "half slave and half free." While Senator Charles Sumner argued that declarationism already justified citing the United States Declaration of Independence as authority for any human rights legislation, the Radical Republicans supported passage of the Reconstruction Amendments to ensure that newly granted civil and political rights could not be easily repealed. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime. It was passed by the U.S. Senate on April 8, 1864, and, after one unsuccessful vote and extensive legislative maneuvering by the Lincoln administration, the House followed suit on January 31, 1865. The measure was swiftly ratified by all but three Union states (the exceptions were Delaware, New Jersey, and Kentucky), and by a sufficient number of border and "reconstructed" Southern states, to be ratified by December 6, 1865. On December 18, 1865, Secretary of State William H. Seward proclaimed it to have been incorporated into the federal Constitution.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1804: 1804 Milestone — The last time the Constitution had been amended was by the Twelfth Amendment in 1804, more than 60 years before.
2. 1864: 1864 Milestone — The Thirteenth Amendment (proposed in 1864 and ratified in 1865) abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except for those duly convicted of a crime.
3. 1865: 1865 Milestone — 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.
4. 1866: 1866 Milestone — The Fourteenth Amendment (proposed in 1866 and ratified in 1868) addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws for all persons.
5. 1869: 1869 Milestone — The Fifteenth Amendment (proposed in 1869 and ratified in 1870) prohibits discrimination in voting rights of citizens on the basis of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
6. 1954: 1954 Milestone — Board of Education in 1954 and laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Notable Quotes by Reconstruction Amendments

“The Reconstruction Amendments were intended to guarantee the freedom of the formerly enslaved and grant certain civil rights to them...”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Reconstruction Amendments

True or False: “The Fourteenth Amendment was immediately effective in preventing all forms of racial discrimination across all state governments.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While foundational, the amendment's promise was eroded by state laws and federal court decisions throughout the late 19th century.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. P. Hill — Historical peer (Died in 1865) (1865): Confederate general who distinguished himself in the American Civil War.
• Abraham Isaac Kook — Historical peer (Born in 1865) (1865): Pioneering Orthodox Rabbi and Father of Religious Zionism.
• Adam Lindsay Gordon — Historical peer (Died in 1870) (1870): Pioneering British-Australian poet, horseman, and politician of the Victorian era.
• Adolf Loos — Historical peer (Born in 1870) (1870): Pioneering architect and theorist of modernism, known for his critique of ornamentation.
• Abraham González (governor) — Historical peer (Born in 1864) (1864): Governor of Chihuahua and key Maderista leader during the Mexican Revolution.
• Adelaide Anne Procter — Historical peer (Died in 1864) (1864): English poet and philanthropist known for her work on poverty and faith.
• Abraham Flexner — Historical peer (Born in 1866) (1866): Pioneering American educator known for reforming US and Canadian medical and higher education.
• Alfred Werner — Historical peer (Born in 1866) (1866): Pioneering Swiss chemist who established modern coordination chemistry.
• Abdülmecid II — Historical peer (Born in 1868) (1868): Last Ottoman Caliph and prominent Turkish aesthete, head of the Osmanoğlu family.
• Adah Isaacs Menken — Historical peer (Died in 1868) (1868): American actress, painter, and poet known for sensational stage performances.

Frequently Asked Questions about Reconstruction Amendments