Changes to the Constitution
There were three major changes to the United States Constitution after the Civil War. All three were amendments to the Constitution addressing the issue of slavery. The amendments also guaranteed equal protection under the law for all citizens.
A report of a special committee on the passage by the House of Representatives of the constitutional amendment to abolish slavery, Jan. 31, 1865. / Library of Congress
The 13th Amendment banned slavery in the United States and its territories.
The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and guarantees them equal protection under the law.
The 15th Amendment ensures all citizens the right to vote regardless or race or color or previous condition of service.
These amendments to the Constitution made African-Americans an equal part of our society, at least in the eyes of the government. It granted them freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote. The Civil Rights Act of 1866, which authorized the use of federal troops to enforce these equal
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