STANDARD US1.10a
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the effects of Reconstruction on American life by
a) identifying the provisions of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America and their impact on the expansion of freedom in America.

What are the basic provisions of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments?

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments address the issues of slavery and guarantee equal protection under the law for all citizens.

Basic provisions of the Amendments
• 13th Amendment: Bans slavery in the United States and any of its territories
• 14th Amendment: Grants citizenship to all persons born in the United States and guarantees them equal protection under the law
• 15th Amendment: Ensures all citizens the right to vote regardless of race or color or previous condition of servitude

These three amendments guarantee equal protection under the law for all citizens.

STANDARD US1.10b   
Effects of Reconstruction on the South

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes, major events, and effects of the Civil War by
b) describing the impact of Reconstruction policies on the South.

What were the Reconstruction policies for the South?
The Reconstruction policies were harsh and created problems in the South.

Reconstruction attempted to give meaning to the freedom that the former slaves had achieved.

Reconstruction policies and problems
• Southern military leaders could not hold office.
• Southerners resented northern “carpetbaggers,” who took advantage of the South during Reconstruction.
• African Americans held public office.
• African Americans gained equal rights as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which authorized the use of federal troops for its enforcement.
• Northern soldiers supervised the South.