Civil Rights Amendments

1. Civil Rights Amendments

2. Protecting the Rights of All

3. Protecting the Rights of All • The Bill of Rights did not restrain the power of the state or local governments, only the national government. • Many states used their reserved powers to violate the civil liberties of some Americans.

4. Protecting the Rights of All • Before 1865, African Americans remained enslaved throughout the South. • These slaves had little, if any, civil liberties.

5. Protecting the Rights of All • From 1865 to 1870, three Civil War amendments (13, 14, 15) were added to extend civil liberties by limiting state abuses of power to newly freed African Americans. • It broadened the reach of Constitutional rights.

6. The Thirteenth Amendment • The 13th Amendment (Civil WarAmendment) officially ended slavery(or forced labor) in the U.S., freeing thousands of African Americans in the South

7. The Fourteenth Amendment • The 14th Amendment (Civil WarAmendment) defined a U.S. citizenas anyone “born or naturalizedin the U.S.” • This included most newly freed African Americans, who were required to be granted by the state “equal protection” of the laws(to counter Southern “black codes”) • And, In order to ensure the rights of African American citizens, every statewas also now required to grant its citizens due process of law(equal protection under the law – known as Due ProcessClause of the 14th Amendment)

9. 14th Amendment 1868 – Defines citizenship

10. 14th Amendment 1868 – State Laws

11. 14th Amendment 1868 – Equal Protection Under the Law

12. The Fifteenth Amendment • The 15thAmendment (Civil War Amendment) granted African Americans suffrage(the right to vote). • This suffrage, however, was granted only to African American men in most states.

14. Protecting the Rights of All • Before 1920, women were not permitted to vote in almost all U.S. states. • The “suffrage movement” was the effort to gain women the right to vote.

15. The Nineteenth Amendment • The 19th Amendment extended suffrage (right to vote) to include womenin all states and national elections • Nicknamed “universalsuffrage”

16. 19th Amendment 1920 – Right to vote for Women

17. The Twenty Fourth Amendment • The 24th Amendment made poll taxes(money paid for the right to vote) illegal in national elections • The U.S. Supreme Court would also later rule that poll taxes were illegal in state elections as well • Poll taxes were common “Jim Crow Laws” that discriminated against African Americans in the South

18. 24th Amendment 1964 - No Poll Taxes

21. The Twenty Sixth Amendment • The 26th Amendment” lowered the voting ageto18for all national, state, and local elections • Came about during the Vietnam Conflict when many believed if an 18 year old was old enough to fight in war, they should be able to vote.

22. 26th Amendment - 1971Lowered Voting Age from 21 to 18

23. Review:Which amendment defines citizenship? The 14th

24. Review:Which amendment gave women the right to vote? The 19th

25. Review:Which amendment gave African American men the right to vote? The 15th

26. Review:Which amendment said that state laws must be constitutional? The 14th

27. Review:Which amendment ended slavery? The 13th

28. Review:Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18? The 26th

29. Review:Which amendment outlawed poll taxes? The 24th

30. Review:Which amendment said that there must be equal protection under the law? The 14th