1. Amendments Protecting African Americans
Purpose: The Bill of Rights did little to protect people after the Civil War. Amendments had to be added to protect them from unjust laws and discrimination

2. Political Parties Democrats and Republicans Republicans: anti slavery
Democrats: States rights. States should choose their own laws and the Federal government should keep their hands off
Lincoln won and promised to leave slavery alone but not allow slaves in new states
Lincoln allows for more free states and less slave states.

3. Civil War and Reconstruction
States seceded and war ensued
When the war was over the South had to be rebuilt
Civil War amendments meant to help
13 abolished slavery
14 no state can enforce laws that limit rights of citizens
15 cannot deny rights based on race, color, religion or status

4. Black Codes
Southern states passed laws to show the government they would treat blacks fairly.
They did the opposite and limited their rights
The south denied education, services, and segregated whites and blacks
KKK was created by ex-confederate soldiers and law enforcement looked the other way
Intimidation, white supremacy
Union troops withdrew from the south, and the reign of terror began

5. Part 1: Charting Amendments to protect African Americans
Use Lesson 14 to find evidence of how the government tried to protect ex-slaves after the civil war. Create a chart with your evidence
Government Action
Purpose

6. Due Process and Equal Protection Clause
The 14th Amendment contained several provisions designed to reduce the problems with African Americans
Why do you think legal scholars believe these two clauses are the most important to the entire Constitution?

7. Southern Discrimination
15th Amendment
Why should African Americans get the right to vote in 1870?
How would this help to protect their rights?
Southern Discrimination
Explain the three methods the southern states tried to enacted to deny voting to African Americans
How did Poll taxes, Literacy tests, and the grandfather clause deny African Americans from being involved