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 War Amendment) 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 War Amendment) defined a U.S. citizen as anyone “born or naturalized in 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 state was also now required to grant its citizens due process of law (equal protection under the law – known as Due Process Clause 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 15th Amendment (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 women in all states and national elections
Nicknamed “universal suffrage”

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 age to 18 for 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 - 1971 Lowered 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