Civil War Amendments

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves..." (Abraham Lincoln) Between the years of 1861 to 1865, the United States was at war with itself over slavery. This war is known as the Civil War. The Civil War amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) deeply impacted both black and white people of America. The 13th amendments states, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude... shall exist within the United States, or any other place in their jurisdiction." The 13th amendment officially abolished slavery in the United States in 1865. The amendment freed an estimate of 3 million slaves when ratified. The now, legally free, former slaves had no money, housing, or education, which leads to the Freedmen's Bureau being established. The Freedmen's Bureau provided all of what the former slaves needed; the most important being education. Although the former slaves where now free, there were still questions about racial equality. The 14th amendment came quickly after the 13th. The 14th amendment states that, "all persons born or naturalized in the United States... are citizens of the United States and the state in which they reside." This amendment applies not just to former slaves, but future blacks and people of other races born in the United States. The 14th
The 15th amendment declares that the," right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any station account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Because the blacks were allowed to vote, the Republican Party started to gain power. A group of southern men white men who hated the blacks, KKK, started to torture, burn, and beat blacks who attempted to vote. They also attacked whites who supported the black right. Although the former slaves now have some rights, it will still be many years until the blacks gain full racial