Reconstruction Amendments

The Fifteenth amendment
Credit: Library of Congress

Essential Question:

What were the Reconstruction Amendments, and why were they established within the U.S. Constitution?


In the United States from 1619 through 1865, enslaving Black people and denying them human and civil rights was a common practice. It took the Union winning the Civil War for the United States to finally establish the Reconstruction Amendments, which ended slavery and guaranteed equal protection of the laws and the right to vote.

Play the following video clip from Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect to review what you have learned about the Reconstruction Amendments. As you listen to the video, think about the following questions:

  • Why were they added to the U.S. Constitution?
  • Why was it important for them to be passed?

 

Test your knowledge. Use evidence and clues from the activities to choose the correct answer. After each response, you will get instant feedback and a short explanation to help you remember what you have learned.