Here are the answers to fill in your worksheet about the Reconstruction Amendments.
13th Amendment
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Date Ratified: December 6, 1865
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What did this Amendment do?
It officially abolished (ended) slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, except as punishment for a crime.
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What was the difference between the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment?
The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order by President Lincoln that only freed slaves in states that were rebelling against the Union during the Civil War. The 13th Amendment changed the Constitution to permanently end slavery everywhere in the entire country.
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What were some obstacles to the 13th Amendment?
Many people in the South strongly opposed ending slavery because their economy relied on it. Also, getting enough states to vote "yes" to change the Constitution was difficult and took time.
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What did this amendment do to the Three-Fifths Compromise and the Fugitive Slave Clause?
Because the 13th Amendment ended slavery, these old rules became useless. There were no longer any "slaves" to count as three-fifths of a person for population counts, and there were no longer any enslaved people who could be considered "fugitives" to be returned to owners.
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14th Amendment
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Date Ratified: July 9, 1868
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What did this Amendment do?
It granted citizenship to everyone born or naturalized in the U.S. (including formerly enslaved people) and guaranteed all citizens equal protection under the law.
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What are the 3 clauses to the 14th Amendment?
1. The Citizenship Clause (defines who is a citizen).
2. The Due Process Clause (states cannot take away life, liberty, or property without fair legal procedures).
3. The Equal Protection Clause (states must treat everyone equally under the law).
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What did this amendment do to the Supreme Court’s 1857 *Dred Scott v. Sandford* ruling?
It overturned (reversed) the ruling. In *Dred Scott*, the Court said Black people could not be citizens. The 14th Amendment explicitly stated that anyone born in the U.S. *is* a citizen, making the old ruling invalid.
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15th Amendment
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Date Ratified: February 3, 1870
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What did this Amendment do?
It prohibited the government from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
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What do both the terms franchise and suffrage mean?
Both terms mean the
right to vote.
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What obstacles arose after the passage of the 15th Amendment?
*(Note: Your worksheet asks about obstacles after the 14th, but since this is in the 15th section, here is the answer for voting rights)*:
Even though the law said they could vote, many Southern states created unfair rules like literacy tests, poll taxes (fees to vote), and grandfather clauses to stop Black men from actually casting their ballots.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of reconstruction amendments worksheet.
