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Black Codes
Black Codes were laws designed to help control newly freed slaves/ African Americans. Some of the codes made it illegal for African Americans to own or rent farms. The laws made it easier for whites to take advantage of these workers. Some allowed officials to fine or arrest African American who didn`t have jobs. Slaves that were freed had a little better life than those who were in slavery. -
Civil Rights Act
This law gave the federal government to be involved in state affairs to protect African Americans` rights. It granted citizenship to the freed slaves. This act was meant to counter the Supreme Court decision in 1857 case. The Supreme Court had ruled that African Americans were not citizens. -
Reconstruction Acts(first/second)
By 1867, 10 of the former Confederate states had not ratified the 14th Amendment. So, Congress passed the first Reconstruction Act. This law required that those states form new governments. The second Reconstruction Act empowered the army to register voters in each district and to help organize state constitutional conventions. Southerners refused to take part in the elections. By 1868, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Loisianna, North Carolina, and South Carolina -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment said "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein the reside." Another part of the amendment said that no state could take a person`s life, liberty, or property "without due process of law." Congress required the Southern states ratify the 14th Amendment, another condition of rejoining the Union. Most refused to do this, it delayed the amendment`s ratification until 1868. -
15th Amendment
This amendment states that any government official cannot deny the right to vote to any male citizen. Even if they are of a different race. Republicans believed that they had succeeded in giving Afircan American men the right to vote. The power of the vote would allow freed slaves to protect themselves against rude treatment by white people. Both beliefs would prove to be too optimistic.
