Thesis: The ratification of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution marked a significant turning point in the history of American politics and society, as they expanded the rights and protections of citizenship to previously marginalized groups and fundamentally altered the balance of power between the federal government and the states.
Application of Historical Thinking Skills: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, ratified in 1868 and 1870 respectively, represented a major shift in the political and social landscape of the United States. These amendments expanded the rights and protections of citizenship to African Americans and other marginalized groups, fundamentally altering the balance of power between the federal government and the states. This can be seen through periodization, as the period immediately before the amendments was characterized by discrimination and limited rights for African Americans, while the period immediately following the amendments saw a significant expansion of rights and protections for these groups.
Supporting the Argument with Evidence: The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and prohibited states from denying any person "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law" or denying "equal protection of the laws." The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited states from denying the right to vote on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. These amendments were a major step forward in expanding the rights and protections of citizenship to African Americans and other marginalized groups, who had previously been denied these rights.
Synthesis: The ratification of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments marked a turning point in the history of United States politics and society, as they expanded the rights and protections of citizenship to previously marginalized groups and fundamentally altered the balance of power between the federal government and the states. It is important to note that while these amendments represented a major step forward in terms of civil rights, the fight for racial equality and justice in the United States is ongoing and continues to this day. This can be seen through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which sought to address the ongoing issues of discrimination and inequality faced by African Americans and other marginalized groups despite the amendments