Question

How was the Constitution significant in helping African Americans to gain civil rights?

A. Reconstruction-era Presidents passed executive orders guaranteeing equal rights.
B. African Americans challenged laws and customs that violated their constitutional rights.
C. The NAACP wanted to establish an entirely new Constitution to better protect minority rights.

Answer 1

The Constitution was instrumental in granting African Americans civil rights through the ratification of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, along with the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which collectively worked to abolish slavery, define citizenship, ensure equality under the law, and protect voting rights.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Constitution was significant in helping African Americans gain civil rights primarily through the passage of landmark amendments and legislation during and after the Civil War. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, providing a legal foundation for freedom. However, the emergence of Black codes attempted to restrict the rights of African Americans, prompting Congress to take further action. The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, was particularly crucial as it granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States and provided equality under the law, contradicting the previous Dred Scott decision. The Civil Rights Act of 1866, which preceded the Fourteenth Amendment, also played a key role in establishing citizenship and equal rights, despite initial presidential vetoes. Finally, the Fifteenth Amendment sought to protect African American men's right to vote.