Question

refers to the excerpts below. "all persons born or naturalized in the united states, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the united states and of the state wherein they reside. no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the united states; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."—from the 14th amendment to the united states constitution, 1868 "the right of citizens of the united states to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the united states or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."—from the 15th amendment to the united states constitution, 1870 how did these amendments affect african americans living in the south in the first few decades after the civil war?

Answer 1

The 14th Amendment extended citizenship and mandated equal protection under the law, while the 15th Amendment prohibited voting discrimination. Despite legal protections, African Americans in the South faced violent resistance and were often denied actualization of these rights in the post-Civil War era.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 14th and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution had a profound impact on African Americans, particularly in the South, in the decades following the Civil War. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, was revolutionary as it extended citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and mandated equal protection under the law, thus overturning the Dred Scott decision and eliminating the three-fifths compromise.

Additionally, it reduced representation for states that denied adult male inhabitants the right to vote and barred individuals who had engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. from holding office. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, further bolstered African American rights by prohibiting voting discrimination based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Despite these advancements, African Americans in the South faced significant challenges. Although legally entitled to citizenship and voting rights, they encountered violent resistance and systemic efforts to undermine these constitutional provisions through mechanisms such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses.

The amendments were supposed to ensure equal protection and due process to all citizens and lay the foundation for a more inclusive democracy. However, in the first few decades after the Civil War, the legal gains were often not actualized, and it took much longer for these amendments to effect substantial change in the lives of African Americans.