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U. S. Government/Civil War Amendments

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Three amendments passed between 1865 and 1870, as a result of the US Civil War (1861 - 1865), were aimed at granting ex-slaves and other groups the same rights enjoyed by "normal" Americans. After the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery in Confederate states that were still fighting against the Union. The 13th Amendment, however, abolished slavery in ALL of the US and in any place subject to its jurisdiction. The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all people born in the US and to those who were naturalized. This made ex-slaves who were born in the US, citizens.

The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, extended the right to vote to all adult male citizens regardless of race or color. For many years after its ratification, however, some states used poll taxes and literacy tests as a way to prevent black Americans from voting. (A poll tax is a certain amount of money every adult citizen has to pay). This practice continued until Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Question --> Answer

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Question: How could a poll tax or a literacy test have been used to prevent someone from voting?
Answer: Since African Americans weren't allowed to be taught how to read or write, they couldn't do the literacy test. And since African Americans didn't have a job (had no money), they couldn't pay off the poll tax

Question: Why are these three amendments sometimes called the Civil War Amendments?
Answer: Because they were Amendments regarding issues with the Civil War

  1. What is a citizen? A citizen, naturalized or native, to a state/country
  2. What amendment defines citizenship? 14th Amendment
  3. What is the definition of citizenship? The status of being a citizen of a state/country.
  4. What are the ways a person can become a citizen? By being naturalized, or born to American citizens.
  5. Define "naturalization"? A non citizen who goes through a legal process to become a citizen.
  6. How have immigration and naturalization changed society? Different backgrounds/Acceptance of different cultures
  7. What must a citizen know in order to become a naturalized citizen? American History, and English (write and speak)
  8. What does the world "allegiance" mean? The loyalty to his/her government
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