American Promise
Name
Institution
American Promise
The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were passed during the reconstruction period. They are important because they guaranteed the freedom of all former slaves. The 13th amendment abolished slavery. The remaining states that supported slavery were forced to free them following the passage of the amendment. It ensured that no person would be enslaved in the United States. The 14th amendment gave the right for every person born or naturalized in the United States to become a citizen. This included all those who had been born into slavery. The amendment ensured that all people had the same privileges as citizens. It prohibited states from abridging people of their immunities as citizens. Under the amendment, no state had the permission to deprive any person of life, property, or freedom against the law. The amendment was important because it highlighted the need for equality. Being regarded citizens meant that African Americans and people from other races who had been born in the country had the same rights as everyone else.
The 14th amendment paved the way for African Americans to claim their rights. States had an obligation to offer the same level of protection to their citizens and to all the people. The fourteenth amendment enforced the civil rights act, which required citizenship for every person born in the country. This meant that the Supreme Court could not rule the act unconstitutional. The fifteenth amendment gave people the right to vote. It prohibited all governments from discriminating against race or color. People could vote regardless of whether they were former slaves. Prior to the passing of the amendment, blacks could not vote regardless of whether they were free. The amendment paved the way for progress regarding the implementation of the rights. Although the amendments had been passed, the society was reluctant to implement them. However, the amendments ensured that all people finally got their freedom.