13th,14th,15th Ame. Notes

13th Amendment

  • Ratified in 1865

  • Frederick Douglass famously asked, "What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?"

Overview of the 13th Amendment

  • Section 1:

    • Prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States except as punishment for a crime where the party has been duly convicted.

    • Ensures that slavery or involuntary servitude does not exist within the U.S. or places subject to their jurisdiction.

  • Section 2:

    • Grants Congress the power to enforce the article through appropriate legislation.

Historical Context

  • Lincoln's Assassination:

    • Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, just before the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment at the end of the year.

    • The Civil War is referred to as the second American Revolution and is linked to the principle that "all men are created equal."

Population and Demographics of Pensacola in 1900

  • Population: 17,747

  • Annual Exports: Valued at $14,413,522

  • Racial Demographics:

    • Black population exceeded that of the white population by over 1,000 (7,775 to 6,312).

  • Significance: Booker T. Washington described Pensacola as a “typical Negro business community” with a black mayor, aldermen, police officers, and a thriving African-American business community and a large black middle class.

Liberties and Rights

  • Civil Liberties:

    • Fundamental rights and freedoms protected from government infringement.

  • Civil Rights:

    • Protections against discrimination for members of particular groups.

Segregation Defined

  • De jure segregation:

    • Legal segregation based on characteristics such as race.

  • De facto segregation:

    • Segregation that arises from factors other than law, such as housing patterns.

The Fight Against Segregation

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

  • The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens, even if they lived in free states or territories.

  • This decision deprived slaves of natural rights and was issued before the Civil War.

Emancipation Proclamation

  • Issued during the Civil War, aimed to end slavery in the United States.

Civil Rights Amendments and Backlash

  • Black Codes:

    • Enacted by Southern states to restore control and restrict rights of freedmen.

  • Civil Rights Amendments:

    • Thirteenth Amendment: Prohibited slavery.

    • Fourteenth Amendment: Granted citizenship to those born in the U.S. and restricted states from denying due process and equal protection under the law.

    • Equal Protection Clause: Used to protect against discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, and gender.

    • Fifteenth Amendment: Section 1: Granted voting rights to male African Americans and all citizens regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude and cannot be denied in U.S. or any state. Section 2: Congress has the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Jim Crow Laws

  • Southern states employed Jim Crow laws to undermine Reconstruction, enforcing segregation in transportation, businesses, and education.

  • Methods of voter suppression, including poll taxes and literacy tests, were prevalent.

Plessy v. Ferguson: “Separate but Equal”

  • Upheld the constitutionality of Jim Crow laws.

  • Case Details:

    • Homer Plessy was 7/8 Caucasian and arrested for violating the law requiring separate railroad cars.

    • The Court ruled that separate facilities did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment, establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine that lasted for 60 years.

Civil Rights Movement

Timeline of Events

  • Civil Disobedience:

    • Sit-ins and protests organized by groups such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

  • Freedom Riders:

    • Challenged segregated transportation and faced violence; these acts were broadcasted, garnering public support for civil rights.

Significant Legislation

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964:

    • Outlawed racial segregation in schools and public places.

    • Authorized the Attorney General to sue districts that failed to desegregate.

  • Voting Rights Act of 1965:

    • Outlawed literacy tests and authorized federal officers to register voters in areas resistant to compliance.

Reflection Questions

  • Do we live in a segregated society today?

Test Prep - Civil Rights

Key Questions:

  • Has the 15th Amendment been extended protection of races other than African Americans...Yes, the 15th Amendment prohibits voter discrimination based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude" and has been interpreted to apply to all races, not just African Americans.

  • When the Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act, what amendment was referred? The Supreme Court referred to the Fifth Amendment(specifically its Due Process Clause) in United States v. Windsor (2013), as it applied to the federal government.

  • A system of segregation imposed by laws named after a minstrel show character is known as… Jim Crow laws.

  • Which states allow Physician assisted suicide? As of early 2026, it is legal in 13 states and D.C.: Oregon, Washington, Vermont, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Montana (via court ruling), Delaware, Illinois, and New York.

  • The first written account of slaves in the Americas was in what year… While enslaved people were present earlier, 1501 is often cited as the year the Spanish crown first authorized the shipment of enslaved Africans to the Americas [Result not in search, general knowledge]. However, 1500s is the era.

  • The 14th Amendment drastically expanded the reach of the U.S. Constitution. This statement is true; it established birthright citizenship, due process, and equal protection for all citizens against state violations.

  • This is a program in which employers take positive steps to offer training and jobs to groups that have suffered discrimination in the past. Affirmative Action.

  • Which President signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965? Lyndon B. Johnson.

  • Which “clause” exists in the 14th Amendment? The 14th Amendment includes the Citizenship Clause, Due Process Clause, and Equal Protection Clause.

  • Know the case Obergefell v. Hodges: This 2015 case ruled that the 14th Amendment requires all states to license and recognize same-sex marriages, establishing it as a fundamental right.

  • What is substantive due process? A doctrine that allows courts to protect certain fundamental rights from government interference, even if those rights are not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

  • Which Civil Right Amendment abolished slavery in the United States? The 13th Amendment.

  • Which Constitutional Amendment says that if you are born in the U.S., you are a citizen? The 14th Amendment.

  • Which amendment includes the "due process clause?" Both the 5th (federal) and 14th (state) Amendments.

  • The Supreme Court's decision in _______ in 1857 held that slaves were not citizens of the U.S. Dred Scott v. Sandford

  • What was the direct result of the case of Plessy v. Ferguson was…. The legal doctrine of "separate but equal," which legalized segregation.

  • Which amendment secured the right to vote for all female citizens in the United States? The 19th Amendment.

  • What was instrumental in gaining public support for the civil rights movements in the U.S. Televised violence against protesters (such as in Birmingham), the March on Washington, and the tireless work of leaders like A. Philip Randolph and Martin Luther King Jr., and social media such as artists and photographers depicting

  • The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendment was passed during which time period? The Reconstruction Era (1865-1870).

  • These allowed voters registered before the 15th Amendment to skip literacy tests… Grandfather Clauses.

  • What is affirmative action? A policy designed to redress past discrimination against women and minority groups through active measures to ensure equal opportunity in employment and education.