Abstract
Slavery in the American society was a common practice in the early years after the American revolution. The black slaves were treated as properties of the people who owned them and were used as factors of production for their economic progress. The American constitution was ratified in 1778, but it did not recognize the rights of slaves. However, in the early 1860’s there was an increasing pressure and civil war against slavery had began with states in the northern states against slavery while the southern states supported slavery. Therefore, after the civil war there was a need for amendments that would facilitate the rebuilding of the country. Therefore, the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments were introduced between 1865 and 1870 to facilitate reconstruction of the country. This paper discusses the social impacts of the civil war amendments also referred to as reconstruction of the amendments.
Slavery and inequality in the American society in terms of race are dated back in the 1660’s with initial settlers in the American soil. After the American revolution, the country embarked on reforms and formulation of a constitution, which was later ratified in 1778. At that time, slavery was a common practice, and most of the black people were slaves owned by certain people who perceived them as their property. Slavery was widespread throughout the American society, and the majority of the slaves was dated back to the colonial periods (Wallenfeldt, 2009). There were numerous calls for the abolition of the slave trade from different radicals in the congress who were referred to as abolitionists.
The reconstruction and amendment of the constitution, in the USA, began after the slave trade was abolished in 1862. There were numerous challenges facing the political and legislative arms of the government in integrating the new African Americans into the political life of the country. The reconstruction made by the congress involved the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, which were made to ensure the extension of civil and legal protection to the new citizens (Middleton, 2002). Prior to the amendments slavery was a common practice and slaves were treated as properties of people who bought them. The indigenous Americans believed that African American slaves were important for the growth of the economy.
However, in the early 1860s, the slavery issue created divisions in the country and a civil war was imminent as the northern people were against slavery. The southerners were pro-slavery as they perceived them as very important for the economy. This prompted President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which promised freedom for the slaves in the southern immediately the northern union army reached them (Burgan, 2006). However, it was not sufficiently and strong enough to end slavery, but after the north’s win over the south in 1865 prompted the government to end slavery. This was essential for recovery of the country from destructions caused during the civil war.
In 1863, the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by the president led to the abolishment of the slave trade in rebellious states and by 1865, the slavery issue had not been resolved in totality at the national level. During the reconstruction period, the three amendments adopted in the constitution were focused on establishing equality for the African Americans. The first amendments of the American constitutions were made within the first fifteen years after ratification. The thirteenth amendment was adopted in 1865, to facilitate abolishment of slavery and servitude based on race except when inflicting punishment for a crime.
The Reconstruction Amendments are also referred to as the Civil War Amendments and were essential in facilitating the implementation of important changes, which were essential in the reformation and rebuilding of the united states. The reconstruction amendments would facilitate the development of reforms, which would rebuild US to the desired envisioned status. The reconstruction amendments were developed and ratified after five years following the civil war in the period ranging from 1865 and 1870. Each of the three amendments was adopted to address varying specific issues in regard to southern slavery, citizenship and suffrage. These amendments altered the political and social landscape of the American society radically at the period when the civil war was ending (Scaturro, 2000). Some of the amendments like the fourteenth amendment still apply in the modern contemporary cases, which violate the clause of equal protection.
The crafting of the amendments, which was done by the radical republican paved way towards achievement of a more democratic society, which provided absolute equality for all citizens. The three amendments were focused on creating an equal society and slavery. The thirteenth amendment officially marked the end of slavery. The constitutional amendments were proposed to give the civil and legal rights and protection to people who did not have them previously. Ratification of the thirteenth amendment led to freeing of all the slaves and end of discrimination against people from different races. The abolition of the slave trade created a platform for the unification of the north with south creating progressive movement, which led to other legal actions (Pamela, 2000). It declared freeing of all slaves with an exception of punishment for crimes whereof the convicted parties are punished according to the law.
However, the enactment of the thirteenth amendment faced challenges as the majority of the white Americans especially from the south enacted laws that would propagate slavery. The black people could still be arrested, convicted and forced into slavery and involuntary servitude. Therefore, even after ratification of the thirteenth amendment, there were still loopholes which led to continued slavery. The loopholes of the thirteenth amendment adopted and ratified in 1865, prompted the need for another amendment, which would seal off the loopholes of the former (Ferguson, 2013).
The fourteenth amendment was the next reconstruction amendment adopted and ratified in 1868, which facilitated the definition of citizenship in the United States. In this amendment, the rights and liberties of citizens were defined where the African Americans were recognized as American citizens. In 1857, Dred Scott Decision was a ruling made to deny African Americans citizenship in the united states. However, the fourteenth amendment was adopted and ratified to overturn the ruling and it stated that all people born or naturalized in the US are rightful citizens of the united states and of the state where such persons reside (Greene, 2004). In this amendment, citizenship was significantly defined extending from not only on the federal level, but also within state jurisdictions.
However, the Scot Decision differentiated between state citizenship and federal citizenship. The fourteenth amendment was a significant amendment among the reconstruction amendments as it facilitated redefinition of citizenship. The rights and liberties of the people were also defined as encompassing the broader population of the united states population. Adopted and ratified in 1868, the fourteenth amendment defined all people born in the US as rightful citizens accorded the due processes of law with the need for equal protection. However, the fourteenth amendments did not satisfy the radical republicans as it made no changes on giving the African Americans the right to vote (Ferguson, 2013). In addition, they were against the deprivation of black men's suffrage to prevent the black men from representation in the congress. Therefore, the fifteenth amendment was made, which gave the African American people the right to vote irrespective of their color, previous status and race in the US.Analysis of the Amendments
The amendments were a result of the civil war in the fight against slavery, in the united states. Therefore, it was supported by a majority of the states in the north while the states in the south were pro-slavery. The radical Republican congress members such as Steve were among the congress members pursuing the amendments. The amendments played an imperative role in the creation of a more cohesive, unified and progressive country. However, even with the amendments, the society was highly divided along the race where the native Americans perceived and treated African Americans as second class citizens. The states in the southern treated African American people as second class citizens and they were heavily mistreated. For example, the Jim Crow rules came into force, and they were against the African American when the riots and fighting began.
The amendments to the American constitution were in line with the social, and the political environment in the united states as they came after a civil war and the amendments were much required for the reconstruction of the country. The majority of the native Americans were against the amendments while the African Americans made great strides towards achievement of equality in the American society. Although the motive of the radical republicans was partisan, they received support from the president Lincoln, which improved funding from the government. The amendments achieved both short and long term goals in facilitating the African Americans fight for equal rights during the civil rights movement (Foner, 2013). There were numerous social problems in the American society as a result of riots and enmity between the native Americans and the African Americans.
The amendments to the constitution presented the wise use of resources as they have had significant impacts on the American society. For example, it created a platform that enabled the African Americans to fight for equal rights and racism in the American society. Other alternatives would not have been preferable since there was a general need for the abolition of slavery and achievement of equal rights for the African American society. The significant rebellion of the southern congress presented challenges in the implementation of the amendments (Burgan, 2006). In addition, there were many social platforms that required significant time to change in accommodating the black people in the society as citizens. There were stereotypes and increased hatred between the native Americans and the African American, which was a significant challenge towards its implementation.
References
Burgan, M. (2006). The Reconstruction Amendments. Mankato: Capstone.
Ferguson, P. V. (2013). Reconstruction 1866-1877. Retrieved September 24, 2013, from http://www.studythepast.com/weekly/reconstruction.html
Foner, E. (2013). The Reconstruction Amendments: Official Documents as Social History. Retrieved Septmber 24, 2013, from The Gilder Lehram Institute of American History: http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/reconstruction/essays/reconstruction-amendments-official-documents-social-history
Greene, M. (2004). Into the Land of Freedom: African Americans in Reconstruction. South Carolina: Twenty-First Century Books.
Middleton, S. (2002). Black Congressmen During Reconstruction: A Documentary Sourcebook. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Pamela, B. (2000, September). CIVIL WAR WITHOUT END: THE SOCIOLOGY AND SYNERGY OF LAW AND HISTORY. Retrieved September 24, 2013, from Hmanities and Social Sciences : http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=4506
Scaturro, F. J. (2000). The Supreme Court's Retreat from Reconstruction: A Distortion of Constitutional Jurisprudence. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Wallenfeldt, J. ( 2009). The American Civil War and Reconstruction: People, Politics, and Power. New Jersy: The Rosen Publishing Group.
