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Black Codes
These laws were put in place so African Americans that were just freed could still be controlled. These laws made it illegal for African Americans to have a farm. It also allowed white employers to take advantage of African American workers and if African Americans didn't have jobs they could be arrested. This relates to race because it didn't allow African Americans to do things that white people could do, like own a farm. That is what the black codes did. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
To fight the Black Codes the Radiacal Republicans pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. This law would have given the federal government the ability to protect African American rights and also gave citizenship to them. Later, President Johnson denied the bill because it was made a law by Congress that didn't include representatives from the south. Then the Republicans in Congress overuled both vetoes and the bills became a law. That is the Civil Rights Act of 1866. -
Reconstruction Acts
This act required the ten states that didn't ratify the 14th Amendment to form new governments. The act divided the ten states into five military districts. This involed race because African Americans could finally vote in state elections. That was the Reconstruction Act. -
14th Amendment
This amendment was very important because it ended slavery. The 14th Amendment promised that citizenship could not be taken away by another law. Another big thing that this amendment said was that no state could take someones life, liberty, or property, without the process of the law. Former Confederate leaders could not hold office unless Congress made an exception. This relates to race becuae it allowed African Americans the same protection as whites. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment said that state and federal governments had to let any citizen vote no matter what color, race or previous condition of servitude. African American men finally got to vote. That is what the 15th Amendment did.
