BThe population of freed blacks was increasing rapidly, approximately 500,000 by 1860. The state, federal and national levels were restricting voting to keep African Americans at the bottom of the social, economic and political ladder. Four million enslaved men, women, and children did not have rights or citizenship.
Election fraud, poll taxes, confusing balloting schemes, and suffrage disqualifications were used to nullify black political strength.
The Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery. Although slavery had been abolished, all-white legislative bodies in many of the states enacted Black Codes, where they continued to treat African Americans as they did pre-war. Citizens over every race and color were given equal rights to make contracts, sue, testify in court and purchase and sell property.
1. What was the 13th Amendment?
2. How did the 13th Amendment affect slavery?
3. How did the 13th Amendment ultimately impact African Americans in politics?
4. What do you notice about the signatures on the Amendment?
5. Do you think the slaves were immediately made aware of their new freedom?
6. Why do you think some would oppose the new amendment?
Scene from when Congress approved the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865.
1. What do you see going on in this photo?
2. Do the people in the photo look happy? does this look like a celebration or a brawl?
3. What do you see in this picture that you did not expect to see?
4. Considering that the 13th Amendment was approved, more than half of the people had to approve. Do you find this surprising?
5. What affect did the 15th Amendment have on the involvement of African Americans in politics?
6. What issues do you feel Congress may have had with the 13th Amendment?
The Proclamation of Emancipation- This document declared that the rebel stated had seceded from the Union and that the enslaved people were now "free."
1. What document it this and what did it do?
2. How "free" were the enslaved people after this document?
3. Do you think Lincoln was honored for this? Or were people upset with him?
4. Why do you think those pictures are on the document? What do they symbolize?
5. How is this document import to the movement of African American involvement in politics?
6. What were the consequences of this document?
The First Vote- The First Reconsttruction Act, passed on March 2, 1867, guaranteed African American men the right to vote. Once voter registration was carried out, African American men made up the majority of electors in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
1. What does this cartoon depict?
2. Now that African American could vote, do you their vote counted?
3. Do you think people do not vote today because of the same reasons? Why?
4. What are the expressions of the men in the picture? Why do you think that is?
5. Why did these men vote, despite threats they probably received for voting?
6. If African AMerican understood the struggle for them to vote, do you think they would take it more seriously?
The Fifteenth Amendment , ratified in 1870, stated that the right to vote could not be denied or abridged by federal or state government because of race, color or previous condition of servitude. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 restored full rights to blacks men and extended them to black women.
1. What did the 15th Amendment do?
2. What do you see in the pictures?
3. Why do you think collage was chosen to represent the 15th Amendment?
4. How were some states still going about not following through with the amendment?
5. After the 15th Amendment, why was there still a need to have the Voting Rights Act?
6. What problems do you think Congress may have had with the 15th Amendment?
The first Colored Senator and Representatives in the 41st and 42nd Congress of the U.S. From 1870 to 1901, 22 African Americans served in Congress, 13 of them had been born to slaves. All had some education and some half had gone to college.
1. Who is in this portrait?
2. Do you find the growth in numbers of African Americans surprising? Why?
3. Do you think these men were from the North or the South?
4. No all of these men had an education, do you think positions like these require a college degree?
5. Considering a few of them were born slaves, what do you thing their voice was in congress?
6. Do you think these men advocated for civil rights and equality once in their positions?
Ad from Pennsylvania newspaper.
1. What is the purpose of this ad?
2. What message are they trying to give?
3. Who is the message directed to?
4. What is the Black Roll?
5. Why didn't some people want to African Americans as equal, even after the 15th Amendment?
6. Do you think this picture is an accurate depiction or slightly dramatized? Why?
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