Civil War Amendments

13th, 14th & 15th Amendments

• To amend something is to make a change in something to make it better or more up-to-date. Basically, you are trying to improve.

• An Amendment is an addition or change to the US Constitution.

13th Amendment

• The 13th Amendment stated that slavery or could not exist in the United States of America or any of it’s territories.

• Basically this Amendment abolishes slavery in the United States of America.

14th Amendment

• The 14th Amendment did a couple of things. – First it granted citizenship to all people born in the

United States of America.– It also guaranteed Due Process to all citizens. That

means that the government can’t take a persons life, liberty or property without going through certain steps.

– It also guaranteed equal protection under the law to all people.

15th Amendment

• The 15th Amendment guaranteed the right of a citizen to vote regardless of their race, color or previous condition of servitude.

• Unfortunately, the 15th Amendment did not include women.