Society Change from the 13th Amendment

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z Professor: Russell Friedman American Legal System CHANGE – CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS The Founding Fathers wrote the United States Constitution which included the amendment process. I will be writing about two amendments that changed American society. The two amendments are the 13th and the 19th. The 13th is the abolition of slavery and the 19th is woman’s suffrage. The 13th amendment was one of the most important amendments to have been made in our country. This was a major role in history. This amendment was to free all African Americans (men, women and children) from slavery. It was passed by congress on January 31st 1865 and was ratified on December 6th 1865. This would mean an entirely different lifestyle for African Americans. There was still racism going on, but no African American was considered a slave. By ending slavery this forced the south to find a new way of supporting themselves and working their cash crops. In 1863 President Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation meaning that all people that were held as slaves within the United States shall be forever set free. But this did not end slavery in the nation. This is why Lincoln then came up with the 13th amendment to abolish slavery. It was a very controversial amendment. With this other situations came up for the United States. In the south the Union wanted slavery and in the North they were against slavery. Before the Civil War the United States had many acts to protect slavery. They stopped the slave trade and importation of slaves under military order. Right after the civil war the 13th amendment was passed, many changes were made. The amendment gave African Americans more rights, even though it gave them more rights they had a lot of other issues. They needed food, shelter, clothing and basic necessities, and a way to make a

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