The 13th Amendment was the first of the Civil War amendments. Approved after the war in 1865, it outlawed slavery. It also banned forced labor, which means forcing someone to work. The 14th Amendment was approved in 1868 to try to protect African Americans from black codes, which were laws keeping African Americans from holding certain jobs, gave them few property rights, and limited many of their rights. The 14th Amendment defined an American citizen as anyone “born or naturalized in the United States.” The amendment also said that every state must give all citizens “equal protection of the laws.” The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, was the last of the Civil War amendments. It says that no state may deny a person the right to vote because of their race. The amendment was meant to guarantee suffrage – the right to vote – for American Americans. Still, many states found other ways to keep African Americans from voting.



How did the Civil Rights Amendments try and extend rights to African Americans? Use information from the passage as evidence to support your answer. Write your answer in complete sentences.