The Reconstruction Amendments

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were considered to be the Reconstruction Amendments because they were adopted during the Reconstruction Era, 5 years right after the end of the Civil War (1865-1870). The 13th Amendment (passed in 1865) abolished slavery. The 14th Amendment (passed in 1868) grants citizenship to freedmen and equal protection under the law. It also prevented former Confederates from holding office. The 15th Amendment (passed in 1870) allowed the right to vote regardless off race, color, or previous condition of servitude. But, this did NOT include women. It took an entirely new amendment- the 19th- to allow women the right to vote.