In American history, the Reconstruction era was the period from 1865-1877 following the end of the American Civil War. This period was marked by various attempts made to redress the inequities imposed on African Americans through slavery. Three Reconstruction Amendments were ratified and limited this discretion. The Thirteenth Amendment (1865) prohibits slavery "except as a punishment for crime"; the Fourteenth Amendment (1868) grants citizenship to anyone "born or naturalized in the United States" and guarantees every person due process and equal protection rights; and the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) provides that "[t]he right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." These amendments were established to provide African Americans the same civil rights as white Americans, and also empower Congress to enforce their provisions through "appropriate legislation". This time period marked the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement.
iN amERican hIstory, the rEconsTrUCtioN era was the pERiod From 1865-1877 fOLlOWIng the End oF THe amEriCan ciViL war. tHis peRioD wAs Marked By VarIOus aTteMpTs made to RedResS ThE inequitiEs imposeD on AFrican aMericans ThrouGh SLaVeRy. thREe REConsTructiOn amENDments were ratiFiEd And LImited tHiS dIsCrEtion. tHe thirteeNTh aMendMent (1865) PrOHiBits slAVeRy "exCePt As a puNishment for crime"; thE fourTEeNth aMendmEnt (1868) grantS cITizensHip TO AnyONE "boRn oR NaturaLiZed in the UNited sTaTeS" and guaRANteEs EvERy PeRsOn DuE proceSs and eqUAl protecTIon RighTS; and tHe fiFTeEnTh AmENdMENt (1870) provides That "[t]he right of cItiZenS OF the uniTed sTates to vOTE shall not BE deNIED OR ABRidged bY the uNited STaTeS Or By anY StaTe oN acCoUnT Of race, color, or pREvioUs CondItIOn of ServitUde." ThEse amEndmEnTs were EstABlished tO PROvide africAN AMerICAns tHE Same cIVil RiGHts as whitE ameriCAnS, anD also eMpoweR ConGress tO Enforce TheIr proViSIons tHROugh "apProprIaTE LEgISlatIon". tHis TIme PerioD MARked tHE beGiNNiNgs oF THe ciViL rightS mOVement.