Describe the political strategy used to eliminate discrepancies between Black Americans and American ideals by ratifying the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments.

Question

A. demonstrating in large groups
B. writing and passing laws
C. political alliances with party leaders
D. litigating laws in the Supreme Court

Answer 1

B. writing and passing laws

Ratifying the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments involved the political strategy of writing and passing laws. These amendments were crucial in addressing the discrepancies between Black Americans and American ideals, particularly regarding issues such as slavery, citizenship, and voting rights.

The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, thus eliminating the legal foundation for the institution of slavery in the United States. This amendment was proposed by writing and drafting a law which was then passed by both houses of Congress.

The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all individuals born or naturalized in the United States, including freed slaves. By writing and proposing this amendment, and subsequently passing it through Congress, Black Americans were officially recognized as citizens and granted some protections under the law.

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, granted Black American men the right to vote. Writing and drafting the amendment, and then securing its passage through Congress, ensured that Black Americans had a constitutional guarantee for voting rights, regardless of their race or previous condition of servitude.

While the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments required political maneuvering and alliances to successfully pass through Congress, the strategy primarily revolved around the process of writing and enacting laws to eliminate the discrepancies between Black Americans and American ideals. Large-group demonstrations and litigating laws in the Supreme Court played important roles in the broader civil rights movement, but they were not the primary political strategies employed in ratifying these particular amendments.