In may 1870, congress passed the first enforcement act, which prohibited people from assembling or get into disguise along the public highways, or in the premises of another with the intention of violating citizens constitutional rights. Why did congress pass the enforcement act of 1870 answers. The civil rights act of 1875 was one of the main pieces of reconstruction legislation passed by congress after the civil war. The civil rights act or the enforcement act of 1870 was a u. The july 1870 naturalization act is omitted by some historians of the period, though eric foner includes it as one of the four enforcement acts. The bill was proposed by senator sumner and cosponsored by. On this date, the house approved an act to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth amendment to the constitution of the united states, and for other purposes. Second enforcement act of 1871 wikipedia audio article. They elected 16 african americans to congress and hundreds more to local offices. Learn enforcement act of 1870 with free interactive flashcards. The enforcement act, 1870 an act to enforce the right of citizens of the united states to vote in the several states of the union, and for other purposes be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that all citizens of the united states who are.
Why did the enforcement acts of 1870 and 1871 fail. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that all citizens of. The enforcement acts of 187071 were passed to safeguard the voting. The enforcement act of 1870 was a doctrine that gave the u. The department of justice in northern mississippi, 18701890 by stephen cresswell historians in recent years have ignored the legal history of mississippis first civil rights struggle, that twodecade effort by the federal government to secure black civil and political equality in the years after the civil war. The bill was passed by the 43rd united states congress and signed. The act prohibited discrimination by state officials in voter registration on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This act was signed into law on may 30, 1870 by president ulysses s. The civil rights act of 1875 sometimes called the enforcement act or the force act, was a united states federal law enacted during the reconstruction era in response to civil rights violations against african americans. This book is written with great accuracy for the events that occurred in 1870. The enforcement acts were designed to enforce the 15th amendment throughout the south during the elections.
Congress followed the civil rights act of 1870 with an 1871 law to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth amendment to the constitution of the united states, which came to be known as the third enforcement act or the second ku klux klan act. This article will appear in professor xi wangs forthcoming book, black suffrage. Enforcement acts access a fast overview of important. In response, congress passed a series of enforcement acts in 1870 and 1871 also known as the force acts to end such violence and empower the president. Established penalties for interfering with a persons right to vote. The making of federal enforcement laws, 18701872 scholarly. To it were transferred the solicitor of the treasury, and law officers of the state and navy departments and the bureau of internal revenue. A joint committee to inquire into the conditions of affairs in the late insurrectionary states formed in 1871 and exposed the klans tactics, hastening a decline that lasted until the 1920s. Civil rights act of 1875 wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Misty shadows of hope meet your next favorite book. Americas unfinished revolution, 18631877 new york, 1988, 454. These acts were specifically designed to protect african americans right to vote, to hold office, to serve on juries, and to receive equal protection of laws. These included the civil rights act of 1866, the reconstruction act of 1867, the enforcement act of 1870, the ku klux klan act of 1871, and the civil rights act of 1875. Of the three enforcement acts, the enforcement act of 1870 was the first that was passed by the united states congress from 1870 to 1871 during the reconstruction era to counter attacks on the suffrage rights of african americans from the violent groups like the ku klux klan.
Rare book and special collections divisionlibrary of congress, washington, d. Civil rights act of 1875 simple english wikipedia, the. The drafting of the bill was performed early in 1870 by senator charles sumner, a dominant radical republican in the senate, with the assistance of john mercer langston, a prominent african american who established the law department at howard university. Congress passed the enforcement acts to ensure the implementation and extend the fundamental guarantees of the constitution especially in respect of the th amendment to the constitution, passed in 1865, which abolished slavery, the 14th amendment to the constitution, passed in 1868 which related to citizenship rights and the 15th amendment to the constitution, passed in 1870. The enforcement act of 1870 formally, an act to enforce the right of citizens of the united states to vote in the several states of this union, and for other purposes, 41st congress, sess. President with the legal powers and authority to enforce the first section of the 14 th amendment in the entire united states. In fact, democrats consistently opposed legislative efforts to confer voting rights and other civil rights on blacks, including the th, 14th and 15th amendments to the. A kentucky electoral official had refused to register an african. Enforcement act of 1870 passed by the 41st congress. An act to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth.
Grant, responded with the enforcement act of 1870 and the ku klux klan act of 1871. Enforcement act of 1870 wikipedia republished wiki 2. The enforcement act was, in fact, three separate laws that congress passed between 1870 and 1871. How were violators of the enforcement act of 1870 punished. Enforcement act of 1870 wikisource, the free online library. The department of justice in northern mississippi, 18701890, journal of southern history. When the first two such acts the enforcement act of 1870 and the first enforcement act of 1871 did not accomplish as much as the republicancontrolled congress hoped, a third act, the second enforcement act of 1871 also known as the ku klux klan act was passed. In 1871 the congress changed the name of the original constitution by changing one word and that was very significant. The enforcement act of 1870, also known as the civil rights act of 1870 or first ku klux klan act, or force act was a united states federal law written to empower the president with the legal authority to enforce the first section of the fifteenth amendment throughout the united states. Constitution of the state of mississippi, 1868 146. The enforcement acts were three bills passed by the united states congress between 1870. Why did there need to be a voting rights act of 1965 and what did it accomplish.
The first of a long series of enforcement acts passed through congress on february 21, 1870. The enforcement act of 1870 prohibited the use of violence or intimidation to prevent people from voting. Enforcement acts for kids ulysses grant was the 18th american president who served in office from march 4, 1869 to march 4, 1877. The act was passed by the 42nd united states congress and signed into law by president ulysses s.
Enforcement act of 1870 puget sound civil war roundtable. Congress followed the civil rights act of 1870 with an 1871 law to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth amendment to the constitution of the united states, which came to be known as the second enforcement act or the second ku klux klan act. Between 1870 and 1871 congress passed the enforcement acts criminal codes that protected blacks right to vote, hold office, serve on juries, and receive equal protection of laws. In boston, about 3,000 blacks, including the veterans of the 54th and 55th massachusetts regiments, participated in the procession held in boston public park.
Enforcement act of 1870 flashcards and study sets quizlet. They were criminal codes which protected africanamericans right to vote, to hold office, to serve on juries, and receive equal protection of laws. Enforcement act of 1870 wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Author deborah lowe wright will tell the story of the 147 african american men from circleville, ohio, who signed a petition which played a significant role into the passage of the enforcement act of 1870. Popeye since the act of 1871 which established the district of columbia, we have been living under the united states corporation which is owned by certain international bankers and aristocracy of europe and britain. President the authority to act on hostilities against african americans by state. The enforcement acts 1870 former slaves flocked to the polls to exercise their right to vote after the 15th amendment was passed. Choose from 162 different sets of enforcement act of 1870 flashcards on quizlet.
The enforcement acts of 1870 and 1871 the adoption of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the constitution extended civil and legal protections to former slaves and prohibited states from disenfranchising voters on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The act was the last of three enforcement acts passed by the united states. Where the author really gets it wrong is in the reflections, verbiage, and attitudes she assigns to her characters. The enforcement acts were three bills passed by the united states congress between 1870 and 1871. Chapters in the history of justice and the federal executive. The enforcement act of 1870, also known as the civil rights act of 1870 or first ku klux klan. She has done little if any research into daily life at the time, and therefore disrespects history by giving everyone a modern attitude and.
Enforcement act of 1870 wikisource, the free online. This was the supreme courts first voting rights case under the fifteenth amendment and the enforcement act of 1870. Other laws enacted included the civil rights act of 1866, four reconstruction acts enacted in 1867 and 1868, and three reconstruction enforcement acts in 1870 and 1871. The elections of 1870 were plagued by violence throughout the south exerted primarily by members and sympathizers of the ku klux klan. One of the important events during his presidency was the enforcement acts.
The act was the first of three enforcement acts passed by the united states congress from 1870. Civil rights act of 1870 major provisions of civil rights act of 1870, 16 stat. The enforcements acts are therefore also referred to as the 1871 civil rights act or the ku klux klan act. Which two of these goals belonged to the enforcement acts. Americans vote in a municipal election and was indicted under two sections of the 1870 act. Established under the attorney general by an act of june 22, 1870 16 stat. This act was historically marked as the first law enforcing acts among the three subsequent acts passed by the. It was intended primarily to protect the voting rights of the newly freed slaves.
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