The 14th and 15th Amendments: Republican Support and Democratic Opposition – A Historical Perspective

The 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution were passed with overwhelming Republican support in the 19th century, according to a viral Facebook post. The post claims that the 14th Amendment, which granted full citizenship to freed slaves, passed with 94% Republican support in 1868, while the 15th Amendment, which gave freed slaves the right to vote, passed with 100% Republican support in 1870.

However, the post fails to provide important historical context. At the time, the Republican Party was in a politically and ideologically unique position in American history, which influenced their support for these amendments. The Republicans were founded as an explicitly anti-slavery party in response to Southern intransigence on slavery’s expansion.

During and after the Civil War, the Republicans held a dominant position in the federal government, which allowed them to pass these amendments with little Democratic support. The remaining Democrats in Congress were divided along pro- and anti-war lines, but generally opposed Republican initiatives.

Historians agree that the Republicans’ support for these amendments was influenced by their desire to protect the civil and political rights of American citizens, especially newly freed slaves. The Democrats, on the other hand, were largely opposed to these measures and sought to end Reconstruction and return to white supremacy in the South.

Overall, while the claim about Republican support for the amendments is accurate, it lacks important historical context. The political dynamics of the time, including Republican dominance and Democratic opposition, played a significant role in the passage of these landmark amendments.