Legislation and Its Impact on Georgia
The Legislation of Georgia had mainly been focused on rebuilding the South and also freeing slaves and making them American citizens. Several Amendments were passed more and more ensuring the newly freed African Americans citizenship and rights. Of course, the South still discriminated backs and tried to find ways around the laws passed.
13th Amendment
In November of 1865, the state legislature elected Charles Jenkins as governor Shortly after his electment the 13th Amendment was formally accepted December 6, 1865 outlawing slavery and involuntary servitude throughout. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation did free slaves in the Southern States, it did not free the slaves in the border states. Lincoln and other supporters were concerned that the South would think that the Emancipation Proclamation was only temporary or was only for the Civil War period, so they decided to make and Amendment and officially abolish slavery. Even though slavery was abolished, discrimination was not. By 1865, most southern states, including Georgia, had passed several laws know as Black Codes. the Codes controlled the types of employment freedmen could have, permitted whipping as punishment, and established extended work hours. After the 13th Amendment was ratified, the General Assembly saw the effect of the Black Codes and started voting to extend civil rights to the freedmen.
14th Amendment
The reaction to the Black Codes was quick. Congress swiftly passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 which extended citizenship to African Americans and also allowed the federal government to intervene with anyone trying to take away the newly given freedoms to the freedmen. To ensure the passing of Civil rights, Congress passed the 14th Amendment which gave all African Americans Civil Rights and prevented anyone from taking their rights away from them. They then made the South States ratify the new Amendment before they could rejoin the Union. Until they ratified it, the state would be placed under military supervision.
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment was ratified on February 3, 1870. This Amendment made it illegal for any of the United States governments to deny anyone their voting rights based on color or race. This means that African American men were finally able to vote and make decisions in the government! Blacks finally had all rights that a white person would have, but unfortunately there were some people who hated to see this happen and formed groups to "keep the blacks inline". These groups were called the Ku Klux Klan. They would form secret operations of whippings, beatings and murders to scare the Blacks from voting and using their Civil Rights.
The Georgia Act of 1869
The Ku Klux Klan activities were increasing and had even kept several African Americans from voting in the 1868 presidential election. Congress saw the problem and responded with the Georgia Act of 1869. The Georgia Act placed Georgia on military patrol for the third time.General Alfred Terry became Georgia's new military commander. Congress also made it so that Georgia had to ratify the 15th Amendment before it could return to the Union.