The Radical Republicans' reconstruction offered all kinds of new opportunities to African-American people, including the vote (for males), property ownership, education, legal rights, and even the possibility of holding political office. By the beginning of 1868, about 700,000 African Americans were registered voters.
The radical Republicans (this is before the party switch) passed laws they believed would help enslaved Black Americans during Reconstruction after the Civil War. Radical Republicans wanted to extend equal rights to all Americans, but struggled to implement their programs. In this case, they wanted equal treatment and enfranchisement of the freed slaves, but also power in the South. Because of this they passed many laws. This included:
The 13th Amendment- which outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude unless as a form of punishment (setting up our current jails)
The 14th Amendment - which gave citizenship to formerly enslaved Black Americans and expanded due process
The 15th Amendment - allowed formerly enslaved Black Americans to vote. (However this did not include women and due to Jim Crow laws it was very unsuccessful)
Reconstruction Acts - outlined the conditions of how the South would be readmitted to the union.
