During the Reconstruction Era, important changes happened in the United States that affected African Americans. These changes came with the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Let’s break them down one by one.

1. 13th Amendment (1865):

   • This amendment ended slavery and forced labor, except for people being punished for a crime.
   • About 4 million enslaved people became free because of this amendment.

2. 14th Amendment (1868):

   • This amendment made sure that all people born or naturalized in the U.S., including former slaves, could be citizens.
   • It aimed to ensure everyone is treated equally under the law and to fight against unfair treatment.
   • It also allowed African American men to be counted in the census, which helped give them more political power in the South.

3. 15th Amendment (1870):

   • This amendment made it illegal to deny someone the right to vote based on their race, color, or past as a slave.
   • Thanks to this change, by 1870, nearly 1.5 million African American men were able to register to vote.

In summary, these three amendments were important strides toward civil rights. They helped establish legal equality and encouraged African Americans to take part in politics. However, it’s important to note that even after these laws, there were still many challenges and unfair practices that continued.