Question

question 7
how did the reconstruction amendments change the role of government?
○ a. the supreme court’s role would be diminished.
○ b. state governments became the only entities that could award citizenship.
○ c. the states gained protection from an overbearing national government.
○ d. they set the stage for the federal government to protect the freedoms of vulnerable minorities.
○ e. the presidents who immediately followed lincoln became even more powerful and active than he had been during the civil war.

Explanation:

The Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th) expanded federal authority to safeguard the rights of formerly enslaved people and other vulnerable groups. Option a is incorrect because the Court's role was not diminished; it later interpreted these amendments. Option b is wrong as the 14th Amendment established national citizenship, not state-only authority. Option c is incorrect because the amendments increased federal power over states, not the reverse. Option e is false, as post-Lincoln presidents faced pushback and had limited success enforcing Reconstruction. Only option d accurately reflects their impact: they established a framework for federal protection of minority freedoms.

Answer:

d. They set the stage for the federal government to protect the freedoms of vulnerable minorities.