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What Is the Amnesty Act?

What Is the Amnesty Act? thumbnail
After the Civil War, the Democratic party restored Confederate soldiers' rights.

The Amnesty Act was a law passed on May 22, 1872, to provide amnesty to soldiers of the Confederate Army.

  1. Rights Restored

    • Confederate soldiers were restored their citizenship, right to vote and right to hold office after the Civil War was over, through the Amnesty Act. The act lifted the initial restrictions, which were imposed in 1866 on Confederate soldiers.

    Rights Withheld

    • Except for 750 Confederate soldiers, all were restored the right to hold public office. The right was withheld from these particular soldiers based on the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment states that any citizen who engages in insurrection or rebellion against the Constitution shall not be allowed the right to hold office.

    Functions

    • The former Confederate soldiers were not in favor of the current Republican party's reconstruction efforts after the war. The Democratic Party passed the Amnesty Act in the hopes that the former soldiers would vote for them.

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  • Photo Credit civil war image by Wd Photo from Fotolia.com

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