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North Carolina Constitution 1868
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North Carolina Constitution 1868
Read the passage, then use details from it to answer each question. For open-response questions, explain your thinking and cite evidence.
After the Civil War ended in 1865, North Carolina faced the difficult task of rebuilding its government. Slavery had been abolished, and the state needed a constitution that followed the new laws of the United States. In 1868, delegates met to write one.
The constitution changed who could take part in government. It allowed Black men to vote, although women of every race were still denied the vote. This was an important expansion of political rights, but it did not create equal political power for everyone.
The document also called for a system of free public schools. At the time, many children had little access to education. A statewide system offered the possibility of schooling to more children, though building and funding schools across the state would take time.
The constitution divided state government into three branches. The legislative branch, the General Assembly, made laws. The executive branch, led by the governor, carried them out. The judicial branch, including the courts, interpreted laws. Separating these jobs was meant to prevent one part of government from holding all the power.
The constitution protected freedoms such as speech and religion and promised equal protection under the law. It also addressed practical needs, including roads and railroads, which could help people and goods move around the state. These systems are called infrastructure.
The changes did not settle every conflict. Some people resisted the new political rights and public policies, and intimidation and violence threatened people who tried to use their rights. A written promise could set a standard, but it could not by itself guarantee that everyone would obey it. Even so, the 1868 constitution shaped North Carolina government and marked a major postwar effort to broaden rights and public responsibilities.
Read Closely
Use the passage to answer. Questions 1–5 check details and vocabulary; questions 6–8 ask you to connect ideas and support an interpretation.
1.Which statement best explains why North Carolina wrote a new constitution in 1868?
- The state needed a government framework that reflected the end of slavery and new national laws.
- The state wanted to replace its courts with the General Assembly.
- The state planned to give women the right to vote.
- The state wanted to stop building roads and railroads.
2.Name the three branches of government described in the passage and state the main job of each.
3.In the passage, what does infrastructure mean? Give one example mentioned.
4.True or false: The 1868 constitution gave women the right to vote. Correct the statement using evidence from the passage.
TrueFalse
5.Complete the idea with a word from the passage: Dividing government into branches was meant to prevent one part from holding all the .
6.The passage says a statewide school system offered the possibility of schooling to more children, but building and funding schools would take time. What does this contrast help the reader understand?
- A constitutional goal and putting that goal into practice are not the same thing.
- The constitution prohibited children from attending school.
- Schools were the only responsibility of the governor.
- The state had already built enough schools for every child.
7.The passage explains that a written promise could not guarantee that everyone would obey it. Name one threat to people using their rights and explain why the constitution alone could not remove that threat.
8.How does the passage show that the 1868 constitution both expanded rights and left important limits in place? Use at least two details.
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