ENFORCEMENT ACTS 1870 71 ENFORCEMENT ACTS CIVIL RIGHTS/EQUALITY SUFFRAGE U.S GOV'T LEGISLATIVE AFRICAN AMERICANS U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION BEGINNING IN 1870 CONGRESS PASSED A SERIES OF THREE ENFORCEMENT ACTS THESE ACTS WERE IN RESPONSE TO THE TERRORISM OF THE KU KLUX KLAN AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS AND SOUTHERN REPUBLICANS TO DECREASE THE POWER OF REPUBLICANS THE KLAN USED THREATS VIOLENCE AND EVEN MURDER TO KEEP THEIR OPPONENTS FROM VOTING THE FIRST ACT PASSED IN MAY 1870 PROTECTED AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTERS BY MAKING INTIMIDATION OF VOTERS ILLEGAL THE SECOND ACT PASSED IN FEBRUARY 1871 INCREASED VOTER PROTECTION BY ALLOWING THE PRESIDENT TO USE THE U.S ARMY TO ENFORCE VOTING RIGHTS THIS ACT ALSO ALLOWED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SUPERVISE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS IN APRIL 1871 THE THIRD ACT WAS PASSED THIS ENFORCEMENT ACT ALSO KNOWN AS THE KU KLUX KLAN ACT INCREASED THE PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE PREVENTING AFRICAN AMERICANS OR ANY OTHER PEOPLE FROM VOTING WITHIN A YEAR MOST OF THE KLAN'S POWER HAD DIMINISHED CONSIDERABLY
