This new concept of positive liberty permanently transformed the U.S. Constitution, starting with the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery and granted equal civil and political rights to the freed slaves. Instead of the “shall nots” of earlier constitutional amendments, these three contained the sentence: “Congress shall have the power to enforce this article.” (Italics added) So did three of the next four constitutional amendments adopted after the 15th.
