When eleven of the southern states seceded from the Union, Abraham Lincoln waged war against them to force them back into the Union. When the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments were proposed to the states after the Civil War, many of the former states had not yet been re-admitted to the Union.
The former Confederate states were asked to vote on the ratification of the amendment to abolish slavery, even though they had not yet been re-admitted as states. Where did I get the crazy idea that only states could vote on the ratification of a proposed amendment.
The eleven states were asked to ratify the amendment to abolish slavery in 1865, but many of the same states were denied statehood until they ratified the proposed 14th amendment in 1868.
The following states had not yet been re-admitted to the Union when they voted to ratify the 14th amendment. This is clearly unconstitutional Allowing these territories to vote on the ratification on an amendment then would be like asking Puerto Rico and Guam to participate in the ratification of a proposed amendment.
Florida:
-Seceded: Jan 10, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb. 4, 1861
-Readmitted to U.S.: June 25, 1868 --Ratified the 14th Amendment on June 9, 1868
-Local rule reestablished: Jan 2, 1877
Mississippi:
-Seceded: Jan. 9, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb. 4, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: Feb. 23, 1870 - Ratified the 14th Amendment on Jan. 17, 1870
-Local rule reestablished: Jan. 4, 1876
Texas:
-Seceded: Feb. 1, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Mar. 2, 1861
-Readmitted to U.S.: Mar. 30, 1870 - Ratified the 14th Amendment Feb. 18, 1870
-Local rule reestablished: Jan. 14, 1873
Virginia
-Seceded: April 17, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: May 7, 1861
-Readmitted to U.S.: Jan. 26, 1870 - Ratified the 14th Amendment on Jan. 26, 1870
-Local rule reestablished: Oct. 5, 1869
The following states all rejected the amendment before they were re-admitted to the Union.
Texas on October 27, 1866
North Carolina on December 14,1866
South Carolina on December 20, 1866
Virginia on January 9, 1867
Louisiana on February 6, 1867
Maryland on June 8, 1867
Georgia on November 9, 1867
More details on the fraudulent ratification of the 14th Amendment
Replies
Virginia seceded from the Union and was admitted to the Confederate States of America on May 7, 1861 (8th)
October 8, 1869 - Both houses of the General Assembly of Virginia ratify the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the U.S. Constitution
How could Virginia which was not in the United States, why would this foreign state be permitted to vote on the ratification of a proposed amendment?
The act readmitting Virginia to the Union and its representatives into Congress was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on January 26, 1870.