In a society governed by sometimes strict and sometimes barely acknowledged laws, we tend to turn a blind eye towards incidents where the law is supposed to swoop in and save the day. Take, for example, the Reconstruction era after the civil war from 1865-1877, when America tried to rebuild its country and bridge the gap between the north and south after the divisive war. White supremacy leagues were created and allowed to exist by the government during that time because the law did not do its job by protecting all its citizens. It didn’t enforce the acceptance of the free African-Americans and didn’t encourage much, or any social change. I believe that laws are not the most important factor in overcoming discrimination and creating social …show more content…
In a letter written to President Grant in 1876, the President responds to the South Carolina governor’s plea for help and militia expertise in protecting the African-American citizens who were getting lynched and harassed by white supremacy groups like the white league and the KKK. In the letter, President Grant writes, “Expressing the hope that the better judgment and cooperation of citizens of the State over which you have presided so ably may enable you to secure a fair trial and punishment of all offenders, without distinction of race or color or previous condition of servitude, and without aid from the Federal government, but with the promise of such aid on the conditions named in the foregoing, I subscribe myself, very respectfully, your obedient servant.” President Grant is refusing to help the South Carolina Governor where it concerns the protection of Black citizens and the terror the KKK and the white league has caused. He is instead supplying his best “wishes” and “prayers” that the people will somehow set aside their differences and and use their “better judgement.” In this instance the law is not only not presenting itself as a factor for overcoming discrimination and social change but it is endangering the lives of innocent Black civilians to please its southern counterparts, which is not doing its duty as the protectors of American
Many people had different views and ideas about Reconstruction. There was much debate about how the Confederate states, which included Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, should be readmitted into the Union. Some people believed that the states should be treated as territories, and others believed that the southern leaders should be punished instead of the states. Still, others believed that the South still belonged to the Union because secession was illegal. During the Civil War, on December 1863, President Lincoln announced his 10 % Plan for Reconstruction. Many Northerners considered it to be too mild, but the blacks condemned it for ignoring
A bloody war in which tore America apart, North vs South fighting to determine not only the future of slavery, yet also the future of America. The Civil War began in 1861 at the battle of Fort Sumpter and concluded in 1865 at the battle of Appomattox Court House. After four years of American blood shed on American soil, the Union won and the Reconstruction Era began. How well did reconstruction address the issue of equality towards African Americans in terms of political, economic, and social measures?The period rebuilding the South and readmitting southern states into the union was known as Reconstruction, in which moderate success was established economically, substantial success was found politically, yet limited success was found socially
Reconstruction DBQ After the Civil War, the era of reconstruction was a time for America to try restructure and rebuild itself. To the United States demise, not much was actually reconstructed nor bettered concerning the lives of American citizens. The main cause of a somewhat failed attempt at reconstruction was the South, also known as the Confederates. Due to their recession towards slavery and dehumanization of African Americans, the South was the killer of reconstruction.
The reconstruction era took place after the Civil War from the year of 1865 up to the year of 1877. The reconstruction of the South was not successful for many reasons. One reason being that during this era, the South were fighting for what they originally had wanted during the Civil War. The second reason why they were not successful is because of their time being spent arguing against the Freedmen’s Bureau instead of reconstructing the South right after the Civil War that had just ended after their loss determined the end of the of it. Lastly, the South were not able to put themselves back together because of the Republican Corruption that had angered the southern whites. Because of these reasons is that the Southern did not succeed from reconstructing themselves straight after losing to the Union during the Civil War.
The North’s victory after four years of fighting in the Civil War in 1865 allowed the 13th amendment to pass, and eventually added the 14th and 15th amendment to the constitution. These abolished slavery and attempted to create equal rights among all people. The Reconstruction Act divided the South into separate military districts and formed governments based on male suffrage. The South and North had extremely different views on how to rebuild the South and how former slaves should be incorporated into the country as freed people. The process of the Reconstruction period of rebuilding the South proposed many new challenges. The efforts to ensure equal rights to the freedmen failed because of the acts that were passed to control the labor and
The civil war ended in 1865 but that wasn’t the end of their struggle. Slavery had been discontinued, and with it southerners were obligated to ratify the 14th amendment. Lots of changes happened between 1865 and 1877 mostly revolving around black equality. This period of time was called reconstruction. It altered they way we view blacks today, and at the time was a major event, especially for previous slave owners. A large portion of America was democratic and opposed slavery, many of them forming leuges aganist it. And when black people were freed there were 4 million people without jobs, and landowners without money to pay for workers. There were some of the many reasons why Congress’ Reconstruction was a sucessful one. Congress’ Reconstruction efforts failed because of the democrats whos appossed slavery, the men who created white leagues, and the scarcity of jobs.
Florwisse Innocent APUSH II MRS. BAIN Era Synthesis questions Reconstruction 1863-1877 2. Why did Lincoln win reelection in 1864 ?
Freedom is being able to do anything you please, without anyone else influencing or forcing you to make the decision. Reconstruction, a dark period in the United States, tested the definition of freedom for African Americans. Reconstruction was the period following the Civil War. The South was in shambles after the long and dreadful war. Many of the buildings in the South were destroyed and the South’s industry was almost completely gone, as most of it relied on slave work.
Shortly after the civil war, the southern states were left in ruins. However, by Lincoln’s order, they started a process of recreation known as Reconstruction. Most of the southern places were rebuilt and the economy slowly recovering. Slavery is no more, but the south will not accept them as their equals. In many ways, people believe that reconstruction did help the slaves/colored, but on the other hand many believe it didn’t change the situation at all. African Americans are better off during the reconstruction era than they were before the civil war.
Charles Kettering once said that “The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.” Many difficult changes occurred between the years of 1820 and 1848. This era brought vibrant political movements towards a greater democracy and was a time of advancements and reformation, which forever impacted American ideals. Issues with slavery, women’s rights, and the common man indicate a large shift in American society due to political and economic changes from 1820 to 1848.
As a leading country of the world, the United States of America has done everything to its maximum capacity when solving current issues and dilemma. Our country has gained the reputation of serving equality for all races and ethnic groups, but in different times this belief was inconceivable. The events of Reconstruction had no effect at helping ex-slaves and freedmen as they were faced with racism, hate, and cruel laws, returning them to their state of oppression they had once faced during slavery.
After the Civil War ended – with the submission of Robert E. Lee at the Appomattox Court House – the raging era that followed this conflict was the period of Reconstruction. The Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) was constantly misinterpreted due to politic issues such as: admittance to residency, voting rights, the comparative influences of the national and state administration, the affiliation among political and economic democracy, and the appropriate way to deal with terrorism. During the Reconstruction era, the country’s law and Constitution – convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787 – were revised to assure the basic rights of a former African American slave, and how the Confederacy was conquered due to biracial governments rising to authority, which was, in no doubt, one of the lowest points of national American democracy. By regarding this view, the Radical Republicans – within Congress – were so fixated on punishing beaten Confederates, Southern governments controlled by carpet baggers (dishonorable Northerners who journeyed into the South to obtain the advantages of office) , scalawags (Southern whites who endorsed the system), and African
Reconstruction is the period in America after the civil war where America had to rebuild the damage done to the nation. New laws and a new way of life erupted all over the U.S. Laws to protect the rights of the newly freedmen and to aid in reconstruction, but also new laws and new groups came out to make sure that the freedmen didn’t get their rights. Despite this I believe that the reconstruction was positive for the United States because it passed laws and was important in shaping the modern day America.
The causes of America's Civil War (1861-1865) are very simple, slavery and states rights, although the order of the causes are sometimes debated. Union soldiers and leaders did everything in their power to keep the Union intact. In doing so the soldiers pretty much decimated the south, many people lost their property, which, at that time was were a lot of people made their money. Although land was lost and the south had to physically reconstruct after the Civil War, the south also had to reconstruct its society. The south had to somehow integrate the African slaves into its society. The era that followed the Civil War, now referred to as the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877), was not overly successful at revolutionizing the lives of African Americans due to the rise of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), African Americans struggled to gain basic rights, although the right to vote was given to the African Americans during the Reconstruction Era.
After the Civil War the people of the nation especially the government wanted to help the newly freed African-Americans however something caused the ever-growing wave of equality to cave in on itself and retract. In the beginning many people were supportive of reconstruction. Laws like the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments were passed ensuring African-American citizenship and their civil rights. Schools and churches were quickly built for them and the former slaves were even gaining positions in the government. It all seemed great until the election of 1876 when Ruther B. Hayes a republican and Samuel J. Tilden a democrat ran for the presidency.