Civil War Failed African American

After a war that claimed the lives of more men than that of all other wars combined, much of the country was left in ruins, literally and figuratively. Dozens of towns in the South had been burned to the ground. Meanwhile, the relations between the North and South had crumbled to pieces. Something needed to be done so that the country could once again be the United States of America, not the Divided States of America. The years from 1865 to 1877 were a time of rebuilding – the broken communities and the broken relations. This time period was known as Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a failure on the basis that the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments that were passed should have given protection and freedom to the African

Johnson stated that the seven remaining states would be admitted if: they withdrew its secession, swore allegiance to Union, anul Confederate was debts, and ratify the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. The only main difference being that Johnson did not want high-ranking Confederates and wealthy Southern landowners to take the oath needed to vote. The Radical Republicans were infuriated by Johnson’s Plan because it failed to effectively help former slaves. They wanted a plan stricter on the punishment of the Southerners, and one that addressed the land, voting, and protection under the law of slaves. This is why when Johnson pardoned all Southerners the Radicals refused to admit the Southern representatives back into Congress.

The South being readmitted into the Union was one main goal of Reconstruction. Another main goal was for the American society to define the status of freedom. Establishing order, securing the rights of each man, and readmit America into a nation again are tasks of Reconstruction. There were three main Reconstruction Plans: Lincoln’s, Johnson’s and Congress, which applied a plan to unify the nation.

1) Reconstruction: A plan to reconstruct the society after the Civil War. This divided the south (except Tennessee) into 5 military districts under the control of the U.S. Army. It was the attempt to reconstruct the south, readmit the southern states back into the Union, and change the life of African Americans. (pg. 414)

The Reconstruction Period I think is a problem for the African Americans back then. They were treated unfairly during this period, when it was to being them a new started and hope of change. Don’t get me wrong there were some people who were for them to e happy, but not many. So, let start at the being; where it all happened. In January of 1865, Union General William T. Sherman issued a special field order Number 15, which temporary granted each freed family 40 acres of land off the region of Georgia in the islands and coastal area. Also the Union Army donated mules to them after the war was over. In the summer of 1865 when President Andrew Johnson was in office, his first act of Reconstruction was to give back all the federal control land back to its previous owner. When the land was giving back to the owners, freed men and women could sign a labor contracts with the planters or they could leave the land they occupied this was called Freedman’s Bureau. Soon after when the land was giving back, the former Confederate state stated “Black Codes”. Black Codes would deny African Americans to legal have equality and political rights. Also it would require then to sign yearly labor contracts with the planters. When this happen, Congress made the Reconstruction Act in the 1867, when the 14th (June 13, 1866) and the 15th (February 26, 1869, ratified on February 3, 1870) Amendments. These two amendments granted African Americans the right to vote, and equality before the law and

Reconstruction (1867-1877) under Congress was a fast tightening of a noose in the South. Congress no longer trusted Andrew Johnson’s loose plan for Reconstruction, so they began closing in on their plans. Radical Republicans made many lasting impacts in this period. Under Congress, the 14th and 15th Amendment was created, guaranteeing rights to African Americans. A newly created Freedmen’s Bureau help create many schools and colleges, lasting up to modern times. African Americans held power in office, although they were quickly brought down by the Ku Klux Klan’s terrorism. The main path Reconstruction took was based on the government’s plans. There

               Reconstruction in  American society after the Civil War, which claimed many lives and displaced numerous families, was a period of integration of the Freedmen into the society by granting them their political and civil rights. However, one may ask, did reconstruction fail or succeed due to the high rate of racism at that period? According to Historian Steven Hahn, Reconstruction failed when Freedmen lost their military support of the North which increased the rate of violence towards the freedmen. Also, David Blight a Historian argues that reconstruction failed as a result of the high rate of racism and the injustice in the American society against the African American at that time. I agree with Hahn and Blight that, Reconstruction failed as a result of  lack of injustice and racism against the African American, because the Freedmen were still being persecuted, had no equal rights to vote or own businesses like their white counterparts and also lacks the basic support of their Government. The Government's support and protection for the African American was vital for the Reconstruction movement to have succeeded, Although, the Radical Reconstruction made a tremendous effort to see that reconstruction movement was a success. However, with the compromise of the 1877, the withdrawal of the federal troops and high rate of racism towards

Reconstruction was a time period following the Civil War that lasted from 1865 through 1877. Reconstruction was a challenging task for the United States because the government had to figure out how they would help four million slaves acquire the rights they deserved. This was such a difficult task because the North and South did not have the same views on African American rights. In hope to piece the Union back together Abraham Lincoln devised a plan that would ensure rights to the freedmen, but after Lincoln was assassinated Andrew Johnson was put in charge and had a racist opinion that did not include African Americans becoming equals. Congress’ Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal rights to the freedmen failed because of the activities

During Congressional Reconstruction many laws, policies, and events took place that effected the civil rights of African Americans. Without delay, the Redemption Period followed, which returned power to southern states after losing

Although the reconstruction did unify the United States and passed the 14th and 15th amendments, reconstruction failed on many other vital issues. The radical republican legislation that promised freedom and equality for all was far from a reality for black Americans. Legislation failed to protect former slaves from white supremacy, and persecution. The entire social and cultural backbone of the south needed reform in order for African Americans to enjoy the freedom and equality that this nation promised, unfortunately this change did not come during the reconstruction. In 1877 president Hayes removed federal troops from the south, almost immediately former confederates and slave owners returned

To properly explain the failure that is Reconstruction, one must begin with the President leading the era, Andrew Johnson. Johnson’s plans for reconstruction seemed to have purposely oppressed African Americans. As seen in Doc F, Johnson even went so far as to veto the Civil Rights Act, claiming that as a result of protecting the rights of African Americans whites would be the subject of discrimination. However, congress had done something never seen before in American history, congress had overrode the veto with a 2/3rds majority and the civil rights act became law. This only added to the list of positive changes happening to the African American population as they also received access to education and aid from the government thanks to the Freedmen’s Bureau. All the positive changes affecting the former slave population was, to no one’s surprise, short lived. Legally, all former slaves were now free, as seen in the 13th amendment, and they retained all the rights reserved for US citizens, supported by not only the 14th amendment but also the Civil Rights Act. But socially, they were discriminated against when it came to jobs and

African Americans were not able to do much during the time of reconstruction. In fact, the Black Codes were assembled which were a set of laws that restricted the rights of African Americans. During this time period slavery had just ended but the rights for the blacks were still seldom. In Opelousas, Louisiana african americans were not able to carry any weapons nor rent or keep a house in town (Document 4), This really made the rights of african americans very limited as

America and we as Americans have faced many hardships. One of these trying times was the period from 1865 – 1877, the era known as Reconstruction. Several plans for Reconstruction were developed, but for these [then] divided states, adversity and unforeseen circumstances would test the resolve of our government and its constituency. The success and failures of each plan are outlined to reveal how the country struggled to re-united during this violate time. The assertion being Reconstruction was both a success in that it passed legislation for Civil Rights and re-united the Union, but failed to secure those rights and prosperity of former slaves.

During the time of Reconstruction, the federal government did little to help the people of America as a whole, they concentrated on bettering African American lives and “reconstructing” the South. The focus during this time period was to protect the rights of African Americans, which had long and hard been fought for. The federal government made it their priority to ensure equal rights among all black people. Also, the readmission of the Confederate states was essential to the federal

This included Congress passing the three Amendments. Congress was supposed to set up schools, giving medical services, manage lands, manage jobs, provide legal assistance, and even help them resettle. This did not happen. Reconstruction failed because the South did not want to accept that Blacks were freed and Congress not giving the economic supports to the Blacks. This was especially a problem when it came to Blacks trying to reintegrate back into the southern economy. Instead, of it being equal, Blacks were forced into semi-enslaved conditions as sharecroppers. The federal government was supposed to give them forty acres, but never did. That meant the freed Blacks could not adjust to the economy. This made freed Blacks to have to return to the plantations for work. The reason for Reconstruction downfall was the rise of white terrorist socities like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). The Supreme Court’s destroying constitional and legislative gains for Blacks by ruling in favor for the South. Southerners repeal the loyaly oath required to re-enter national economy. The Hayes-Tilden Compromise in 1877 allowed the South federal troops withdrawl. The withdrawl of federal troops in the South left Blacks having to deal with racist government and terrorist groups. The ongoing Reconstruction deals with the police