Civil War Reconstruction Essays

To the Radical Republicans, Johnson's plan seemed no better than Lincoln's because it failed to address the needs of former slaves in three prominent areas: land, voting rights, and protection under the law. Confederates states, however, readily committed to the conditions put forth in the Presidential Reconstruction plan, and were readmitted to the Union. A few years later, the Reconstruction Act of 1867 was passed, which did not recognize the governments formed under Lincoln and Johnson's plans. Through the Reconstruction Act, Tennessee was the only former Confederate State recognized as having been readmitted to the Union because it had ratified the Fourteenth Amendment. In order for the rest of the former Confederate states to be readmitted to the Union through the Reconstruction Act, each state had to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, also. The Republicans introduced the Fifteenth Amendment after the election of 1868 because they feared that Pro-Confederate Southern whites might try to place limits on black suffrage. In order to prevent this, the Fifteenth Amendment states that no one can be kept from voting because of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Through the different plans that were proposed by the three different Presidents in office during the Reconstruction period, the Thirteenth,

Congress comes in to play in December 1865. The Congress was made up mostly of Republicans and they refused to let past Confederates to take their seats in Congress at this time. This marked the beginning of Radical Reconstruction or sometimes known as Congressional Reconstruction. The president and the congress did not agree on many issues. Congress overrode President Johnson on the Civil Rights Act of 1866, The Fourteenth Amendment, and the Freedmen’s Bureau Bill. The Fourteenth Amendment spelled out rights of both black and white citizens as equal. It prolonged Federal powers for the enforcement of civil rights. States that approved the Fourteenth Amendment were considered reconstructed, and Tennessee did so. President Johnson advised other southern states to oppose doing this. Congress passed many laws to limit President Johnson’s powers. They passed the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 which set new

During the time period of 1860 and 1877 many major changes occurred. From the beginning of the civil war to the fall of the reconstruction, the United States changed dramatically. Nearly one hundred years after the Declaration of Independence which declared all men equal, many social and constitutional alterations were necessary to protect the rights of all people, no matter their race. These social and constitutional developments that were made during 1860 to 1877 were so drastic it could be called a revolution.

The civil war, reconstruction, and Redemption era does serve as a unique moment in American history because it shaped what kind of nation US would become. All wars are the result of social change, talks of revolution, institution of slavery and connection to power and liberation. There are many reasons that attribute to the institution of slavery becoming a big determinant in the Civil War and in American History. A consistent reason is that the states have always been dependent upon themselves and relying on their own kind to create a sense of power. The institution of slavery gave white men a sense of power in which was stripped away from them by the government. They no longer could control and have an opinion in state nor federal government decisions. Throughout all these eras of history the enslaves Africans were never seen as equal, therefore were never treated as equal. They were always seen as the black labor workers. The focus point of this paper will be the institution of slavery. After the civil war and reconstruction, America changed drastically in defining slavery and what would become of the institution.

Congress passes the Reconstruction Act of 1867, which divided the South into districts and required Southern states to approve the 14th Amendment to grant blacks citizenship, before rejoining the Union. Later, congress gives African Americans the right to vote by ratifying the 15th Amendment. The Reconstruction established the South’s first state-funded public school systems, created a just taxation legislation, and passed laws against discrimination and economic development programs. The approach of Congress was different than Johnson’s plan, because they worked to improve the lives of African Americans by passing laws in their favor, and expanding their rights. Congress did not care what the South wanted, and expected the South to abide by their rules. On the other hand, Johnson wanted to preserve the nation, and did not want to do anything to anger the South. Moreover, he was a strong believer in states rights, and the idea that the federal government had no right to enforce restrictive laws on the entire country.

Reconstruction was the time between 1863 and 1877 when the U.S. focused on abolishing slavery, destroying the Confederacy, and reconstructing the nation and the Constitution and is also the general history of the post-Civil War era in the U.S. between 1865 and 1877. Under Abraham Lincoln, presidential reconstruction began in each state as soon as federal troops controlled most of the state. The usual ending date is 1877, when the Compromise of 1877 saw the collapse of the last Republican state governments in the South

The Civil war was possibly the greatest tragedy that this country had ever faced. Years of constant arguing, compromises and cynical ideas about slavery pushed this so called "United Nation" into an atrocious collision between the Northern abolitionists and the Southern proslavery farmers and plantation owners. The nation suffered enormous losses economically and went into a downward spiral. The reconstruction period began with many leaders stepping up to try and fix this crippled country, but it didn't turn out like everyone hoped. Slavery was still the largest issue and the reconstruction halted because of the disagreements the people faced. After many years of

All the southern states except Tennessee, which had been readmitted to the Union after it ratified the Fourteenth Amendment, were divided into five military districts. Once order had been instituted, the state’s constitution had to elect conventions to draw up new constitutions, but those constitutions had to accept the Fourteenth Amendment and provide universal manhood suffrage.( Waldstreicher 2002) Once a majority of the state’s citizens and both houses of the national congress had approved the new constitution, the state could be readmitted to the Union. In order to assure that Andrew Johnson did not undermine the plan , which soon became known as “Radical Reconstruction “ , Congress sought to curb the Presidents power. With no threat of Johnson’s veto after the 1866 elections, the Republicans could do much as they wanted. Congress decreed that it could call itself into special session. It limited the president’s authority as commander in chief of the army, and in the Tenure of Office Act, it prevented him from removing officials who had been confirmed by the Senate. Johnson, characteristically, did not accept such restrictions of his power. When he violated the Tenure Office Act by removing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton in the summer of 1867, many in congress decided that Johnson warranted impeachment .After word of the Reconstruction Act circulated in the spring and summer, both black and white men claimed

After the Civil War, America was in a time of turmoil. The Civil War was a dramatic experience for the entire country that was thought to bring about significant changes, but it did not. Within one year after the war, slavery had been recreated under a new name through the creation of black codes. Although changes were being made, these changes were not valid because the Southern states were resisting change in their values and beliefs. There was lots of controversy during this period of reconstruction between the Republicans of the North and the Democrats of the South surrounding the political rights and opportunities of the newly freed slaves. The recent war had hardened both sides opinions, polarizing

Reconstruction in the south began after the Civil War. As a part of the reconstruction, freed slaves were rewarded for their loyalty to the Union by having land distributed to them. This gesture was believed to be the catalyst for allowing the newly freed men to better their lives and provide them with opportunities that they had not previously imagined. They were now considered United States citizens, and therefore, expected to benefit from all of the rights of this new citizenship. The reality, however, would prove to be not nearly as promising as the dream. Land ownership was important to their development as new citizens, as it would provide them with the opportunity to establish their own homes, and benefit from their own labor.

In the pattern of passing amendments, the first, second and third Reconstruction Acts were passed in March and July of 1867. These acts provided a much more radical approach to dealing with the South and were the result of shock at Johnson’s obstructive attitude against blacks. Unlike the previous bills they only just made the two thirds majority, which shows that the more moderate of the Republican Party were beginning to feel uncomfortable at the degree of federal intervention in the

The Reconstruction was the twelve-year period of time after the Civil War had been fought starting from 1865 to 1877, a true-to-its-name reconstruction of the South, which had a ruined economy, messed-up politics, and culture. During this period of time, the Southern states swore allegiance and gradually joined the Union, starting from Tennessee in 1866 to Texas in 1870, adjusting to this new way of life and culture. Though some sources may say that it began in 1863 with Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan, the actual reconstructing of the South didn’t—couldn’t—happen until after the war had concluded.

When reading about the reconstruction era after the civil war I try to take a step back and look at their perspective and the struggles they went through. The best way to try to understand life at that time would be from the words of Houston Hartsfield Holloway, born enslaved who lived and wrote about his life at the reconstruction era "For we colored people did not know how to be free and the white people did not know how to have a free colored person about them."

The postwar in the south led to collapsed property value,damaged railroads and agriculture ruined. Planters faced with overwhelming economic difficulties keeping the fields active with the lack of workers for their fields. Newly freed slaves faced an even greater problem they had no idea what to do with their newfound freedom. Blacks gained new rights and opportunities, before the law they could not do much now they have right to be married, attend school,and own property. The new Radical Republican state government even put a public school in the south for blacks.

The United States faced a Civil War from April 12, 1861 to April 9, 1865. The Civil War was caused by disagreements between the North and the South on certain social issues and state rights, because of this, the South decided it was its own country and left the Union. After the Civil War reconstruction had to take place. Reconstruction is a program made by the federal government from 1865-1877 to repair the damage caused by the Civil War and restore southern states back to the Union (Lapsansky-Werner, et al. 958). Problems associated with Reconstruction affected the South’s ability to industrialize after the Civil War in multiple ways. This affected the nation as a whole concerning factors such as economic development, infrastructure, labor and human rights.