Dbq Reconstruction Research Paper

“…the slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery” (W.E.B. Dubois). Reconstruction was an era, from 1863 to 1877, used to rebuilt the damage done in the South by the Civil War. Many people resisted in the South, so it was difficult to carry out the new ideas of Reconstruction. Rebuilding the United States was not an easy task, only lasted 12 years ending in 1877. The Compromise of 1877 settled the intensely disputed 1876 U.S. presidential election, which was pulled federal troops out of state in the South, and ended the Reconstruction Era. The United State come up with three Amendment to help the African Americans there are the 13th Amendment: ended slavery, 14th Amendment: gave blacks Americans citizenship and civil rights and the last one was the 15th Amendment: right to vote. Was the North or South to be blamed for ending the period of rebuilding in the United State after the Civil War? Reconstruction is the process of rebuilding or reorganizing

Reconstruction was a period between 1865-1877 that took place after the states separated. During the reconstruction there were times it was successful and many times it failed. The main goal was to reconstruct the nation and turn it into one nation. Reconstruction had a huge impact on the south’s government, society and economy.

After four years the Civil War ended in 1865 the next problem was the reconstruction of the torn apart United States. It was a slow start especially for government reconstruction but had Abraham Lincoln been president instead of Andrew Johnson presidential reconstruction may have proved to be successful. Along with the reconstruction came “radical” changes to the United States as well. This flared both Southern and Northern racial attitudes causing conflict between the two once again. These problems were just the beginning of reconstruction leaving behind the historical legacy we have today.

Many questions emerged after the end of the Civil War. The two most common questions were: “How do we put the South back into the Union” and “What do we do with the free slaves?” The Reconstruction Era is known for its two parts. The first would be the Presidential Plan of Reconstruction and the other would be the Congressional Plan of Reconstruction. The Presidential Plan was proposed by Abraham Lincoln but was enacted by President Andrew Johnson. The plan consisted of ways on how to rebuild the South. This plan was also known as the Ten Percent Plan because the Union will take the certain amount of voters in a Confederate state, at least ten percent of voters from the 1860 Election, to come back to the United States. The Presidential Plan came to an end and then came the Congressional Plan of Reconstruction, which was also known as the Fifty Percent Plan, exactly like the Ten Percent Plan. The only difference is that the Fifty Percent Plan was much more strict. Not only did a Confederate state need at least fifty percent of voters from the 1860 Election but they also needed to rewrite state Constitutions that must be

It was interesting to read the different perspectives from people who lived during the reconstruction in the mid to late 1800s. Although these documents were written by people of diverse race, status, and political stance, there were some common observations.

After the war Republicans had considerable power and the Democratic party was in shambles, which led to them having their own objectives and visions of Reconstruction. (Nash, et al., 2007., p. 468) Congressional Republicans feared losing their power and attempted to set the tone of Reconstruction by passing a civil rights bill in 1866, refused to seat members from the former Confederacy, and investigated conditions in the South, which led to the passage of the Reconstruction acts that divided the South into five districts. (Nash, et al., 2007., pp. 472-473, 476) Republicans also moved against President Johnson as they reduced the expanded power of the executive branch and eventually impeached him. (Nash, et al., 2007., p. 476) Democrats also had a vested interest in Reconstruction as after the war the party was in shambles and had to grapple for the power to push their interests over the Congressional Republicans. This power contest led to unsavory tactics in the South such as the Mississippi Plan, which was devised as an intimidation tactic to force people to vote Democratic. (Nash,

As a Representative and a Senator from Ohio I John Sherman convicted Andrew Johnson. "Instead of cooperating with Congress, by execution of laws passed by it, he has thwarted and delayed their execution, and sought to bring the laws and the legislative power into contempt. Armed by the Constitution and the laws, with vast powers, he has neglected to protect loyal people in the rebel States, so that assassination is organized all over those States, as a political power to murder, banish and maltreat loyal people, and to destroy their property. All these he might have ascribed to alleged want of power, or to difference of opinion in questions of policy, and for these reasons no such charges were exhibited against him, though they affected the peace and safety of the nation. When he adds to those political offenses the willful violations of of

The Reconstruction era was necessary for rebuilding the south. It was a success in some aspects and failure in others. The main purpose of the reconstruction was almost fulfilled, but it didn't stay after the reconstruction. Its aftermath was terrible in some aspects especially for african americans.

After assassination of Lincoln, new president Andrew Johnson started his reconstruction policy called “Presidential reconstruction” which acted as one of the failures of reconstruction. Andrew left the status of freed slaves in

Lincoln was the person who came up with the Reconstruction plan. As the leader of this newly reunited nation, Lincoln sought a very specific plan for reconstructing the South and solving all the issues they are facing. Lincoln’s ultimate goals were to reunify the states and ensure equality for all, including freed slaves. After all the rearrangement, all freedmen are allowed to vote, freedmen are now can be educated, and the South is known as a state that holds the most slavery, but now the South has changed into the state filled with impressive varieties. Lincoln was very passion about freed slaves and made every citizens in United State, especially the South has equal treating to everyone including voting.

Reconstruction The end of Civil War in 1877 when the last federal troops were pulled out of the South is known as Reconstruction. Although the process could not begin to the end of war, attempts at restoring the war began long before. The Civil War was the most bitter war, it has been called the brother’s war, or the “War of Northern Aggression.” Over 600,000 Americans died during the Civil War and another 400,000 suffered wounds.

The government during the reconstruction era was largely Republican. Conservatives insisted the South accept abolition, but the proposed little else for the readmission of the southern states. Radicals urged a much harsher course of action which included, disenfranchising many white southerners, protecting the civil rights of blacks, and confiscating the land of wealthy confederate supporters and distributing it to freedmen.

Even after the Civil War ended, African Americans were still having a very tough time being an equal part of society., which shows that Reconstruction failed socially.

The Civil War was one of the most difficult and trying times during American history. The war ended with the the Union and Confederate states torn apart over one major issue: slavery. With the end of the Civil War came the end of slavery in the United States. Although the former black slaves were now free, they had no land and very few rights, and most did not even have family. Though out reconstruction, blacks were able to gain rights, but were continuously repressed by the white Southerners. The only way to truly enfranchise the former slaves was by effectively disenfranchising their former masters. The reign the masters had over their former slaves disabled the slaves from trying to fulfill their lives as equal American citizens. In

Reconstruction was the time period following the Civil War, which lasted from 1865 to 1877, in which the United States began to rebuild. The term can also refer to the process the federal government used to readmit the defeated Confederate states to the Union. While all aspects of Reconstruction were not successful, the main goal of the time period was carried out, making Reconstruction over all successful. During this time, the Confederate states were readmitted to the Union, the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments were ratified, and African Americans were freed from slavery and able to start new lives.