Effects Of The Reconstruction Era

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.

The process of rebuilding America after the Civil War from 1865 to 1877, known as the Reconstruction, fell very short of its expectations because of the negative effect it had on relationships within the country. President Lincoln came up with plans for reconstruction, however, Congress believed it was too lenient. After Lincoln’s death and events following regarding Johnson, Congress dominated the government and came up with their own plan that sets the nation up for further disagreement. The plan for Reconstruction as Congress made it, was a failure because of how it divided the government, turned the races against each other, and set up freed slaves for poverty.

After the Civil War the Unite States dealt with the after math of rebuilding the country. The Reconstruction, which was from 1865 to 1877, was the period in which the country attempted to reunite the South and North. The conditions of the North and South were different because of many things, especially there economic stands. The North during this time depended on factories and other modern companies as their main source of wealth. The South was more dependent on farming and agriculture.

There were many short-term and long-term effects of the Civil War. After the Civil War through 1896, the North and South tried to reunite the United States through Reconstruction to avoid being attacked by other countries. While the government tried to solve key problems facing the nation, their solutions were short-term and failed to address the problem. Due to many people disagreeing about these solutions the government was coming up with, there were many battles over Reconstruction that did not work out for many people. After all the struggling and disagreeing the American people finally brought an end to Reconstruction. Rebuilding the nation, The battle over Reconstruction, and the end of Reconstruction all had many short and long-term effects.

The Union won!This is great for the north, however what is next for the Confederate army. With slaves becoming freedmen and the south destroyed after total war, a lot was to be done after the civil war. A solution to this was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a period in american history from 1865 to 1877 lasting twelve years (Foner). Reconstruction after the war caused many social, political, and economic changes to the newly formed union.

Reconstruction took placed in the South from 1865 to 1880. It impacted the United States’ history by holding the South back economically behind the

Johnson favoured the radical approach to reconstruction, striving to devastate southern plantation owners, whereas Lincoln sought to gently reinstate the southern states into the union. Through the 10% Plan, Lincoln planned to entice southerners into joining the union as neither side of the conflict wished to drag out the war any further, by playing devil’s advocate and coming up with a solution. By only requiring 10% of the southern population to swear to the union and the 13th amendment, Lincoln could get the support needed to rebuild the south without completely attacking anti-union southerners, and causing a future outbreak, like that of the Civil war. Johnson however sought to nearly force the south into a position where they were unable to refuse the terms of pardon. By forcing 50% of the southern population to swear to the union, as well as disenfranchising southern plantation owners and aristocrats, Johnson put the south into a position that forced them to accede to the demands of the Union. Johnson offered pardons to all white southerners except those who held office or were confederate leaders, these individuals had to personally apply for a presidential pardon. This caused the influx of legislation from the south to be very prejudiced. The new legislation from the south denied public funds for ex-slave education, nor did it allow ex-slaves to vote. This surge in anti-black legislation became known as the “black codes,” severely limiting the legal rights of former slaves, often forcing them into economic positions in which they were forced to work on plantations, as dependent

America was in disarray following the events of the Civil War. Southern economy was in shambles while congress was struggling to find a middle ground between the radical republicans and Lincoln’s lenient policies. Many Southerners faced the aftermath of uprooting their society and their way of life while thousands of newly freed slaves struggled to find a way to support themselves. The country needed a strong leader, however on the 14th of April, 1865 President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in the Ford Theatre in Washington (Farmer). Without the man that had once held the nation together, the country now faced an enormous obstacle; reconstructing American economics, politics and social life.

After the Civil War there were still many changes that had to take place within the United States. The period of Congressional Reconstruction took place from 1865 through 1877. Although the outcome of the Civil War greatly affected things there were still various problems that had to be solved. This period of time after the Civil War was the reconstruction of congress. Congressional reconstruction was a very crucial time in American history, it changed the way of life in the South, the president caused difficulties with it, and Radical Republicans took over in congress. The goal of Congressional Reconstruction was to reunite the South with the Union. The outcome of Congressional Reconstruction resulted in a better

The United States was challenged with many issues after the Civil War like crop lien work contracts, segregation, and unresolved problems with the seceded states. This period was called Reconstruction.

The most ground-shaking changes in the country coming from the government were the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments. Although they faced resistance, the amendments began the integration of Freedmen in society. The thirteenth amendment freed slaves, making African Americans real people with free will, open to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Further expanding African American rights, the fourteenth amendment officially made them US citizens with rights equal to their white neighbors. Finally the fifteenth amendment allowed African Americans to vote. In addition, Lincoln’s Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction pardoned the former confederate states if ten percent of the state pledged allegiance to the United States. Without this merciful

The conclusion of the Civil War marked the beginning of renewed brotherhood and compromise within the United States. During the Reconstruction Era, Americans tried reuniting the country together; however, the war left disparate outcomes in the different parts of the country. Consequently, the Civil War had significantly affected the political and economic developments in post antebellum South and West.

Following the Civil War, the Reconstruction Era began. During this time, the southern part of the United States attempted a transformation directed by Congress from 1863 to 1877. Known for its successes and failures, the Reconstruction was a time of great pain and an infinite amount of questions. As well as many long term, short term, positive, negative, social, and political effects.

After the North won the civil war, it was time to rebuild this nation. This period of reconstruction was supposed to have a profound change on society. Unfortunately this was not the case. Reconstruction did not fundamentally alter this nation. Not to say that nothing happened, but nothing that really made a change or difference happened. First, the control of the south was given right back to the planter elite. Also, even though slavery was abolished; blacks were not free. Finally, Congress and President Johnson could not get along. Although the civil war reshaped this country profoundly. The reconstruction efforts did little but scratch a surface, before being quickly wiped away.

The Civil War left a country divided not only by property lines and borders but by beliefs as well. Not just religious beliefs, moral beliefs also. It left both sides, north and south struggling, trying to figure out what their next move towards reuniting the divided America was going to be. The period following the end of the Civil War would become known as the “Reconstruction Era.” An era that raised just as many questions as it did answers. A reconstruction of America that seems to carry on many decades later.