Failures Of Reconstruction

The Reconstruction period is the name given to the time in between 1863 and 1877. This period’s main goal was to reunite the United States of America after the most substantial event of disunity in American existence: The Civil War. Reconstruction consisted of many proposed plans and attempts to reinstate the Southern states back into the union. In the early stages, there was some promise as to what reconstruction had the ability to accomplish, because some political groups had the right ideas about what was necessary to pick up the fragments of a war-torn nation, in order to reconstruct it into a prospering, free, and equal nation it had the potential to be. This reconstruction had had few successes and ultimately failed in the end—due to

The aftermath of the civil war left the U.S in a terrible position; thus calling for the dawning of the Reconstruction era. The idea of Reconstruction was brought up by Pres. Abe Lincoln, but it was brought out by Andrew Johnson after President Lincoln was assassinated. The hopes for former slaves was lifted when the 13th-15th amendments were established and many rights for black men were created. While Southern state governments abolished slavery, they did nothing to alter the status of freedmen and women; to show, the rights once held by former slaves were taken away from them. Black men could not vote, they could not own property, and they were forced into sharecropping, which made debt highly likely. Slavery was still punishment for crimes, but the biggest punishment for crimes committed by blacks was lynching.

The Reconstruction Era lasted up to 1877 from the time just after the Civil War. The Reconstruction failed to bring about social and economic equality to the former slaves due to the southern whites’ resentful and bitter outlook on the matter, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Jim Crow laws.

The original purpose of Reconstruction was to restore the buildings and the economy of the south the best they could, but without the immoral element of slavery. But, reconstruction under the Johnson Presidency was a failure for a few reasons: 1) Convict Leasing, 2) Sharecropping, 3) the Ku Klux Klan, 4) Segregation in schools, even in the North, 5) Carpetbaggers/Scalawags, 6) misleading statistics, and 7) racism.

Following the official end of the Civil War in 1865, the Freedmen’s Bureau was established. Although enacted before Lincoln’s death, it still had a significant impact on the lives of African Americans well into the 1870s. As noted in The Freedmen’s Bureau is Established: March 3, 1865, it explains that the Freedmen’s Bureau was “designed by Congress to function for one year after the end of the war to aid former slaves in securing food, housing, education, health care, and jobs in the midst of their changed circumstances.” This Bureau, with the help of Congress, helped thousands of newly freed slaves transition into American society with a bit of ease. They also did more than just securing the fundamentals of American society like jobs and education into the lives of African Americans, they established schools for blacks, mediated labor conflicts, and helped serve justice in state courts. To further establish the rights of African Americans,

After the Civil War, the radical Republicans attempted to reconstruct the nation by binding the tear between the two different sections of America while also attempting to give freed slaves the rights that they deserved. Although their intentions were good, the reconstruction ultimately failed. The ratification of the 13th and the 14th amendment successfully ended slavery, but it did not help freedmen conform to society. Slaves who were freed as a result often had no money and would have to work under white employers anyways. Moreover, freedmen would have to get resources loaned to them by their white employers, which would lead the freedmen to develop severe debt instead of making an income. Even though the 14th amendment stated that every

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

The Reconstruction Period which may also be known as the Radical Reconstruction took place from 1865 to 1877 (Foner, 439). Throughout this time a coherent definition for Freedom was not yet established leading to many disadvantages mainly to the African American communities. During this time political, social and economic issues affected the South. Therefore, regaining order in the Confederate state became important to the Union. By 1865 Congress established the Freedmen’s Bureau which brought a successful outcome, but was not sufficient to cure all established problems. According to Eric Foner the Freedmen’s Bureau was seen as a government experiment with the idea of establishing a sense of equality between social interactions. Not only

From Johnson's perspective, reconstruction was complete by 1865 but in reality, freed slaves still had no rights and Johnson tried to detain any forward moving actions of reconstruction. The republican congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 which granted emancipated African Americans the right to sue, serve on juries, and other legal rights. Congress also passed the 13th amendment, abolishing slavery, and the 14th amendment, recognizing freed slaves as citizens (Document B). Opelousas, Louisiana responded to the amendments with the “Black Codes;” no African American enter the limits of the town unless a permit is cleared, no African American will rent or own a house or weapon in town, and no public meetings between African Americans are permitted, and all African Americans must be employed by a “white person” (Document C). Other legal issues pertained to the Ku Klux Klan or KKK. The members of this society pursued the idea that African Americans are meant to be enslaved and put in place to function properly in American society. At one point, the KKK’s violence become so prominent that military troops were ordered to protect freedmen. The political portion of reconstruction placed important laws but lacked in tremendously improving the political situation of African

I agree with the proposition “Reconstruction was a missed opportunity”. The period of Reconstruction was one of the biggest failure in the American history as it had affected the south both physically and economically. The south had their own pride. However, after being defeated by the north their pride was hurt. They viewed north and African- American population as the evil group. The Republican party had succeeded in ending slavery in the United States, but there was still much work to be done as the nation was separated. Lincoln’s assassination was also the main reason to the North’s failure to restore the country. After Lincoln's assassination , Andrew Jackson became the president. Jackson was not nearly as pro-Union as Lincoln, and within a short time Southerners became more active role in government and there was minimal Northern involvement

The civil war ended in 1865 and the period after that was known as the reconstruction era. Many people claim the the North had won the war but lost peace to the south and had secured no permanent political or economic rights in the postwar period. During this time, many laws were issued to secure African American rights because of the undermining in the south. Though the reconstruction failed to improve the conditions of African Americans, their lives had drastically changed throughout the war and reconstruction era.

After the Civil war ended, the United States had to reintegrate both a formerly slave population and a formerly rebellious population back into the country. After Lincoln was assassinated, Andrew Johnson was guiding Reconstruction. He was a Southerner, he resented all the elites in the south who had snubbed him, and he was also a racist who didn’t think that blacks should have any role in Reconstruction. Between 1865 and 1867, Johnson appointed provisional governors and ordered them to all state conventions to establish new all-white governments. Those governments looks suspiciously like the old confederate governments they had replaced. Many schools were established at that time. Johnson ordered all land

When the Civil war ended, southern soldiers were going back to destroyed railroads and cities. Several cities were burned to the ground after Sherman’s march from sea to sea. Slavery was banned and the slaves were given freedom from their owners after the civil war. Attempting reconstruction was not a failure, but took too much time for America to give social and economic equality to slaves. Many different presidents tried to make the process quicker, but the south was to stubborn of this idea, which held them back. When the reconstruction failed, social and economic equality was not given to the slaves.

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.

One of the biggest ways the reconstruction efforts failed was with giving equal rights to the black community. Although the slaves were freed it was very conditional freedom. The creation of Black codes made it seem like they were free. These codes made it possible for black families to remain intact. It also gave blacks the right to sue in court, and own property. This seems like progressive thinking at the time. The big problem with these codes is what they denied blacks. Blacks could not testify against whites. They could not own guns, or travel without permits. Although slavery had ended blacks were still being controlled. Without slaves to work in the fields the plantation owners needed workers. A lot of them would rent out their land to newly freed blacks. In exchange these poor blacks would have to give up 2/3 of their crop.3 The rest would be used to pay off their debts. This would