Reconstruction Era Essay

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.

After the Civil War, America was still amidst great turmoil and economic instability. During this time period, the ultimate goal for Americans was to seize the “American Dream”. This was defined by most as being able to support their family and live a comfortable life. Although some did achieve this, many faced social, political and economic hardships. Beginning with the unjust treatment of African-Americans, then the struggles of immigrants, and followed by the rise of big businesses, the challenges faced during this time of rebuilding varied among the classes.

Many people had different views and ideas about Reconstruction. There was much debate about how the Confederate states, which included Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, should be readmitted into the Union. Some people believed that the states should be treated as territories, and others believed that the southern leaders should be punished instead of the states. Still, others believed that the South still belonged to the Union because secession was illegal. During the Civil War, on December 1863, President Lincoln announced his 10 % Plan for Reconstruction. Many Northerners considered it to be too mild, but the blacks condemned it for ignoring

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

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

Due to the gradual elimination of African-American rights and the withdrawal of Federal troops from the South to enforce such rights, the end of Reconstruction surfaced in 1877. In the eyes of blacks, Reconstruction was a point in history where they could see their civil rights expanding before their very own eyes. On the contrary, whites were deeply disturbed at the way their once “white supremacy” government was dwindling in the rear-view mirror behind them. This fourteen year period known as Reconstruction houses the memories of temporary freedom, scandal, backdoor deals, and the unresolved social, political, and economical issues of our country.

To me, this is more than just freeing slaves this was about making sure every human being regardless of race had equal rights and equal opportunities. While further rights did not happen immediately after this amendment was ratified it is was the foundation for creating those equal rights for all races. Moments in history such as this thirteenth amendment is what defines our futures. The constitution of the United States is what protects our country and our

The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential proclamation and a strong order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It claimed to change the federal legal status of more than 3 million enslaved people in the designated areas of the South from slave to free, although its actual effect was less. Abraham Lincoln issued his Preliminary Emancipation proclamation on September 22nd, 1882. Preliminary meant that if that the southern states did not cease their rebellion by January 1st 1863, and if not listed the Proclamation would go into effect. Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863. Proclaimed the freedom of slaves in ten states. Because it was issued under the President's powers,

The reconstruction era was a time that shaped the United States into what it is today. Politics played a major role in this time period because of the tension between the north and the south. The reconstruction era started one of the biggest civil rights movements in United States history. Looking at the events of reconstruction, I will discuss the 13th, Amendment, the leaders that contributed to the civil rights movement and Plessy vs. Ferguson. All these events had to take place in order for the civil right movements to take a step forward, although some these actions regressed the process of these movements.

The Emancipation Proclamation was first issued by Abraham Lincoln in September of 1862. It’s main purpose was to free the slaves in the rebelling states of the Union, the rebelling states were those located on the southern side of the country. Emancipation means to free those from legal, social and political restrictions, and proclamation means official or public announcement. Therefore it was the public announcement freeing slaves from restriction held by those in the south. Though the civil war started in mid April the year before, the Emancipation Proclamation added another element to the warring sides, the element that the African Americans could fight for their own freedom.

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by president Lincoln on September twenty-second, 1862. Its primary significance was to grant freedom to the African American slaves in the confederate states. The only way for the owners to keep their slaves was if they returned to the union by the following January first, 1863. Lincoln did not want to share his thoughts on slavery before this point because he was afraid the northern Democratic Party along with border slave states would turn against the Union if he made a move against slavery beforehand 1862. Lincoln's ideals on slavery starts to take a strong stance letting the people know he is against it and issues this proclamation, Lincoln thought that abolition had become a sound military strategy.

The Emancipation Proclamation is one of Lincolns many accomplishments which had an impact on the U.S. and here is what it did. It was issued on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation led to abolishing slavery across the U.S. It freed all the slaves in the U.S. and made it illegal to have and own a slave. Also made it possible for black slaves to

Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Besides, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom.

On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was delivered by Abraham Lincoln. This bold and progressive move by the President declared that "all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free" (The Library of Congress, 2014). While Lincoln now harbors the fame for ending slavery, his proclamation initially only ended slavery in those states that attempted to separate from the union. The proclamation authorized the recruitment of former slaves into the Union Armies and promoted the eventual creation of a Union without slavery. It was this strategic use of the legal system that allowed

From 1865 to 1877, the United States underwent an era of political complexity and social turbulence known as Reconstruction (Tindell). This period of American history generated extensive implications for life of Americans (Tindell). The main goal of the Reconstruction was to rebuild a devasted South after the abolition of slavery, disruptions of the economy due to the war, and the tremendous amounts of deaths left it in near ruins (Tindell).