Reconstruction Ex-Slavery Research Paper

During reconstruction, the meaning of freedom suited many different types of interpretation; the perception of freedom between former slaves and their slaves masters were very contradictory. To begin with, African-Americans had suffered severe abuse over those years of slavery, so to them, the meaning of freedom was basically a hope that in the future, they won’t experience all kind of punishment and exploration that they have been experienced so far. Besides that, formers slaves were demanding equal civil and political rights. In the same way, they valued their freedom by establishing their own schools and churches, reuniting families that were separated under

The reconstruction era was a pivotal time period that shaped how the newly freed black slaves would be seen by the government of the United States. The Northern States were already tolerant of free black men that had rights however, in the south many were scared that those black men would be put in charge of them and ultimately suppress the white race. Eric Foner stated that “most white southerners insisted that blacks must remain a dependent plantation workforce in a laboring situation not very different from slavery (1998, p. 103).” In the south many people believed that their future relied solely on the exploited labor of blacks and they felt that this future was being threatened by the freedom of the blacks.

In the 1860s the United States was a nation that had been ripped apart by the Civil War and left in torn pieces. The war left many white southerners stripped of their slaves, land, and in destroyed towns with little to eat. The only people worse off than the white southerners at this point in history were the black southerners who had nothing to their names but the freedom they had recently been granted which left them penniless and searching for a place to go. In hopes of a resolution president Abraham Lincoln took charge in by announcing a reconstruction plan in hopes of bringing the country back together.

The Reconstruction Era which followed the Civil War was a period marked by a severe effort to re-establish a depleted and distraught society. The war, which was aimed at confronting the national dilemma of slavery, only led to subsequent problems over emancipation and an undefined condition of freedom. Some, who had naively assumed that ending slavery would resolve the problem of racial inequality, overlooked the prejudice and unpleasant feeling towards blacks.

After the Civil War, the United States had a lot of rebuilding to do. The war had halted the development of the country in its tracks, and many efforts had to be made to fix the economy, the physical state of the land and satisfy the needs and wants of the people. Integration of newly emancipated slaves, known as freedmen, and their safety was a question mark in the minds of many Americans, and ideas of how to fairly pull the South back into the Union were extremely varied amongst lawmakers. Compromise played a big role in keeping every side happy to prevent slipping back into war. It was prioritized that the North and South were blended back into one, united country, and many actions were taken in expediting this process.

During the reconstruction ex-slaves probably defined freedom a number of different ways(good and bad), but the fact remains that freedom for an ex-slave and freedom for a white person during the reconstruction era were drastically different.

The reason I’m writing to you today is to inform you of what I (and many others) think of the Reconstruction Acts. As we the people elected you I thought you would be interested to know that we feel strongly that you should vote to support the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Removal of Federal Troops from the Southern States.

First, there were many slave states back in the day. All of the slave states contained slaves working for their owner.The slave states included, AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MI, MO, NC, SC, TN, TX, and VA. Most of the slave states were in the south. Some were in the North the ones in the North, had an easier time being slaves because they didn't have crops to worry about. They just had to make clothes and clean.

War! Nobody likes it especially when it's in their own country. The union victory in the Civil war may have given 4 million slaves their freedom, but the process of re-uniting the government after the South departed from the U.S. introduced a new set of challenges. Reconstruction was America's first experiment in interracial democracy for men. It tested the central philosophies and traditions of America's society and institutions (Shmoop Editorial Team). It was also a period in U.S. history where the government tried to re-unite the southern states with the northern states.

After the Civil War, the Freedmen got heaved, taking all the things into account, in little isolation assets. Landless and evacuated, they moved about scanning for work. They general obliged sufficient nourishment, clothing, and haven. The Southern states set up laws taking after the slave codes of slave times. These laws confined the past's change slaves with the last target to urge them to limit as home workers a significant part of the ideal opportunity for their previous directors at moronically low wages. In the midst of Reconstruction period, slaves wielded political power in the South shockingly. Their pioneers were overall pastors, legal educators, and instructors who had been told in the North and abroad. Among the ablest were Robert

The abolitionist movement was when many people during the 1800’s sought their way to abolish slavery in the United States. Abolitionists were people against slavery, and they thought it was not right for people around the country to own slaves. Slavery was a major problem in history, and it is still going around today but in various forms. There’s about 21 million people that are enslaved worldwide today. But during the 1800’s it was much worse. As many as 1,000 Africans at a time were shoved onto a ship and were sent to “The Americas” to furthermore, become a slave. Overall there was over 20 million Africans that were put on a slave ship

How was the life of African American slaves in the south? The life of the African Americans was very hard. Slaves were used and tortured. These events were terrible or horrible. In the south, in 1860 there were about 400,000 slaves kept in households. Almost four million African Americans remained slavery. African Americans were living in bad places. Slaves extended their own culture, fellowship, and community. They joined Americans and Africans as an element to create a new culture (433). Communication and being together is important in their lives.

In addition to the Europeans being criminals by inflicting pain and suffering, and doing horrific things to the Natives; we will now go to the crime that occurred to during slavery and the reconstruction.

Since the abolishment of slavery in the enactment of the 13th Amendment which says slavery is abolished except for in the punishment of a crime. In 1884, the convict leasing takes place. The Convict leasing is renting or leasing of prisoners to private business owners or company for their labor. Debt Peonage during 1870 is paying off a debt through labor when the debtor lacks sufficient cash or other assets. This way of paying debt is not to isolate and was seen throughout the whole country. The abolishment of slavery is the cause of the enactment of convict leasing and peonage.

The white slaveholding class said the institution of slavery as a necessary evil: besides playing a part in the agricultural economy, Some said it was the only way to keep a wild pagan race in control.(http://www.everyculture.com)