Discuss three major changes in race relations that resulted from Reconstruction. Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln’s successor, fought with Congress over Reconstruction policies. Johnson imagined a lenient and rapid “restoration” of the South to the Union rather than the fundamental “reconstruction” that Republican congressmen favored (Norton, 14 intro). The president and Republican congressional leadership disagreed and by the time it was all over, Congress impeached the president, enfranchised freedmen, and gave them a role in reconstructing the South (Norton, 14 intro). The nation then also adopted the 14th and 15th Amendments ensuring equal protection of citizenship, law, and universal manhood suffrage. In early 1865, Lincoln and Congress …show more content…
Three million people lost their jobs, especially in larger cities (Norton, 14-6b). Debtors and the unemployed pursued easy-money policies to offshoot expansion due to the need of money. Businessmen defended property rights and demanded “sound money” policies only widening the gap between farmers and workers and wealthy industrialists (Norton, 14-6b). Explain the rise of the Progressive movement. C1. Offended by corruption and immorality in business and government, the new middle class determined to apply the rational techniques of their professions to social problems (Norton, 18-1b). With the help of muckrakers, the public was exposed of social, economic, and political wrongs in popular magazines and books. Young, middle-class, educated men and women worked to link the gap between social classes by living in inner-city settlement houses. Over 400 settlements in big cities were established by 1910 sponsoring activities such as art exhibits, vocational training, and health clinics. The vanguard of Progressivism, settlement house workers backed housing and labor reform, offered meeting space to unions, and served as school nurses, probation officers, and teachers (Norton,
Congress comes in to play in December 1865. The Congress was made up mostly of Republicans and they refused to let past Confederates to take their seats in Congress at this time. This marked the beginning of Radical Reconstruction or sometimes known as Congressional Reconstruction. The president and the congress did not agree on many issues. Congress overrode President Johnson on the Civil Rights Act of 1866, The Fourteenth Amendment, and the Freedmen’s Bureau Bill. The Fourteenth Amendment spelled out rights of both black and white citizens as equal. It prolonged Federal powers for the enforcement of civil rights. States that approved the Fourteenth Amendment were considered reconstructed, and Tennessee did so. President Johnson advised other southern states to oppose doing this. Congress passed many laws to limit President Johnson’s powers. They passed the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 which set new
The Populists and Progressive were form of movement that occurred during the outbreaks of the workers union after the civil war. The populists began during the late 1800s.The progressive began during the 1900s. There are many differences between these two movements, but yet these movements have many things that are similar.
In the first article, The Failure of Progressivism by Richard Abrams, he says the progressives mostly sought to introduce old moral beliefs on Americans by trying to integrate Immigrants by making them accept the ways of American life. But Abrams states those goals were ruined for important motives. One being the movement failed because of racism, which was widespread, throughout this time era. Abrams also considers the new scientific developments concerning culture and race affected the movement in a relevant manner. Conversely, progressives thought differently and felt that they need to integrate all cultures to fit it in to the American lifestyle. Abrams goes on to say that people started coming to the conclusion that “cultural
After the Civil War, the United States had many problems to solve. The country had to figure out how to integrate newly freed slaves into society and bring the former Confederate states back into the Union. Reconstruction was period of time after the civil war in which the United States addressed these problems. Reconstruction had two different phases: Presidential Reconstruction took place from 1865 to 1867, and Congressional Reconstruction took place from 1867 to 1877. Presidential Reconstruction began with Abraham Lincoln, who proposed the Proclamation of Amnesty and the ten percent oath plan. Lincoln was focused on leniency and forgiveness; under his plan southerners would take an oath of loyalty to the Union, and after only ten percent of a state’s voters had taken this oath, the state could be readmitted. After Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson took over Reconstruction. Johnson wanted to punish landowners, but liberally handed out pardons, as he greatly enjoyed the power that he had over southerners. Under Johnson, former confederates were re-elected, and southern states discriminated blacks. Eventually, Congress took over Reconstruction. During Congressional Reconstruction, the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments were passed, and the freedman’s bureau was created. Overall, the failures of Reconstruction outweighed the failures because it took a very long time for it to achieve its goals, and the South was still able to
Immigration, the word that seems to keep coming up on the news every day. Many people around the United States think of different things whenever this word comes to mind. Throughout the years, the immigration system has tremendously changed, and so have some people’s views on immigration. People no longer come from crowded boats, but some still get treated as they do. People no longer have to take an education test or medical test, yet if one lacks in those areas they get treated similarly to how they were treated during the Progressive Era. America has changed, but it hasn’t really changed in ways. America may have replaced some laws, but it’s new laws have a similar impact as the older ones did. Although some of America’s immigration policies have changed over the years, immigration to America still remains a broken system. Immigration laws still prevent people from getting jobs, discrimination towards immigrants is still around, and many immigrants are not given good jobs or living conditions.
Congress passes the Reconstruction Act of 1867, which divided the South into districts and required Southern states to approve the 14th Amendment to grant blacks citizenship, before rejoining the Union. Later, congress gives African Americans the right to vote by ratifying the 15th Amendment. The Reconstruction established the South’s first state-funded public school systems, created a just taxation legislation, and passed laws against discrimination and economic development programs. The approach of Congress was different than Johnson’s plan, because they worked to improve the lives of African Americans by passing laws in their favor, and expanding their rights. Congress did not care what the South wanted, and expected the South to abide by their rules. On the other hand, Johnson wanted to preserve the nation, and did not want to do anything to anger the South. Moreover, he was a strong believer in states rights, and the idea that the federal government had no right to enforce restrictive laws on the entire country.
The Reconstruction of the United States was an experiment in interracial democracy. The Civil War victory by the North brought to a close the establishment of slavery but, in turn, opened Pandora's box. The questions and answers pertaining to economical, political, and social equality for freedmen had yet to be addressed on a practical level. The Southern states, still bitter from defeat and economic stresses, strongly rejected the societal transformations thrust upon them. The Northern states' focal point remained on the necessary political powers by which to enact constitutional amendments, therefore empowering the federal government with the capabilities to enforce the principles of equal rights. On paper, slavery was abolished, but in reality, African-Americans were once again enslaved on a ship without the security or knowledge of what the next port held for them. The Civil War had not truly ended. It was still active under the guise of Reconstruction, but now coats and flags of many colors existed, and battles were merely fought on alternate battlefields. A war of ideas lacking in substantial practicality resulted in repetitious battles being won and loss. The motivating forces that set Reconstruction into motion were for the most part the North's quest for unification among states', and the emancipation of slaves. However, the primary objective of Reconstruction was to grant political, economical, and social opportunities for the freedmen. The
The beginning of the twentieth century was a time of great social change and economic growth in the United States. The progressive era was a time in which Americans were innovating in social welfare. In the progressive period the government needed to take action in the role of economy, regulating big business, immigration, and urban growth. Once the great depression happened in which America’s economy faltered people started to panic. For Americans the main issues asked were how to make society work more efficiently. The great society era was a time of optimism after the post-world war II occurred. The creations of new federal programs were developed for those who were in need due to poverty, being disabled or old age.
With the death of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, a new president sought to reunite the nation at the end of the Civil war. The presence of Andrew Jackson in the white House took the Republican Party and the newly freed slaves in directions that shaped the way the North made policy toward the defeated south. The process became known as reconstruction, and it remained one of the most controversial periods in all of American history. During this period of reconstruction, was set out to change the south and better the lives of the white and black people that lived there. Upon President Lincoln’s assassination, the nation looked to the new presidents for leadership. Andrew Johnson was unknown to most political insiders, and promised to pursue Lincoln’s
After Lincoln was assassinated, vise president Andrew Johnson stepped into office with a goal to change some of the things he believed in. In the article Andrew Johnson it states, “Next they passed measures dealing with the former slaves. Johnson vetoed the legislation. The Radicals mustered enough votes in Congress to pass legislation over his veto--the first time that
In the beginning of the twentieth century, the economy was booming, new technology flourished. The rapid industrialization brought achievement to the United States, however, it also caused several social problems. Wealth and power were concentrated in the hands of a few, and poverty and political corruption were widespread. As people became aware of these problems, a new reform group was created. Unlike populism, which had been a group of farmers grown desperate as the economy submerged into depression, the new reform movement arose from the educated middle class. These people were known as the progressives. The Progressive Movement was a movement that aimed at solving political, economic, and social problems. The Progressives were people
After the Civil War, there were two major paths of reconstruction–presidential reconstruction and radical reconstruction. Presidential reconstruction was headed by President Andrew Johnson, who believed that the southern states had never given up their rights to govern themselves, and failed to institute any sort of voting requirements. Aside from having to take an oath of allegiance to the Union and pay off war debt, the South was free to do what they like. This leniency led to the instillation of Black Codes and the continuation of wrongful treatment of African Americans. This caused the Republicans in Congress to take control of Reconstruction in the South after Johnson’s
Reform was the goal of the Progressive movement, and with that in mind the reformers had great success. Progressive reformers were made up primarily of middle class men and women whose two main goals were to limit the trusts and to improve conditions of life and labor. These people were part of both political parties at the time, as well as in all regions of the country, and in all levels of the government. They wanted to remove bribed members of the legislature so that just laws and regulations were made that would benefit the people rather than the power-hungry corporations. This major movement altered all aspects of life creating a better living and working environment for people. The Progressive Era reformers and federal
The term Progressivism implies a philosophy that promotes change/reform in the current political, economic, and social aspects of society while conservatism stresses gradual change in society but promotes tradition rather than change. The Progressive movement from 1901 to 1917 worked to improve aspects of society that grew out of problems which occurred during the Industrial Age. The goals of the "Progressives" were to stop monopolies, corruption, inefficiency and social injustices. Both progressive acts and amendments were being passed to deal with social ills, corruption in politics and corporate America. The period from 1901-1917 was more a victory for liberalism, mainly "modern liberalism", than a triumph of conservatism due to the
After the civil war, Andrew Johnson Reconstruction policy leaded to the impeachment. Giving political control to former rebels and putting the future of the blacks on the hands of their former masters was a result of Johnson's hasty efforts to restore the Confederate states to civil government. For fear of Johnson's plans to abort congressional authority to hasten his Reconstruction efforts, the so-called Radical Republican congressmen rise up against Johnson's policies and started impeachment proceedings