The Importance Of The Fight For Equal Rights In The Civil War

American history was radically changed when President Abraham Lincoln gave the very famous Emancipation Proclamation. This lead to the freedom of millions of African Americans who sought the same liberty and equality that was promised to everyone under the United States constitution. These liberties, of course, were not achieved right away. During the Reconstruction era, which is the decade right after the Civil War, many of the recently freed slaves did not have money, property, or credit. They could not buy the necessary things to enjoy their freedom, which lead to sharecropping, a glorified form of slavery. Sharecropping is a system of agriculture in which a landowner lets a tenant use the land in return for a share of the crops produced on their portion of land (Sharecropping).. Added on to this, facilities were segregated to prevent the black man from enjoying the same things as the white man due to Jim Crow laws which were enacted after the Reconstruction era. The struggle for equality and rights continued during the Gilded Age (1873-1900), the Progressive Era (1900-1920s), the Great Depression (1930s), WWII (1939-1945), the beginning of the Cold War (1947), up until the Civil Rights movement (1954-1968). At this point in history, African Americans fought for their rights and changed the course of American history. Music was a very important tool used by African Americans that helped achieve this. Ever since the slavery times, music was a big part of their culture

After four years of seemingly endless battle between a divided nation, more than 600,000 people were killed. These lives, however, were not given in vain. Had it not been for the American Civil War, abolition may not have been carried out. The nation might have remained divided. Women might have remained confined to their roles as the "homemakers." Although the Civil War was fought in hopes of preserving the nation and ridding it of slavery, another war raged on within the depths of this war--the women's war. Serving as nurses both in the hospital and on the battlefields, women came to know a whole

During the early 1860's the discussions over states v. Union rights had reached its breaking point and outraged the South seceded from the union. The following years would see not only one of the nations bloodiest wars, but the period of reconstruction that was to follow. Freed slaves now had to find their place within a nation that was less that ready to except them. The battle between legislature passed down by the government and the social ideologies of the past began both during and after the period of reconstruction as it was made evident that changing the minds of the current generation would not be easy. While the years 1860-1877 brought major constitutional changes regarding the rights of African Americans following the civil war,

Although the attempted reformation of the U.S. were increasingly substantial, the reconstruction era had a negative connotation, leaving a wounded nation to attempt to reconstruct after. The Civil War, one of America’s bloodiest conflicts, has left a lasting imprint with the high percentage of fatalities and significant damage to property. The division of the north and south left scarring results, fueling the fire of the slavery debacle. With the Unions win in 1865, the skirmish was far from over. Through the anguish and discord of the rebuilding, those w Those who were persecuted before can not escape the discrimination and freedom yet to come. Equality for all comes with a hefty price. The reconstruction of America saw successes, yet is overshadowed by the impending darkness that

One of the main trends throughout American history is the constant uprisings of movements advocating for human rights. Whether it be rights for women, blacks, immigrants, or children, in every time period one of the main concern was the livelihood of minorities. Both in the Antebellum and in the Progressive Era there were fights for rights of the people. In the Antebellum, this fight was for abolitionism, and in the Progressive Era the fight was for women's suffrage.

Between 1860 and 1877, the era of reconstruction in America had been ineffably prominent with societal and constitutional change. Between achievements such as the Freedmen’s Bureau of 1865, helping recently freed slaves, to the 14th amendment establishing a set equal rights, multiple advancements to the country had been created. While the dilemmas of the reconstruction period were often caused by the Northern versus Southern ideals after fighting a bloody Civil War, or tackling racial inequality, the question of constitutionality of the era’s laws were regarded as the essential piece to the time’s strife. Moreover, there was often argument if whether the federal government, morally and constitutionality, was privileged to decide on laws not explicitly stated in the Constitution. Supporters of federal government heavy ruling often debated with those in support of sovereign states, leading to deeper issues then who was creating rules. Important topics of the era like allowing state government to decide on race issues such as black suffrage, or the enforcement of the Black Codes started at the root of power. With these adverse differences in who should first hold and manifest the power of the nation, great revolutionary debates, ideals, and attacks transpired. These various constitutional and social evolutions catalyzed into a revolution regarding the state and federal power in the nation.

During the 20th century, male and females were not being treated equally a lot of women started getting mad because they weren’t getting jobs or the right to vote as men, so it led to the Civil Rights Movement, the Equal Rights Amendment was involved, because women weren’t treated equally or given the same rights as males. The Civil RIghts Movement was when there was a lot of racism and black and white people weren’t given the same rights, it was unfair to the black because they couldn’t do so many things like vote and also there was sex discrimination. In 1923, Alice Paul, leader and founder of the National Woman’s Party, considered that ERA should be the next step in the 19th Amendment in granting equal justice under the law to both sexes, male and female, in the U.S. Alice Paul said “ We women of America tell you that America is not a democracy. Twenty million women are denied the right to vote.” A text from the amendment said “Equal of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

“All men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,” writes Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. However, as the infant nation developed, a 21st Century critique of American history displays strife between these famous words penned to paper and the actions of various people throughout hundreds of years. What began as international trade evolved into a robust economy slaves, the South’s Atlas, stabilizing and serving as the foundational support of the region. As war broke out and quashed the validity of humanity serving as property, the newly freedmen assumed a new role as ex-slaves. Their legal standing continually harassed by caucasian lawmakers and continual abuse from those

Since the colonization of America there has been a dramatic attempt to establish a “more Perfect Union” that “secure(s) the blessings of liberty” (Constitution, pg. 104). These attempts began with John Winthrop’s desires to construct a society that, according to him, will be seen through the eyes of others as a “city upon a hill” (Winthrop, pg. 9). John Winthrop bases the concept of the city on a hill through the teachings of Christianity as he references the Bible to support his arguments in creating a society that is based on “Justice and Mercy” (Winthrop, pg. 2). In many ways Winthrop’s essay was not just an attempt to create a Christian society, but also an attempt to lay out his argument of creating the perfect community in where “members of the same body…partake on each other’s strength and infirmity” (Winthrop, pg. 9). Winthrop’s great experiment set forth the motion of the creation of

Equality, the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities. Well that's the definition in this era. However, in the 1860 - 1970’s their definition of equality was completely different and based on race and gender. Has equality improved? In my opinion, it could be better. We as the human race have not fully evolved from being the racist and sexist people we were then. Sure, there are still problems with discrimination but at least there aren't riots occurring everyday and vast amounts of people dying each week. Due to the growth of civil rights, there is more possibilities but with the growth of civil rights comes the growth of opinions. People all over the world develop opinions on topics that may be different to others

America is known as the land of the free. However, the United States was not always the land of the free. In Harold Holzer and the New-York Historical Society’s book, The Civil War in 50 Objects, he paints a picture of American life, including political tensions, before and during the Civil War. In this era, Americans still held strongly to values of freedom and liberty, but those only applied for people considered to be white. The United States was built on the backbone of slave labor, a practice which continued for many years until the conclusion of the Civil War. The Civil War forced the United States to decide what liberty means to them and who deserves to have it. The Civil War shaped America’s future in only a few short years, beginning

The struggle for equal rights has been an ongoing issue in the United States. For most of the twentieth century Americans worked toward equality. Through demonstrations, protests, riots, and parades citizens have made demands and voiced their concerns for equal rights. For the first time minority groups were banding together to achieve the American dream of liberty and justice for all. Whether it was equality for women, politics, minorities, or the economy the battle was usually well worth the outcome. I have chosen articles that discuss some of the struggles, voyages, and triumphs that have occurred. The people discussed in the following articles represent only a portion of those who suffered.

During the second battle, Henry ran. He didn't run just to run, he ran in fear. Henry saw soldiers running through smoke in the field so he also decided to run. Just think, if you were sitting there watching soldiers run, wouldn't you follow them? If Henry decided not to flee, he could've been there all alone and open to danger. The enemies could've easily been right there with him.

Once the Civil War came to a close, everyone began to ask themselves, “what now?” As we all hoped for change in our nation that would benefit us personally and us as a whole. However, during these reconstruction years, this wasn’t the case whatsoever. From clashing parties to constant rioting, people wondered when the peace would finally reach them. Certain men like, Jim Crow, couldn’t stand the sight of equality. He would try to do everything he could so that there wouldn’t be equality for both African Americans and whites. Situations like these that you have others like, Andrew Johnson, who wanted equality and showered God’s forgiveness to try and forgive the Confederate soldiers (Thomas, Lauren). Even though he tried to forgive these people,

One of the most notable qualities of Americans is the intense ties to family and patriotic duty. These two traits define one of America’s leading families, the Adams. Abigail Adams rears her children strongly in patriotism and wishes for them to pursue their passions. In a letter to her son, John Quincy Adams, she attempts to persuade him to accompany his father, John Adams, to France to become more cultured and independent. The support from his family sets Adams on the path to later becoming a successful president. Strength being based in one’s family and country extends beyond politics to include ordinary people as well. In the short story, “Christmas Eve in Civil War Times”, a family struggles to get through the holidays while their loved ones are away in the Union army (Roe). The literature confronts the conflict of being unconditionally loyal to country and family. This issue of where loyalties lie is a consistent theme in historical literature, but lacks a well-deserved recognition today. A shared aspect of patriotism and family in earlier times is the importance of religion. Christian duty becomes justification for numerous political actions. Samuel Adams writes in his poem, “The Divine Source of Liberty” that God creates liberty for men, therefore, they must acknowledge it. The superficial themes of appreciating nature take on a more rebellious appearance after noticing that the poem is written during the beginning of the American Revolution, the “nation’s true test” (11). The war effort for the revolution increases once the fight becomes righteous and holy. This justification angers preachers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson who is vehemently outspoken against the Mexican American War (Derleth, 96). Emerson acts as a face for a community of reformers who define social changes of the late nineteenth century. Different groups throughout American history have fought for their personal liberty; even the founding fathers could not disagree if they wanted to dissolve alliances with England or not (1776). Early Americans all have their own definition of freedom and while some aspects like religious justification and political reformation has carried over into contemporary times, other important qualities such as