The Reconstruction Era

92. In 1865 an appointment was held between representatives of an African American community in Savannah, Georgia and Edwin Staunton, Secretary of War, and Major General Sherman concerning topics of the freedman in Georgia. Land was set aside, 40 acres, and a mule that could no longer be used by the Army to establish a community of their own.

eric Foner is a history professor at Columbia University, who speciality is in the Civil War and Reconstruction era. He has written many pieces and had many successful publication, and received many awards. Foner is a very passionate man when it comes to the Reconstruction period that occurred after the American Civil War. He wrote a piece entitled “The New View of Reconstruction” which dissects the reconstruction whether the reconstruction succeed or failed. Foner wrote about the political issues, such as the fight between President Johnson and congress, and the new amendments that were created. And the fact that African-Americans were slowly becoming more equally, and organizations were being created to terror anyone supporting the equality of African-Americans. Throughout the reconstruction era the nation had to rebuilt itself as a unified nation, and making many decision that not everyone agreed with.

The first roar of the Civil War ended with a last gasp for air. Where in such a war more than six hundred twenty thousand men sacrificed their lives for their own belief in the abolishment of slavery (“Civil War Facts”). “We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom” (Baslor). These wise words of Abraham Lincoln cleared the way of a desolate trail of violence and pain, yet he was determined to accomplish his plans of abolishing slavery and creating equality. The Civil War, began in 1861 and ended in 1865, yet it was known as one of the bloodiest wars America has ever walked through compared to other American Wars (“Civil War Facts”). After the Civil War

The other major race that suffered during this time was African Americans. They had previously been released from slavery, but now they were facing social injustice. Jim Crow laws, were formed, which created stereotypes about blacks being inferior to the white race once again. White bathrooms, and water fountains were constructed along with separation in schools between the races. African Americans “were denied the most basic freedom that democracy promises”(Alexander) under these laws. Everywhere people went separation was found among the whites, and blacks. By creating these laws the American government set the process for the unity of the races backwards. People did not have the opportunity to unite because they were bound by law to be separated. This era created separation of the races, from the very beginning. The government, and white Americans were only concerned about their well-being, and therefore, separated themselves from anyone, and anything that they felt would harm their success and power.

The Reconstruction Period I think is a problem for the African Americans back then. They were treated unfairly during this period, when it was to being them a new started and hope of change. Don’t get me wrong there were some people who were for them to e happy, but not many. So, let start at the being; where it all happened. In January of 1865, Union General William T. Sherman issued a special field order Number 15, which temporary granted each freed family 40 acres of land off the region of Georgia in the islands and coastal area. Also the Union Army donated mules to them after the war was over. In the summer of 1865 when President Andrew Johnson was in office, his first act of Reconstruction was to give back all the federal control land back to its previous owner. When the land was giving back to the owners, freed men and women could sign a labor contracts with the planters or they could leave the land they occupied this was called Freedman’s Bureau. Soon after when the land was giving back, the former Confederate state stated “Black Codes”. Black Codes would deny African Americans to legal have equality and political rights. Also it would require then to sign yearly labor contracts with the planters. When this happen, Congress made the Reconstruction Act in the 1867, when the 14th (June 13, 1866) and the 15th (February 26, 1869, ratified on February 3, 1870) Amendments. These two amendments granted African Americans the right to vote, and equality before the law and

America was in disarray following the events of the Civil War. Southern economy was in shambles while congress was struggling to find a middle ground between the radical republicans and Lincoln’s lenient policies. Many Southerners faced the aftermath of uprooting their society and their way of life while thousands of newly freed slaves struggled to find a way to support themselves. The country needed a strong leader, however on the 14th of April, 1865 President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in the Ford Theatre in Washington (Farmer). Without the man that had once held the nation together, the country now faced an enormous obstacle; reconstructing American economics, politics and social life.

By definition, the American Dream is “the traditional social ideals of the US, such as equality, democracy, and material prosperity.” Many events from past decades, surrounding the idea of Civil Rights, have changed America’s idea of the definition of the American Dream. Out of many time period, I am going to compare the American Revolutionary War, the Reconstruction Era, and the Progressive Era on how each period affected the change of the idea of Civil Rights in the American Dream.

As a nation, America has gone through many things including war and political changes. People in the United States went through much throughout history. The people that once lead this country had different intentions and targets. One moment in history that was very important and very influential today is the Reconstruction Era. The Reconstruction Era was a time period that contains many accomplishments, failures, leaders, and aims. There were many events in this era which made people call it a failure and a success. In the year of 1865, right after the Civil War, Reconstruction began. The Reconstruction Era was known as the time of “repair” after the civil war. At that time, the leader of the nation was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln wanted the south to join the Union so he freed the African Americans. When looking at the Reconstruction Era, there are many events that make up this era such as the reconstruction amendments, the freedman’s bureau, and the Ku Klux Klan.

The reconstruction period was right after the civil war and was started because of the war damage to the south. The reconstruction period started in 1865, after the war ended, and lasted until 1877. There was two parts of the reconstruction period the first was when the presidents where starting to return the southern sates to being part of the USA, because they left the USA to be their own countries. The second part of the reconstruction period was when congress took over the project from the presidents in 1866 until 1877. During the reconstruction period the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the constitution where passed. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments ended slavery, gave a better definition of citizenship

In 1865, the city was devastated because of the crisis that left the civil war. Therefore, political, economic and social issues needed to be resolved to improve and reconstruct the Nation. It was the period in which the State and local governments in the South were restored, and the Southern states were unified to the rest of the States. This essay emphasizes the differences between congressional and presidential reconstruction. Also, it highlights the achievements and success of both. Although the presidential and congressional Reconstruction has some similarities, they also disagreed on many points and created a conflict between each other. Nevertheless by early 1867, the new Congress passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867 over President Johnson’s veto. The Congressional Reconstruction Plan dramatically changed politics in the South.

By 1870, the Northerner lost interest in reconstructing the south. The north tried to reconstruct the south and change southerners attitudes about black people. Although they failed at this because many southerners were still racists and believed that the white race was superior to others, blacks were not as good as southern white men. To add to that, the Northerners lost interest in the reconstruction, which gave southerners a chance to gain control of their state governments again.

Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 - gave each state 30,000 acres of federal land per member of congress of the state

In the Reconstruction Era, great strides were made towards giving the freed slaves the same freedoms as a white man. Reforms allowed the freedmen to enjoy economic independence, public education, the right to vote and even the ability to hold public office. It seemed that blacks were well on their way toward equality and escape from their former “inferior” status. This changed with the violent rise of the Democratic Party to control every state in the South. They fashioned themselves as “Redeemers”; their platform was white supremacy and subjugation of the black race (Foner 652).

The Reconstruction Era was known as a time to reconstruct the United States of America by the expansion of governmental power that began in 1865. “There were two central problems that animated Reconstruction; providing justice for freedmen and facilitating national reconciliation. (A New Birth of Freedom, pg. 1) After the 12 year span, reconstructing the nation succeeded in only a few of the goals that were set out to achieve within those 12 years that it was in progress. The Reconstruction’s intentions ended up becoming its own failure. It was the failure that brought forth the foreseeable success in changing the South. There were three goals the reconstruction set, and failed to achieve; social, political, and economic power, as well

Freedom is being able to make your own decisions without input of a parent or guardian. You must be responsible for yourself as well as your actions. Before reaching freedom actions made by the child are part of the Guardian’s responsibility. All liability and blame is put on yourself for your choices.If you get in trouble with the law before you are eighteen the guardian of the child is put on the parent and they have to pay for damage done. You reach these freedoms when you become a legal adult. Before this time you need you guardian or parent to consent on decisions the child makes. Overall the child has no power unless a guardian agrees. You also gain freedom when you are able to support yourself financially.