The Civil War left a country divided not only by property lines and borders but by beliefs as well. Not just religious beliefs, moral beliefs also. It left both sides, north and south struggling, trying to figure out what their next move towards reuniting the divided America was going to be. The period following the end of the Civil War would become known as the “Reconstruction Era.” An era that raised just as many questions as it did answers. A reconstruction of America that seems to carry on many decades later. The reconstruction of America would decide how the south would rejoin the Union, what was to become of the nearly 3 million black slaves freed, how America was going to recover from such a devastating internal war. There appears to be phases that the Reconstruction Era went through, roughly three of them. The first is that of the Presidential Reconstruction, it lead to a more radical Republican party. After such we find ourselves in what was to be known as the Radical Reconstruction. A period where the blacks found their voices being heard. Finally we lead up to the end of the Reconstruction-era. It is said that the reconstruction lasted from 1865 to 1877, however it can be said that, to this very day, some reconstruction is still ongoing. It all starts with the Presidential Reconstruction. In 1865 President Johnson announced his plans for Reconstruction, which reflected both his staunch Unionism and his firm belief in states’ rights . Johnson believed that the
After the Civil War, there was a question on how the South would re-enter the government of the Union and how the southern states were going to view the blacks. This time period after the Civil War where these questions were answered is known as The Reconstruction and lasted from 1863-1877. During this time period, President Lincoln was murdered and President Johnson was impeached. Congress also made major additions to the Constitution that they thought would bring equality to the South. These changes caused a backlash and whites tried to get back to the way things were before the war when whites had all the power. Despite a few positive outcomes, this era of reconstruction of the South ultimately failed.
The civil war ended in 1865 and what followed was a kerfuffle, otherwise known as “The Reconstruction.” This was a period of violence and turbulent controversy ranging from racial issues to economic problems.
Additionally, the thirteenth, the fourteenth, and the fifteenth Amendments were ratified, thus the African-Americans were freed from the Slavery and they were able to start their new lives (Foner). So I conclude one of the goals of the Reconstruction was to readmit the Confederate States into the Union. First, President Lincoln devised the 10 percent plan in order to effort to get the Confederate states not only to rejoin into the Union but also inside the plan all the Confederates would be pardoned if they would a swear allegiance to the Union and promise to obey the Laws of the Union (Foner). After President Lincoln was assassinated, Andrew Johnson planned more punitive of a new plan which became known as the Presidential Reconstruction. At first, most Northerners believed Johnson’s policy deserved a chance to succeed but the most opposition to Johnson’s Reconstructions policy were the Black Codes that passed by the new Southern governments that attempted to regulate the lives of the former slaves (Foner). In 1865, President Johnson announced that with loyal governments functioning in all Southern states, so the nation had been
Reconstruction was to be what took place following the end of the American Civil War. To most scholars this is true. However, to truly understand the magnitude of reconstruction, one must take the path less traveled as Eric Foner did in his book, Reconstruction; America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877. What is that? 1863? Yes, Foner believes that reconstruction officially started then with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Why, you may ask. The reasoning behind this premise is simple, when the proclamation was signed it marked a change or “adjustment of American society to end slavery.” (xxv) With the end of an historical style Southern life, slavery, reconstruction officially started. This change in direction is hard to comprehend, especially since most of us have been taught the exact years of reconstruction and the civil war for following between two distinct time lines. The alteration, however, is a good alteration and a welcomed one if you have an open mind and are eager to assume the responsibility of an improved understanding this crucial alteration. This alteration can be examined by looking at certain aspects of reconstruction and the impact of each facet as it pertains to the new outlook of reconstruction. So, sit back and take a journey of improved understanding to how reconstruction has been transformed by Foner.
As a country, America has gone through many political and governmental changes. Leaders have come and gone, all have different goals and objectives for the outcome of America’s future. As history takes its course, most of the most have the same ending of coming to an end to start something new. One such movement was the Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time period between 1865 and 1877 following the Civil War, during which people of the United States worked to put the country back together again, introducing a new set of significant challenges. Though, like all things in life, it did come to an end, the resulting outcome had been labeled both a success and a failure.
The United States of America has gone through constant hardships and difficulties since joining together as one nation involving war and changes in the political system. A lot of highly respected leaders in America have come donating their own ideals and foundation to administer a better life with more opportunities for Americans, but no other political change, or battle is more scandalous than Reconstruction. The start of reconstruction began in the mid-late 1860s and finished in 1877, but even today is still labeled one of the most debated issues in American history on whether post war reconstruction was a success or failure as well as a contest over the memory, meaning, and ending of the war. Reconstruction focused on three issues
The Civil War can be described as one of the bloodiest and gruesome war ever fought on American soil. The Civil War was fought between the Union and the Confederates. The Civil War lasted for 5 years and during that 5 year period many people ended up dying, 620,000 people to be exact and millions injured, but while the numbers can be appalling; it isn 't even the beginning. The war led a schism to happen in the U.S, the whole country was divided and devastated. Abraham Lincoln the president who helped lead the Union against the Confederates, knew that the only way to make the U.S functional and great again was to join both sides back together during this time period after the civil war, which would later come to be known as reconstruction.
The Civil War was a bloody time for the US, and we have been in shambles. We needed to regroup and rebuild. This era after the civil war changed into is called Reconstruction.
Civil War/ Reconstruction - Following the Civil War, the United States underwent a huge process of reconstruction to unifying and reconstructing the war-torn state. The nation still remained utterly divided between North and South in essentially all aspects of life including religion, race, and government. President Andrew Johnson,who succeeded President Abraham Lincoln enacted various policies in order to unite the country. These policies included friendly policies that pardoned Southerners while also restoring democracy. The reconstruction brought the necessary reparations for the United States needed to properly become a world power. The reconstruction shows its importance by properly moving the US from war and back into democratic
Reconstruction was a time of turmoil in the United States, and no area was more negatively impacted than the south. The decision made by the South to rejoin the Union after the Civil war was a decision met with criticism and rebellion. The Texans demonstrated the conflict and tension between the Union soldiers and Southern inhabitants, and for those reasons it was an accurate representation of life in 1865 Texas.
The Reconstruction of the United States was a success by having a unified nation by 1877. However it did not come easy. It started in 1863 when Lincoln was president. During his presidency, Abraham Lincoln wrote a plan to help get the country back to its feet. President Abraham Lincoln began to prepare the reconstruction of the North and South shortly after the war ended (Roark, pg. 458). Lincoln plan was to restore loss properties for everyone except for slaves (Roark, pg. 459). He also restores all political rights to most rebels willing to renounce secession and to accept emancipation (Roark, pg. 459). The main point for the reconstruction was based on forgiveness. His plan included a ten percent plan, which specified that a southern state could be readmitted into the Union once ten percent of its voters take an oath of allegiance to the union (Roark, pg. 459). With this the state could organize a brand new government. Not everyone in congress was for the president’s new plan. Despite some of the negativities Lincoln had to endure, he still went ahead with his plan and even expressed his support for the southern blacks. The South freed all their salves and they later became free workers (Roark, pg. 459). Many laws of land and labor became unclear. The Confiscation Act was created to take away the enemies properties (Roark, pg. 459). This act passed during the war. Soon after that a new labor code was created where landholders were required to sign contracts with many
In 1865 the sanguinary battle between the Northern Union states, and the Southern Confederate states had ended. The Civil War ended with a triumphed victory for the Union, and freedom was granted to African slaves. However, the struggle between North, and South shifted from the violent battlegrounds, to the political field. President Abraham Lincoln reconstructed governments in the southern states, and send s the federal army to occupy the South, and three amendments were made to protect the rights of the freed slaves. This period is called the Reconstruction Era. The Reconstruction Era brought back unification between the Southern, and Northern states, this unification brought a better economy for the united states. Not only did the Reconstruction bring a unity to the United States, it forced education in the South for everyone, which brought now educated African-Americans to run for political offices in the South. The Reconstruction Era was needed to bring the United States back to the American way.
Reconstruction is the era in the United States that follows the Civil War. During this time, the federal government set the conditions that would allow the rebellion Southern states back into the Union. The victory in the Civil War has granted four million slaves their freedom. After the Civil War, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments help protect the freedom of African Americans. They were granted the right to vote, obtain land from former owners, develop their own employment, use public facilities, and participate in political actions. Life changed dramatically for these free slaves. Most importantly, they no longer had to work under a slave master. The first amendment that allowed this to happen was the thirteenth amendment. It stated to abolish slavery in the United States and involuntary servitude. Following this was the fourteenth amendment. It gave citizens equal rights and equal protection of the laws. This amendment applied mostly to the freed slaves. The third amendment that protected freed slaves was the fifteenth amendment. It granted blacks the right to vote. However, life still stayed the same a little for them. Whites still were very harsh toward them and look down upon them even after blacks were given the same rights as whites.
When people think about Reconstruction what comes to their minds first is the rebuilding of the Union. For all intents and purposes, the years between 1865 and 1877 following the Civil War were about the reunification of the Northern and the Southern states and the government’s attempt to return everything back to normalcy. This time was about letting the southern states join the United States again. However the issue that was also happening at the time was the issue of emancipation. After the Civil War, black slaves were freed and made American citizens. However, as proven by history, the struggles of black people were only just beginning. During this period of Reconstruction, black people would face many obstacles and challenges as they integrated into American life. Indeed, the hate crimes and attempts by the government and the media to dehumanize black people was rampant during this time.
When President Lincoln requested that I come to the White House I was surprised. The Civil War had ended along with my service to the Union. As we talked I understood that the President was determined to bring the South back into the Union. He believed in the United States of American. His plans for Reconstruction included the rebuilding of the South which was heavily damaged because most of the battles were fought in the South. Freed slaves and white soldiers, were competing for the few jobs that were available. The mainstay of the economy was agriculture. Now there was no money for seed, labor, or taxes. President Lincoln proposed that I tour the Southern States. I would also evaluate what would it take to rebuild and repair the cities. My