The Rise And Fall Of Reconstruction

In “Reconstruction Revisited”, Eric Foner reexamines the political, social, and economic experiences of black and white Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War. With the help of many historian works, Foner gives equal representation to both sides of the Reconstruction argument.

The South killed reconstruction in multiple ways. The south ended reconstruction because of the non-violence racism, many terrorist groups, and igniting State issues. These factors led to the end of reconstruction because it held back the United states instead of moving forward after the 'lost cause' meaning the civil war. The South brought a end to helping rebuild them after the civil war.

In hindsight it is sometimes claimed that Reconstruction was a failure. Although there was some good that came out of the Reconstruction it was mostly just a relentless uphill battle against Southerners and immoral politicians that were here to delay change and keep racism alive. Reconstruction brought the Ku Klux Klan who displayed great resistance, and poverty that swept the South once the blacks were freed. The freedom of these black slaves led to discriminatory legislatures such as the Black Codes and the Jim Crow laws to keep the blacks constrained from actually being free. The South was then encountered with corruption and high property taxes, as a rebuild was in order to reestablish the war torn part of the nation.

The reconstruction era was a time that then affected America in positive facets and negative aspects as well, and still affects America today. Thanks to the reconstruction era, there are several implementations that geared the world on the path in which it is today. Had it not been for some of the laws that were set in place African Americans may have not had many of the opportunities that were presented during the reconstruction period, therefore the years of oppression and cruelty might still be present.

America: “The land of the free, and the home of the brave” (Key 7-8). When our forefathers overcame the colonial reign of the British Empire, they formed the United States of America based on the premise of enlightened ideals promoting life, ownership of land, and liberty. But after the revolution, the country’s problems were far from solved. The country’s post-revolution issues sparked a Civil War, which was followed by a reconstruction. In some ways, the Civil War and Reconstruction helped the United States accomplish its original goals, but in many ways, that was not the case.

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.

In Appomattox Court House, 1865, the Civil War concluded, ushering in the Reconstruction Era. Approximately one week after, John Wilkes Booth, a radical southerner, assassinated President Lincoln. The Reconstruction Era, which ended when Rutherford B Hayes ceased its enforcement to keep the peace, was a time for the country to consolidate and forgive the wrongs of the past. This Reconstruction period included many lasting effects on the governing of America. However, it shattered the welfare of southerners, Freedmen, and the general public. Additionally, discrimination ran rampant in the newly reunited country. Reconstruction was successful in the government, but not fiscally nor with public unity.

I agree with the proposition “Reconstruction was a missed opportunity”. The period of Reconstruction was one of the biggest failure in the American history as it had affected the south both physically and economically. The south had their own pride. However, after being defeated by the north their pride was hurt. They viewed north and African- American population as the evil group. The Republican party had succeeded in ending slavery in the United States, but there was still much work to be done as the nation was separated. Lincoln’s assassination was also the main reason to the North’s failure to restore the country. After Lincoln's assassination , Andrew Jackson became the president. Jackson was not nearly as pro-Union as Lincoln, and within a short time Southerners became more active role in government and there was minimal Northern involvement

There was a transformation period after the Civil War called the reconstruction during the years 1863 to 1877. The reconstruction was the rebuilding of the United States, mainly in the South. There were three major types of reconstruction, which were political, physical, and social. The political reconstruction allowed some African Americans to vote; however, they had to be literate in order to take the Oath test. Not many African Americans knew how to read and write, because they were slaves and never had the opportunity to be educated. There was the Physical reconstruction, which was the building of sea ports, farming, and railroads, railroads being a major part of the reconstruction. Social Reconstruction was the most important step during the reconstruction, because many families were reunited after being separated from each other at birth, or after years of living together. By being reunited with their families the former slaves had already won the ‘battle’.

As a country, America has gone though many political changes throughout its lifetime. Leaders have come and gone, and all of them have had their own objectives and plans for the future. As history has taken its course, though, almost all of these “revolutionary movements” have come to an end. One such movement was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a violent period that defined the defeated South’s status in the Union and the meaning of freedom for ex-slaves. Though, like many things in life, it did come to an end, and the resulting outcome has been labeled both a success and a failure.

The Reconstruction Era was a period in American history distinguished by the efforts of many to rebuild the South after the end of the Civil War. Following the end of the Civil War, the South was left in an abominable state. Railroad tracks were ruined, homes were destroyed and even previously large bustling cities such as Charleston, Richmond, and Fredericksburg were left devastated. Economically, the South continued to fall since Southern money was now useless. Because it was essential to repair the South and reunite the Nation, Lincoln started the Reconstruction (1865-1877). These efforts, however, were in vain since the Reconstruction was a failure. Black Codes, secret societies restricted the rights of Blacks and the South continued to

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 abolitionist movement in the 1820s became much more significant as economical demands grew. The cotton production was at an all time high years before the Civil War, as a result, in order to make more profit from it slavery spread, as labor was necessary. Significant figures such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Truman and William Lloyd garrison were among the participant in the movement that gained great amount of followers. They were also responsible for organizing Underground Railroad, in which provided escape for slaves.

     Ku Klux Klan started out as a secret club in 1866, just after the war,

and in reality it was a demonstration of the failure to make a dependable political