What Changes Occurred During Reconstruction Dbq

Southern americans showed extreme contempt for African Americans even after the end of the civil war. They believed that blacks were uncivilized and unworthy of american citizenship and voting rights. This distain for blacks became a learned behavior and continued into the 20th century. Beginning as early as 1865 a group of called the Ku Klux Klan sought out african americans and killed and tortured them in horrible ways. By 1870, the Ku Klux Klan had branches in nearly every southern state, the groups main object being an underground campaign of violence against Republican leaders and voters in an effort to change the laws of Radical Reconstruction and restore white supremacy in the South.(J.M. Bryant "Ku Klux Klan in the Reconstruction Era.") The KKK’s tactics of political terrorism were effective and set fear in the hearts of many. Black churches and schools were burned, citizens attacked, and people who refused proper submission were beaten and killed. This was a terrible time in American history and truly shows southern whites contempt for emancipation of their slaves, and the extremes circumstances whites would go to express that animosity.

Their lives were not protected or valued as highly and this mindset resulted in the lynching and burning at the stake of countless blacks. (Document 8) Mobs of whites would violently attack African Americans with little reasoning other than their inherent racism. These attitudes led to the second resurrection of the Ku Klux Klan that had formed during reconstruction. The Declaration of the KKK includes their duty “ to maintain forever the God-given supremacy of the white race”. (Document 6) This belief led to the Klan’s and mobs senseless killings of unknowing African

First of all, white Democrats crept back up the political ladder after the end of Reconstruction and resumed political power in the South, which was known as redeamer government, taking away the powers gained by Blacks during Reconstruction. They ruled through intimidation, continuing to suppress blacks from using full-extent of their rights granted by the 14th Amendment, which gave Blacks citizenship and due process rights. In addition, when the 15th Amendment was passed, giving Black males the right to vote, the white Democrats, by ruling the political system, prevented blacks from casting ballots by adding voter registration laws, literacy exams, and poll taxes. On the other hand, the “Invisible Empire of the South”, otherwise known as the Ku Klux Klan, was formed by disgruntled white Southerners who were angered by the success of black legislators.

Importantly, the whites were against the passing of the 15th Amendment, because it gave every man the right to vote regardless of race or colour. They believed that giving inferior Blacks the right to gain a good education and the right to vote was an outright insult to white supremacy. This led to the formation of a secret white terrorist group known as the Ku Klux Klan. This group tried everything including extreme and inhumane violence, to prevent Blacks from voting and from enjoying the benefits of being a free people. Its members were determined to preserve and secure the supremacy of the white race; for this reason, they lynched, assaulted, frightened, killed, and antagonized Blacks (Smith 123).

After the Civil War and the period of Reconstruction there were many political, social and economic changes which continued to affect the society. The role of African Americans in society changed after the abolishment of slavery. This new freedom and opportunities were not much greater than before when slavery existed. Despite reconstruction efforts, African Americans faced discrimination. Society as a whole was altered extensively at this time.

The Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868. This ratification altered the balance of state and federal power. It prevented states from denying basic civil rights and gave Congress power to implement its assurance of liberty and equality. Despite that each state was required to approve the Fourteenth Amendment which granted “equal protection” of the Constitution to former slaves, the Ku Klux Klan did not honor this protection. Not only didn’t the Klan disregard the Fourteenth Amendment, the Supreme Court also became unsympathetic to the rights of blacks and wary of congressional interference in state affairs. The Supreme Court severely limited Congress’ civil rights power by tapering interpreting the Fourteenth Amendment, which led to many civil rights being watered down.

Following what was arguably the most turbulent time in American history; Reconstruction had far-reaching effects on a number of areas of life in the United States. In the Deep South, one of the clearest impacts could be seen on racial relations, specifically between whites and newly-freed African Americans. Legally, dramatic changes had been made at the federal level, providing African Americans with a host of rights that had never been offered them before. It was no wonder, then, that former slave owners in the South rejected these changes and rights, taking whatever steps necessary to keep African Americans down. The dramatic changes that took place in terms of race relations between African Americans and whites following Reconstruction

Even though African Americans just got their political rights many things were still restricting them form using their new rights. The white extremist group Klu Klux Klan was one of the restrictions due to the groups ideals that oppresses blacks.

Initially, African Americans were brought into America as slaves. As the Civil War between the north and south broke out, it ended with the creation of amendments that, for the most part, abolished slavery. The passing of those amendments was the start of change of in american as both the North and South progressed differently during the reconstruction era. Considering that slaves were freed, did not mean that society treated them as freed. The south, especially, continued to create laws, such as Jim Crow or Black Codes, which deprived African Americans of their freedom. African Americans were the race most affected by the laws. Soon problems arose against the negro community, to the point where the civil rights movement was profound in the

African Americans were kept out of the loop of American society. The constant struggles for whatever advantages they could gain. African Americans were the main source of labor; back then black children are forced to work rather than go to school and be educated reading was even forbidden. African Americans have for the most part lost whatever Socially, politically, economically situation they had as a result of Reconstruction very brutally and systematically. African Americans did not attempt to assert themselves in any way, whether it was voting, whether it was trying to buy land, the white South resorted to terrorism. And that terrorism which was a legacy that never stopped from the time of the Civil War all the way up through this

The United States civil war was a turning point in our history. During the Reconstruction Era many changes were created. These changes were disappointing to the former slaves which at that time were a large part of the US population. Their liberation was one of the main reasons of the civil war. The reconstruction allowed them to have the basic rights and liberties however the position of African Americans did not change. The foundations were set for our nation to improve but the civil war and the reconstruction led to the further controversies between different social groups in the US society.

After the Civil War the country had to reconfigure and somehow integrate the southern states back into the union. African American got their freedom and set out to make lives for themselves and find a new identity. In During the reconstruction period many African Americans found themselves facilitating the reconstruction through political participation with Hiram Revels being the first African American to serve in Congress. Many others served as delegates to the constitutional organization. The Reconstruction Period it seem included everyone, but African American people and it do not seem to produce the things promised to them. While things did show signs of improvement for African Americans in many ways, it all just fell very short of the mark. There were some improvements that did not last most of them were in the political. During the Reconstruction, African Americans were elected to political offices in some of the Southern states. There were even some African Americans who were able to serve high government offices. Some of the more permanent changes were for one their freedom and with the fifteenth amendment African American men were able to vote now. During the Reconstruction Period African Americans set out on a bold path to stake their claim on this world and establish

The terrorist group: Ku Klux Klan; allied with the Democratic Party, shared the interest of having strong state rights, and opposition to the Republican Party. The Klan targeted African American leaders with the goal to suppress the black vote. The testimony before the Congressional committee case of the Ku Klux Klan’s actions against Elias Hill; an African American preacher and Republican, is a good example of the Klan targeting an African American who was educated and wielded status. After a forceful interrogation against Hill’s family members, he was removed from his house and beaten viciously by a group of Klan members. After being beaten, the Klan threatened to kill Hill if he did not renounce his support for the Republican Party in the newspaper and stop preaching (Hill Testimony

African Americans faced another 100 years of racism. For example, one of their main contributions to their discrimination was a group called the Ku Klux Klan (K.K.K). The K.K.K was a group that associated themselves as superior because they believed Caucasians were the master race. The K.K.K asserted the fact that they believed they were the superior by abusing African Americans and trying to frighten them with violence.” They came at me with pistols, and asked if I was ready to die.” (Hill). The Ku Klux Klan wanted to send a message to the black community, by them doing this; they would take away the voices of other African Americans and keep them inferior.

The discrimination and oppression of African American people first began during the seventeenth and eighteenth century when they were imprisoned and enslaved by proletariat pilgrims. The enslavement of African Americans then continued to transverse across America and eventually the majority of the world. The subjugation and slavery continued until the bloody Civil war between the Union (North America) and the Confederacy (South America). The Union won the war and in 1865, as a result of the war, the thirteenth amendment was created and slavery in the US was abolished. However, the oppression of African Americans continued on for many years. Various white members of the community disliked and were apathetic towards the African Americans and in 1866, The Ku Klux Klan was formed. The clan were groups of people from the community who would wanted to establish white supremacy over African Americans, and they did this through burning crosses on their doorsteps, marches and lynching. The discrimination could also be seen through local businesses such as restaurants and accommodation, where there would often be signage prohibiting African Americans from entering. The discrimination continued further with many African Americans not having the right to vote. The people who attempted to vote were often beaten and injured. l /89 HHHHHHHHMNDS