In the 19th century, slavery and the Reconstruction was a sore subject for the South. Reconstruction forged civil rights for African-Americans, but once the North’s influenced waned in the South, the South terrorized African-Americans and blocked them from accessing their newfound rights. While Reconstruction may have brought civil rights, those rights were quickly squashed by the South’s racism. Even after certain freedoms were securely gained, every new attempt to make African-Americans equal to the white populace was contested. A large group of people were happy to see slavery ended and civil rights rise. However, the majority of white southerners, particularly after being disenfranchised by the Civil War, were bitter and angry. They had lost their ways of life, their lands, and slaves that they considered to be their property, therefore they took out their anger on the only people they could: their former slaves. In Leon F. …show more content…
Certainly there is a difference between the time when posters of lynched black men were published and graves of Klu Klux Klan members were treated with admiration (Document E) and when it was seen as commonplace that, “Whereas it is essential to just government we recognize the equality of all men before the law… whatever nativity, race, color, or persuasion” (Document C). In the same vein, it is hard to tell exactly what freedoms were actually offered to slaves after Reconstruction. Certainly, there were more legal freedoms and protections. However, those freedoms and protections usually weren’t respected in the south. Sometimes they were contested in courts, with people arguing that certain acts were government overreach (Document F) or complaining that, “Mere discriminations on account of race” (Document G) should still be acceptable. Racial minorities have always had to face discrimination, both societal and legal, and Reconstruction didn’t solve that issue
The south did this in a fight to hold power over the freemen and it was effect way to prevent the freemen to gain power or move up in society. This all was in the start with black codes and work laws. The south made laws that made mirrors of the freemen to work for free under white employment. The south also enforced these through the police or law enforcement. The fact was that all law enforcement was white and which led to bitterness from them towards the freemen population.
The end of the Civil War brought along social uneasiness within the Union. Prior to the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln declared the emancipation of slavery throughout the nation, excluding the border states, with their new found freedom came the need of new rights that the federal government must enforce. The federal government granted them citizenship, civil rights, and suffrage (Document G). The illustration found in the “Harper’s Weekly” showed how African American men were given the right to vote freely without the oppression of white supremacy, although this was the Union’s intended goal, this was not the reality of the South. There was an immense change to the lifestyle of the south.
Union victory in the Civil War in 1865 may have given slaves their freedom, but the process of rebuilding the nation during the Reconstruction presented a whole new set of challenges. The Era of Reconstruction was the time after the Civil War where the nation attempted to promote justice and healing among the people. During this time there was a push for advancement of equal rights with the promotion of the Emancipation Proclamation (1863) and the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves of the North, followed by the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery in the United States; the 14th Amendment that defined citizenship for black males and the 15th Amendment that went on to guaranteed
Reconstruction happened after the Civil War ended, during 1865-1877. Many things happened during the time of the Reconstruction and it definitely did not do as much for African Americans as everyone thought it would. But they were still free. African American were free because of the 13th Amendment ended, the institution of slavery in the United States.
Without the help of powerful government officials looking out for freedpeople unfair treatment continued. Another negative consequence of reconstruction was that after the north issued there land back they didn’t stay to insure the blacks were freed. Because, of this over sight many freedpeople stayed put and continued to be endure unfair
The Union victory in the Civil War prompted the abolition of slavery and African American’s were granted freedom, along with rights that should have been there from the start, however, white supremacy overpowered in the South, forcing African Americans back into a state of slavery. The Reconstruction era, the postwar rebuilding of the South, proved to be an attempt towards change in the lives of African Americans but the opportunities were only available for a limited time. African Americans had hopes of a new South after the Civil War was fought yet that was only accomplished to a certain extent. African Americans have always faced discrimination in society, for that same reason they weren’t accepted into Congress. The graph shown in Document
Even after the Reconstruction era, African Americans did not have equality because they were in as much physical danger as they were as slaves. They were unfairly treated and physically harmed. African Americans did not have the power or the means to stand up for them and to fight for their legal rights. Susie Taylor King, an African American who lived in 1902, spoke about how the white race was allowed to inflict torture on the black race. Although African Americans were no longer enslaved, they were still in great danger; they were being tortured, burned, and murdered.
Peter Schroeder Dr. Christopher Marshall Modern United States History 2/2/17 Writing Assignment 1: The African-American Experience with Reconstruction Reconstruction among the south refers to the point in time which the United States was attempting to establish a relationship between the union and the rebels. The Union had won the civil war, so the next step was to begin to mend the broken relationship between the north and the south. Though historians cannot agree on when it began, there is merit in saying that it started before the end of the Civil War. After victory, had been solidified for the Union, attention of President Lincoln turned towards reconstruction.
Impeachment of President Johnson and Failure of Reconstruction After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson became president on April 15, 1865. The end of Civil War had given freedom to many slaves. However, the progression of reforming the South during the Reconstruction period brought completely new challenges. On May 29, 1865, Johnson announced his plans for Reconstruction which was a huge disappointment for the Radical Republicans. When it came to Johnson, it was clear for Radical Republicans that he clearly favored for the former slaveholders rather than the former slaves.
Segregation, oppression, and injustice are only a sliver of what African Americans experienced during the Reconstruction Era. This was a period of time to “rebuild” the United States post Civil War and emancipation proclamation (Reconstruction PowerPoint 1/7/16), but it wasn’t a community building exercise. The “rebuilding” process was arduous and did not give African Americans freedom and equality that many so adamantly believed would be a reality following WWI (1920s, WWI, Segregation PowerPoint 2/7/16). Kevin Boyle’s description of race relations during the 1920s portrays how freedom was not a reality that through migration, violence, and segregation African Americans were not free. Even though, they were free from the the cotton fields
The effects of black discrimination have haunted the nation for centuries. Despite cover-all acts and amendments, there have always been ways around anti-discrimination laws. Even following Union victory, some southerners withheld slaves until troops were at their doorsteps. The Black Codes, laws that outlined the rights of African Americans, are perfect examples. These Codes, were lists of societal restrictions meant to keep whites on top.
At the time of the Constitution’s ratification, blacks in America, a population primarily comprising slaves, weren’t even considered people—rather, they were viewed as property. The Fugitive Slave Clause of Article IV of the Constitution, which stated that slaves who fled the state in which they were being held captive were to be returned to their owners. While this clause became moot after the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment, although not until nearly 80 years later, it is still important to note that the rights of black citizens continued to go unrecognized for decades. Instances such as the civil rights movement in the mid-20th century are further testaments to the Constitution’s ineffectual influence over obtaining the rights—the “political freedomâ€â€”touted by the Federalists and promised by the
The Reconstruction period lasted from 1865 to 1877. The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendment were created during the twelve years of rebuilding the country. All of the amendments were made to protect former slaves and their rights but on paper they did not have any rights. The reconstruction period had its successes and failures.
Racism’s Impact on Reconstruction While the issue of slavery evidently contributed to the divide that resulted in the American Civil War, it is debated whether prevailing ideals of racism caused the failure of the era following the war known as Reconstruction. With the abolishment of slavery, many of the southern states had to reassemble the social, economic, and political systems instilled in their societies. The Reconstruction Era was originally led by a radical republican government that pushed to raise taxes, establish coalition governments, and deprive former confederates of superiority they might have once held. However, during this time common views were obtained that the South could recover independently and that African Americans
Because of the abolishing of slavery, it created for a lot of discrimination and racism against people of color. In some southern and northern states did not agree with slaves begin freed especially Johnson. Because he did not agree it created for “moderates and radicals” to come together to pass black only laws. These black only laws returned some “freed slaves back to servitude”.