The Reconstruction is the period of rebuilding following the Civil War. After a four-year bloody war, one would think that the Reconstruction Period would bring about peace, however it stirred up more tension. The people amongst the tension were the Radical Republicans and Andrew Johnson. Both parties had different views regarding Reconstruction policies and was unable to come to an agreement. What were these policies and what affect did it have on the Reconstruction Period? First, let us discuss the goal and purpose of the Reconstruction Period. After the Civil War, many Americans felt a great deal of pain and had several questions that were un-answered. The Reconstruction Period was the time spent to address the issues brought on by …show more content…
The Civil War ended slavery and three Constitutional Amendments altered African American rights. The 13th Amendment abolished/discontinued slavery in all territories and states. The 14th Amendment gave equal protection to all males regardless of race and prohibited states from depriving them of this right. The 15th Amendment allowed for African Americans males to vote. With these amendments being ratified, it became a requirement for southern states to be readmitted into the Union. The ratification of these amendments proved to be a big step toward racial equality, however the enforcement proved to be extremely …show more content…
Johnson allegedly violated one of these laws, the Tenure of Office Act, by dismissing the Secretary of War. Congress felt the need to impeach him. Radical leaders felt President Johnson himself was an obstacle in their plans and felt that impeachment was the only option. The House of Representative voted eleven articles of impeachment against Johnson. In 1868 he was tried by the Senate in the spring and was acquitted of all charges by one vote. Seven Republicans Senators found Johnson not guilty, and he could serve out his term. It would be over a hundred years later before another President, Bill Clinton, would be
In February, 1868 President Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives, the Senate tried the case in a trial, which lasted from March to May 1868. During the Civil War the far-reaching Republicans wanted to give the African-Americans more freedom and rights that the conservative Republicans, both were on the side of the North. He was impeached for violating the “Tenure of Office Act”, which had been passed over Johnsons veto. It prohibited the president from dismissing certain federal official without the Senate approval, and for denouncing Congress as unfit to legislate. In 1867, President Johnson made an effort to test the constitutionality of the act by swapping Stanton with General Ulysses S. Grant.
The 13th amendment outlawed slavery in the United States, while the 14th amendment granted citizenship to anyone born in the United States. The 15th amendment gave all races the right to vote if they are a citizen of the United States. Each amendment are interconnected successes, shaping the Reconstruction period. Each amendment has deeply influenced our society, as well as our attitudes and beliefs. They are an image of positivity and change for the well-being of our nation.
Andrew Johnson Jense Mercado Andrew Johnson was born in december 29,1808 in Raleigh,NC.He later then died in July 31, 1875 in Elizabethton TN.His political party was democratic, his presidential term was from April 15, 1864 to March 4 ,1868.Bill Clinton was the only other president to get impeached, he was impeached by the House Of Representative but acquitted by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached. Bill Clinton was impeached on two charges perjury and obstruction of justice. Clinton lied under oath about his affair with Monica Lewinsky but that was not the ground of the impeachment. Impeachment is a formal process in wich an official are accused of unlawful activity,the outcome of which depending on the country.
Andrew Johnson’s Impeachment and Acquittal Andrew Johnson was elected as vice president mainly because he ran on the ticket with Abraham Lincoln. The goal was to show unity among the two opposing parties, Lincoln being of the Republican party and Johnson being of the Democratic party. America had just come through the bloodiest war ever to have been fought on American soil. There was still great division in the hearts of the American people.
Reconstruction 1865-1877”, hoping to find something that interested me and something I can really go in detail about. I then started writing down certain goals of Reconstruction. After reading this section multiple times, I finally decided to branch out to other books I found in the library such as Forever Free: The Story of Emancipation and Reconstruction also by Eric Foner and The Reconstruction Era by Donna L.
The changes in this era range from having a different president to making the United States a nation rather than just a country. This essay will explain what the reconstruction era was, what the effects were of the reconstruction, and why the reconstruction in 1877 came to an end. The process of rebuilding the south became known as the reconstruction period. Union victory
Before the impeachment, there had been tension between President Andrew Johnson and republicans in Congress over the implementation of the Reconstruction Act. In 1868, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson for his “high crimes and misdemeanors”. Explicitly, the House claimed that President Johnson had violated the Tenure of Office Act by replacing the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton with Ulysses Grant. In the Senate trial, Johnson escaped conviction by just one vote. Tulis argues that Congress had difficulty finding a strictly legal violation, although Johnson’s misconduct has violated his presidential duty multiple times by abusing his power and ignoring the legislature.
The Reconstruction Era was a developmental time in the advancement of the American Nation. While the founding fathers original institution for the country was ahead in its time, it was flawed and began to show in the Reconstruction period. Before the Civil War had began a group of Radical Republicans formed another political party who were intent on fighting for the political, social and basic human rights of African Americans. They stood against the socially controversially gains of the capitalist society that was devoted to glorifying those based on the whiteness of their skin. After the Civil War ended the United States had to reintegrate a formally slave population back into the country which proved to be excessively difficult.
The political climate was volatile, and there were fears of violence and unrest if Johnson was either acquitted or convicted. Ross and the other Senators involved in the trial had to be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others. Finally, Ross may have also faced fear of the unknown. The impeachment of a President was a relatively new and untested process, and there was uncertainty about how the trial would unfold and what the consequences would be.
However, on May 16th the last vote was cast by Senator Edmund Ross. Up until that evening, he had always believed Johnson was guilty, but his final vote surprised everyone when he stated “Not Guilty”. The Republicans in the Senate were very angered by this and adjourned until May 26th. In the end, after many failed attempt, Johnson was not convicted.
The reconstruction era is the years that came after the civil war ended. It was made to help build the nation after the terrible tragedy. Southerners thought that the northerners just wanted to help themselves and get revenge on them but the northerners said they just wanted to make the southern society like it was before. To African Americans and other races they didn't think the reconstruction was for what the others thought, they thought it was a way to help them get civil rights and power in the economy for all the slaves. They did not get what they wanted because most black people still had the same amount of power that they had before.
Reconstruction lasted from 1865 to 1877. One of the goals of Reconstruction was to determine what was to be done with the four million freed slaves. Reconstruction succeeded in forming a republican government, new social legislation, and schools for African Americans. Although there was harsh, unconstitutional, and simply immoral treatment of African Americans, Reconstruction sent them on almost a century long path to equality. Before the Radical Republicans took over the government, Democrat, Andrew Johnson was President.
The American civil war led to the reunion of the South and the North. But, its consequences led the Republicans to take the lead of reconstructing what the war had destroyed especially in the South because it contained larger numbers of newly freed slaves. Just after the civil war, America entered into what was called as the reconstruction era. Reconstruction refers to when “the federal government established the terms on which rebellious Southern states would be integrated back into the Union” (Watts 246). As a further matter, it also meant “the process of helping the 4 million freed slaves after the civil war [to] make the transition to freedom” (DeFord and Schwarz 96).
Reconstruction is the time period after the Civil War, where the country attempted to improve the Union. There were many successes, but what also comes along with success is failure. During the reconstruction many failures were present; such as the lack of racial equality and blatant racism towards blacks, a failing economy in the South, and tense relations between the North and the South. This created a very intense and challenging period of time for the Union.
Reconstruction a Failure or Success? Throughout the years, America has gone through many different political changes. Many presidents selected with different plans for our future. Sadly, many of those objectives have failed or came to an end.