Analyze The Causes Of Reconstruction Dbq

Reconstruction was the second Civil War, which was fought in the halls of the government. The Federal government, led by Republicans, wanted to define unity for the nation and freedom for the former slaves. The South had accepted that they lost the war and that slavery ended. The Freedmen's Bureau offended the potential for new job training for the freedmen and poor whites. This sustained the first public school in the South. The Civil War had left many Black Southerners landless and with limited money to support themselves. White Southerners looked to have authority over the freedmen, and created state laws. These codes were the Black Codes which denied full rights to freedmen. Although Reconstruction provided civil rights to African Americans …show more content…
Plessy v. Ferguson affected later efforts to achieve equality for African Americans because it said segregation was legal. As long as blacks and whites were equal, but they were not. The 14th Amendment states “ All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States” Which means a State law cannot overrule Federal Laws that limit citizens natural born rights. (Doc 3.) The KKK included South Politicians and law enforcers. The cartoon The End of Reconstruction (1877) applied the story in the Bible of Samson and Delilah to the South under Reconstruction. The Southern Democrats (Delilah) cut off Samson's hair, the vote, and with it the black man’s strength. Samson’s strength was his hair, which represented suffrage and Delilah which represented the Southern Democrats cut of his hair. There is a mob law in the cartoon which represented the KKK and the Democrats. They wanted to denounce the Loyalty League and the Lost Cause was regained. (Doc 8.) Reconstruction was worse than Slavery in both the North and South. Plessy v. Ferguson was during 1896 and Plessy was the plaintiff who was one eighth African American, and Ferguson was the lawyer (the defendant). Homer Plessy went to jail because he is one eighth African American and sat in a white railroad car for whites only. Louisiana law meant that Plessy was considered African American and is required to sit in a colored railroad car. He lost his case and then his appeal made it to the Supreme Court. The Louisiana Law, which required blacks and whites to be separated did not transgress the 13th and 14th Amendment if their facilities were considered equal. Plessy v. Ferguson was important as it gave importance to

Show More

Related Documents: Analyze The Causes Of Reconstruction Dbq

United States and Essential Questions Essay