Reconstruction Essay

Submitted By Tiffanyelianne
Words: 827
Pages: 4
Open Document
Tiffany Aguilera
Mr.Kenyon
APUSH period 7
Due: 1/28/2013

The Reconstruction Era
During the reconstruction era, white and freed men changed their belief of freedom. Their different yet similar meaning of freedom affected their social, political and economic views. After the civil war, the north and the south continued to have resentments against each other, while each the freed men were being biased by both regions. During this era, the political participation was the “core element of freedom”. The economics views made former slaves and their children educated
Most white southern could not accept the idea of formers slaves voting, holding office, and enjoying equality before the law and they formed a campaign of violence against reconstruction. In the era, years of reconstruction, violence was local and unorganized; secret societies sprang up with the aim of preventing blacks from voting and destroying the origination of the Republican Party. The Ku Klux Klan is an example was a secret society, who committed the most brutal criminal acts, known to a republican leader as "reign of terror". The victims included white republicans, wartime unionists, local office holders, teachers, party organizers, and African Americans. The bloodiest act of violence during reconstruction took place in Colas, Louisiana, where armed whites assaulted the town with small cannon where hundreds of former slaves were murdered, including fifty members of a black militia unit after they surrendered. Congress adopted three enforcement acts, which outlawed terrorist societies and allowing the president to use the army against them. These laws continued the expansion of national authority during reconstruction.
The north increasingly felt that the south should be able to solve it owns problems without constant interference from Washington. Liberals claimed corruption politicians had come to power in the north by manipulating the votes of immigrants and working men. A new issue on which the liberal reformers and the reformers and the democrats could agree— a new policy toward the south
In the reconstruction era, the lives of Americans were affected by the different kind of meanings of freedom. Political participation became very important for Americans. Throughout this era, former slaves believed the key to complete freedom were the right to vote. Amendments were passed to allow black suffrage like the 15th amendment, which allowed slaves to vote without white men denying their right to vote. This right opened new opportunities for freed men like right the right to hold office such as Hiram Pevels and Pinckney B. Pinchbeck. Freed men saw the reconstruction as field of opportunities to demand rights and claim their emancipation.
During the reconstruction, economic changes had to be made, which affected the southern owners and freed slaves. One provision of the law establishing the bureau gave it authority to divide abandoned and confiscated land into forty acre plots for rental and eventual sale to former slaves. However President Andrew Johnson pardoned the south, and ordered nearly all land in federal hands to go back to its former owners. As a result of Johnson’s decision, a committee of former slaves drew up petitions. Because no land distribution had taken place, the majorities of former slaves remains poor and were forced to work on white plantations. The task system, under which workers are assigned daily tasks,
Show More

Related Documents: Reconstruction Essay

Failure Of Reconstruction Essay

called terrorist group called the Ku Klux Klan who tortured African Americans. Both sides of the country evenly contributed to the failed reconstruction efforts. Who killed the reconstruction the North or the South ? I truly believe the Southern resistance ultimately killed the Reconstruction efforts. In my belief the south damaged and killed the reconstruction efforts due to evidence from Documents "A" & "B". As stated by Abram Colby " On the 29th of October 1869, the klansmen broke my door open…

Words 588 - Pages 3

Reconstruction Era Essay

Jake Wild Period 7 DBQ essay Try to imagine if people were playing tug-of-war with you and then the rope finally snaps and only one side is left happy. This is how the African Americans felt during the Reconstruction Era. Reconstruction went on for a long time then failed and only the Democrats were happy with the result. After the Civil War, African Americans had nowhere to go and were surrounded in a world of controversy. Many plans were made to help dig them out of their current hole but it all…

Words 991 - Pages 4

Essay on The Legacy of Reconstruction

Derek Tumblin U.S. History II 1/28/15 The Legacy of Reconstruction Throughout the end of the nineteenth century and continuing through the twentieth century, African­Americans were separate but not equal and not quite free. Although slavery was abolished, former slaves relied upon the actions of others and could not maintain their liberty by him or herself. Furthermore, the government did no favors for the recently freed slaves.“He was free from the individual master, but the slave of society…

Words 614 - Pages 3

Essay on Southern Reconstruction

Infrastructures such as bridges, railroads, mills, and major cities were destroyed. The southern Democrats had no representation in Congress and were ruled by Radical Republicans bent on revenge. Reconstruction was needed to rebuild the hurt society and ruined land damaged by war. The Reconstruction Plan had good intentions. The African-Americans received rights and were freed through the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. In the Fourteenth Amendment the states were denied the right to deprive…

Words 699 - Pages 3

Achievement Of Reconstruction Essay

Reconstruction was a period in American history that began with the Northern victory in Civil War and had goals to restore devastated South, reunion the nation, and determine new place and role of freed African Americans in the society. The significant results of reconstruction were Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteen Amendment passed in 1865. These documents legally abolished slavery and brought the freedom to more than four million black people. Nevertheless, Southern states were…

Words 544 - Pages 3

Reconstruction Phase Essay

time known as the Reconstruction Phase. The Reconstruction lasted for over fourteen years--from January 1, 1863 to March 31, 1877--and successfully unified the nation of the United States. The Reconstruction’s main purpose is to rebuild the South because much of the South was destroyed after the Civil War. During this era, many laws are introduced that gained the African Americans rights and freedom. It was America’s first taste of multi-racial democracy. Although the Reconstruction sometimes bounces…

Words 665 - Pages 3

Reconstruction Argumentative Essay

Many would think that right after the civil war the blacks would be free. The truth is that couldn’t be anymore wrong. Blacks were still denied of some of their rights. They weren't enslaved but they might as well of been. In The Reconstruction Era the black’s had no respect. For example, one black wanted a hotel room but was denied just because of his race. Also the blacks would beaten senseless in public. They were never even aloud to do something fun like theater. To stop…

Words 771 - Pages 4

Reconstruction Dbq Essay

The Civil War and the period of Reconstruction brought great social, political, and economic changes to American society. The Reconstruction time period lasted from 1865 to 1877 and it greatly affected both, the North and South. The changes that took place during Reconstruction mainly affected African Americans; this was the era of the emancipation of slaves. The effects of these changes continued into the 20th century. Although the main point behind Reconstruction was uniting the nation, not everybody…

Words 582 - Pages 3

Essay On Reconstruction Era

After the Civil War there was a span of twelve years where citizens were making efforts to restructure the political, legal, and economic systems in the states that had been the confederacy. This era is more commonly known today as the reconstruction period. During this period many changes were being made so these states could be accepted back into the United States. One of the main changes in this period was that African Americans were given their freedoms and rights. With that freedom came terrible…

Words 978 - Pages 4

Essay on reconstruction of america

4a John Smith, despite his experiences in the New World, seems to hope to encourage settlement of America through his writings. John Smith was an advocate for an increase in expeditions to America, and he wanted to lead such an expedition later on in his life. Smith seems to be a genuine explorer with the ambition to back himself up. He sees America as an untapped and untainted landscape, and hopes that those in England see it as such too. Whether all his accounts of his experience with the Native…

Words 325 - Pages 2