1876 Election Dbq Essay

Not long before 1876, slavery had been abolished and the black Americans slow rise to prestige positions in congress began. The south had been flooded with former slaves; now free men, who were presumed to be equal American citizen. Entering the year of 1876, Americans were gearing up for a presidential election that would majorly impact the socioeconomic role in the coming generations of black America. Rutherford Hayes, running as the republican electorate won the candidacy for President. Unfortunately, the positions on president came at the cost of an agreement that is now called the Compromise of 1877.

Freedom allowed blacks in the south to vote and federal troops we placed in southern states to insure that equality of minorities was enforced.

This financial crisis staged the issues impacting the 1876 election. In order to maintain power, the Republican Party chose a candidate who was popular among republicans even those who identify as radical. “Having been a war hero, supporter of radical reconstruction legislation and champion of Negro suffrage, Hayes was a seen a sure thing”(Rutherford). The Democratic Party nominee, Samuel Tilden won the popular vote of America, but was shy one needed to clinch the electoral. During this time frame Hayes had to win a “single vote from Oregon, four votes from Florida, seven from South Carolina, and eight from Louisiana to win the electoral system”(Wormser). Following the final votes received from these states, accusations of corruption emerged. This was due to the fact Hayes resulted as the winner of the electoral system. “In Oregon Hayes won, but the democratic governor confused things by sending one vote in Tilden’s favor. At the time there was no constitutional rule to dissolve this issue, causing gridlock for months” (Wormser). To break the gridlock congress created an electoral commission to have a discussion and vote who was to be president. The commission’s had made a decision in the final evening of President Grant’s term, Hayes emerged victorious. “To break deadlock and win the

Blacks fell subject to discrimination and harassment again. Voting deterrents were at new high, with violence keeping blacks at home and fearful to go near the polls. Jim Crow laws were welcomed to the south and it seemed when African American to a step forward in American history, they were placed two step back. Eventually blacks were extinguished from state legislature in every southern state and positive colored influence came to a