Cause Of Reconstruction Essay

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After the Civil War, a period that spanded from 1863 to 1877, known as the Reconstruction period began. This time in history focused on transforming the South and changing African American lives. Although progress was made during this time, set backs from white supremacy groups like the KluKlux Klan also known as the KKK, people with pre-civil war or racist mindsets, and goverment coruption,the full effect of the Reconstruction would not be truely experienced or seen for about the next century. Northern civil rights activist and radical Republicans worked to secure rights for free blacks. Many towns, countys, and states made Black Codes black codes restricted the rights of free Africa Americans. The Black Codes of Opelousas, Louisiana for example practically took away all sense of being free, restricting blacks to be slaves, no free black were permited in town or …show more content…

The klan conisited of different types of men ranging from doctors and lawyers to farmers. Abram Colby, a former slave, was elected to the Georgia State legislature during the Reconstruction klansmen came to his home then wipped and beat him. Colby stated "two days before they whipped me they offered me $5,000 to go with them and said they would pay me $2,500 in cash if I would let another man go to the legislature in my place." This was a common occurance in the south officals would usually not do much to help the blacks that were harmed by organizations like these. Abion Tourgee was a white man who served as a judge during the Reconstruction and wrote a letter about a North Carolina Republican John W. Stephans who was brutally assulted and killed by white supremasists. the Ku Klux Klan Act authorized the president to arrest accused individuals without charge, and to send federal forces to suppress Klan violence. Ulysses S. Grant put the law to use in 1871 to minimize klan activity in the