Civil War Summary And Analysis

Prior to the Civil War ( 1861-1865) the southern states of the United States were a very wealthy aristocracy that thrived off of the labor of slaves and their position in agriculture. Providing most of the known country’s food, cotton, livestock, and other raw natural agricultural resources, the south would become an enormous burden on the nation as a whole, if the economy could not be restored. Post Civil War, the southern half of the country was largely destroyed, as most of the battles were fought on farmer’s fields and acreage belonging to essential crops. Additionally, the south was in social and emotional turmoil after such a lengthy and violent war, which would eventually lead to resistance and further destruction. Newly emancipated

1863, Lincoln wrote out a bill in which ten percent of a damaged state’s voters would pledge allegiance to the United States and the state as a whole would accept emancipation. In return, Lincoln offered governmental representation for said state, and full rights (aside from an active state military). “Lincoln's plan aroused the sharp opposition of the radicals in Congress, who believed it would simply restore to power the old planter aristocracy.” (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition. Q1 2014, p1-3. 3p) Had not this plan been replaced by the harshly resistant republican party, that held most political power, his very lenient and forgiving plan may have alleviated many ill feelings of the south, but also allowed the potential for yet another uprising. Instead, Congress instituted the less than appreciated Wade Davis Bill of 1864. This bill strictly required majority allegiance from southern states, stripped ex-Confederate militants of all rank and militial power, demanded repayment of debts to the Union, and complete abolition of slavery for any position of authority in the U.S. government. In short, both plans were largely unsuccessful and ignored by the states to which they applied. Congress rejected Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan, and Lincoln pocket vetoed Congress’s

The KKK was responsible for countless lynchings and acts of terror on African Americans of the south. The chaos that followed may have supplied the Democratic Party with unjust appeal to voters simply through fear of distinguishment. With the 1877 election nearing, Congress instituted the Enforcement Acts in 1870 that lasted until 1871 when they were no longer viewed as a necessity. The Enforcement Acts (or KKK Acts, as they were commonly viewed) fought the terror of the Ku Klux Klan with the strength of the American military. Troops were injected into prominently attacked areas as a power of justice, order, and peace. While keeping domestic liberty and justice, the Ku Klux Klan was largely diminished and no longer accredited with political force as of