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During The Civil War: What Is Freedom Anyway?

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What is Freedom anyway? The definition of a freed individual, during the year 1863, differs entirely from how we would the define freedom for ourselves as an American citizen, in today’s society. A freed person in 1863 was no more than a former slave starting a new as a “welcomed” citizen. Consequently, the Reconstruction Era is known as the age of the African American and defining their liberties within America. The Reconstruction Era was catapulted by the Civil War, which was won on the back of “freedom for all.” In 1863, an ultimate turn occurred that would alter the outcome of the war and society as it had been previously known. The Emancipation Proclamation, was an executive order by Abraham Lincoln that granted freedom to slaves that resided within Union territory was issued. While this was an important piece of legislature the final destruction of slavery was the thirteenth amendment, which stated “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Therefore, African Americans were granted freedom and were promised a new life …show more content…

However, much of their effort was met by opposition from President Andrew Johnson whose appointment was the result of Lincoln’s assassination. The President had been a major advocate for the North and what it represented during the war though his ultimate, goal was to empower the South’s white middle class and end the reign of wealthy planters. Consequently, because of his blatant bias Congress had overridden the President’s veto on both the Civil Rights Bill and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which defined rights for all individuals born in the United States (extending to African Americans). Also, establishing the Freedmen’s Bureau which was an agency that provided aid to newly freed

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African Americans weren’t actually free during Reconstruction because they were initially not accorded the full rights of citizenship under the constitution, they were forced into submission by violence and intimidation, and were abridged the rights they had later gained by Black Codes. Despite the fact that African Americans were liberated from slavery, during the early years of Reconstruction, they were not equal citizens under the law. Even though blacks had fought loyally for the union, they were initially denied the right to vote (Doc a). The President of the United States, President Johnson, regarded black suffrage as something to radical that would “change the entire structure and character of the State governments,” (Doc b).

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President Lincoln had abolished slavery and declared the slaves freed. However, there were many lingering questions regarding the rights

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Reconstruction happened after the Civil War ended, during 1865-1877. Many things happened during the time of the Reconstruction and it definitely did not do as much for African Americans as everyone thought it would. But they were still free. African American were free because of the 13th Amendment ended, the institution of slavery in the United States.

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Reconstruction was when the federal government was setting the rules that would let the rebellious Southerners back into the union. The goal of Reconstruction was to restore the union so the South would not secede again. In order for Lincoln to do that, he 'd have to make a few new and changes to the laws so that the South would want to come back serenely. One of the biggest things he and Congress created was the 13th amendment which would completely abolish slavery and that was the beginning of restoration. But were African Americans really free?

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In 1861, the America civil war had just begun was it ended in 1865. The American civil war is the reason why slaves got their freedom. During the reconstruction era, Congress passed the 13,14,15th amendments that abolished slavery, the rights to citizenship, and the rights to vote for African

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Following the ending of the Civil War in 1865, America was in an era known as the Reconstruction. The Reconstruction lasted until 1877. Citizens were attempting to rebuild our nation following one of the deadliest war in American History. In this time, the Fourteenth Amendment and Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution were ratified. Although slaves were freed, African Americans still faced intense racial prejudice and discrimination.

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Initially they saw the event as a symbol of hope that their rights and their liberation where finally secure . They had served as Union soldiers who played an instrumental role in defeating the Confederacy, so naturally they believed that they had earned their freedom undeniably. Although slavery itself was abolished, living as a black person in the Jim Crow South was slavery by another name. African Americans were still bound to serving white men through labor contracts, marriage restrictions, anti-enticement laws, and many other discriminatory terms of the Black Codes that sprang up all throughout Southern states after passage of the war amendments. Many African

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While the war challenged prevailing attitudes towards race and equality, it's worth acknowledging that racial discrimination and inequality persisted even after the abolition of slavery. The war laid the groundwork for change, but the struggle for true equality continued. The period after the Civil War, known as the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877), aimed to integrate formerly enslaved individuals into society and secure political and civil rights for African Americans. During this time, significant progress was made in terms of African American political participation. The passage of the 15th Amendment in 1870 granted African American men the right to vote.

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The reconstruction was a period during US history, which took place after the Civil War when the South restructured into the Union from 1865 to 1877. The end of reconstruction was a justification that freed all African Americans from slavery. Although they had set this decision and law, African Americans still suffered from social, economic and political barriers, which caused major tension between blacks and whites. The civil rights act of 1875, racial discrimination was banned from public facilities, such as schools or public transportations. The fourteenth amendment protected people against violations of their civil rights b states, not by the actions of the individuals.

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The African Americans were “free” but were still being treated like slaves. They were given rights but had them taken away and were working for very little pay which was unfair compared to how whites were working for more. The blacks couldn’t even own a house or even rent unless they worked for a white man. They couldn’t even work unless it was for some white person or former owner. This is why reconstruction in the south after the civil war was a big

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These efforts often took shape in the form of legal reform. During the mid-nineteenth century three key amendments, known as The Reconstruction Amendments were made to attempt to legally acknowledge the rights of blacks in America. The first was the 13th amendment that was ratified on December 18, 1865 and is associated with the abolishment of slavery. However the 13th amendment states that slavery is not allowed “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted” (“Primary Documents in American History." 13th Amendment…).

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At the end of the Civil War between the North and South arose the Reconstruction era. This was a time period of the late 1800s where the united states, specifically the North started to attempt the rebuilding of the South. Abolitionists were eager to see the end of slavery and Lincoln attempted to end slavery. President Lincoln attempted to put in place the Emancipation Proclamation which stated all slaves in confederate states would be free. This was to weaken the southern states; except, the confederate states did not obey.

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The thirteenth amendment stated that all former slaves were granted freedom. The reconstruction period, “did create the essential constitutional foundation for further advances in the quest for equality”. It laid the building blocks for the future building for civil rights not just for blacks but women and other minorities. Former slaves, “ found comfort in their family and in the churches they established”. Blacks took community in each other and bonded over the mutual idea of freedom .

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Reconstruction era, which was followed by post-civil war, was meant to unite the states back together, reconstruct properties, and most importantly, abolish slavery in the South. Although the factors such as amendments legally freed former slaves, yet WRITE THESIS After the end of civil war in 1865, Reconstruction era, which was controlled by President Abraham Lincoln, appeared to quickly coalesce the Northern and Southern states. reconstruction amendments, which were approved between 1865 and 1870, played a huge role on giving legal rights to blacks and former slaves. 13th amendment constitutionally abolished slavery in 1865 and followed up by that, 14th and 15th amendment admitted equal citizenship, protection, and rights of suffrage despite the one’s race or skin color. Former slaves were no longer belongings of their owners.

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Freedom papers legally stated that a slave was no longer attached to the slave owner. Free slaves had the ability and almost the same rights as white men. Free slaves were counted as three-fourths of a person when it was time to vote. African Americans were always looking for a way to become free from slavery. African Americans became free by using the underground railroad to move North away from the South.

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