Enforcement Acts Of 1871 Research Paper

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The Enforcement Acts of 1871 were three bills that were passed in 1870 and 1871. The goal of passing these acts would protect African American rights. These codes were passed under President Ulysses S. Grant whose goals as president were to protect the rights of former slaves and also expand the Republican Party power, these codes helped him accomplish this because it gave the Republican federal government power to intervene in states were these rights were not being protected so it would give the President more influence over the southern states and the clansmen. The goal of the acts was to improve the lives of the new freed African Americans by protecting their rights as an American citizen. During the time it was first passed, the lives …show more content…

Slavery was important for the economy in the South and Democrats weren’t ready for African Americans to have full participation in society. Southerns were still trying to hold onto their white supremacy as without slavery the southern economy would take a hit, as the labor force would be drastically decreased in size. Republicans wanted African Americans to have peace and feel safe so they would be able to participate in society without violence from white southerns so they would have kept Republicans as the dominant party by voting for them in the polls. The enforcement acts were a major part of the issue because it responded to the actions that southern states were taking to keep their white supremacy and delay the integration of African Americans into society. The enforcement acts were able to protect the rights of African Americans. Their purpose was to lay the groundwork for full integration of African Americans into society, because Republicans knew that they had to have control and allow the federal government to intervene in the southern states to make the integration possible. These acts would let Grant use his military to push clan members out and it would allow African Americans to feel safe to participate in society and most importantly for Republicans, in the