Essay On The Failure Of Reconstruction

Reconstruction, between 1865-1877, allowed for the South to take control and was ultimately a failure. Although Freedmen’s Bureau was helpful in providing care for the recently freed African Americans, but it ended up being a failure when it was vetoed by Andrew Johnson in 1866. The Freedmen’s Bureau was meant to provide the former slaves with the necessities of life. Andrew Johnson in disagreement with the radical republicans vetoed the bill destroying any chance for integration into society for the African Americans. The 13th amendment was a success because it allowed African Americans to be freed from the bonds of slavery, but it did not allow for healthy integration into to everyday society. The abolition caused new forms of problems to arise for the African Americans. The white Southerners found new ways to force African Americans into a different form of “slavery”. The 14th amendment allowed for all people born in the United States to be lawful citizens of the country. Although this amendment granted citizenship to African Americans they were not considered equal in everyday

The white southerners were forced to accept regimes/influences they did not want. For example the Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 forced former rebel States to “be divided into military districts and made subject to the military authority of the United States.” Although having surrendered to the union, the previous confederacy could find themselves under the watchful eye or congress. The ex-confederates now had to abide by the rules set by the appointed union generals. The white southerners now saw their defeat in the 17 black representatives that had been appointed. Carpetbaggers and scalawags were also a disturbance that the south faced. Northerners were coming to their societies in attempt to take advantage of their weakened economy and society for their own personal