Reconstruction Dbq

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By 1864, over 400,000 slaves rebelled throughout the South (New York: Knopf, 1979). The Reconstruction era began after the end of the Civil War (1863) and lasted up until the Compromise of 1877. It took place in the United States, whose president at the time was, Andrew Johnson. The goal of the Reconstruction era was to rebuild the damage caused to Confederate states during the Civil War. The Reconstruction proved to be a success in America as it allowed Black people a closer step towards freedom by giving them education, prompting people to support African Americans, and adding amendments that protect people of color. Undoubtedly, the Reconstruction era took the first huge leap in providing African Americans with freedom and equality in the US. For instance, according to Document A, Freedmen’s Bureau provided education, legal assistance, medical care, jobs, and housing for African …show more content…

While it may be true that white supremacy grew during the Reconstruction era, that does not change the fact that African Americans gained freedom. Critics argue that the creation of Jim Crow laws shows how the Reconstruction era was a failure. They state that segregation increased the repulsion white supremacist had for African Americans. That is an understandable concern; however, the rise of racism motivated anti-racists to strive for equality for African Americans. An example of this is shown in Document H which states that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 came after the Jim Crow laws. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended legal segregation in the US which demonstrates how the minimum independence given to African Americans during the Reconstruction era pushed them to strive for more equality. Furthermore, it shows how much closer African Americans were to achieving equal rights in the US. Although the Reconstruction era worsened racism in the US, it affected activists' determination on a greater