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What Are The Aftermath Of The Reconstruction Era

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Aftermath of the Reconstruction Era After the Civil War, many people (especially former slaves), thought that the Reconstruction would bring nothing but true equality and justice. Although the Reconstruction did open many doors, for every door it would open, three more would close. It seemed to have aided loopholes rather than the rights of the slaves. Once the war ended, the south was in a terrible state. The southerners’ crops and homes were destroyed. Those who didn’t starve to death were left with no clothing, land, or their slaves. Although the south just faced this vicious attack by the Union, they needed help from the north. Of course, Abraham Lincoln was willing to help the south as long as they abided by his rules. He then introduced …show more content…

This lead him to excuse enough Confederate officials to grasp the Congress’ attention; and not in a good way. Congress was outraged and demanded harsher punishments on the south. After President Johnson and Congress went head-to-head, they finally came to the agreement that the south would completely abolish slavery. This command was added to the previous ones in the Ten Percent Plan. If the south abolished slavery as well, they would then be readmitted into the Union. Soon after this decision was made, it was known that travelers nicknamed “carpetbaggers” and “scalawags” would be making their way into the south. Once these travelers arrived, they were not cheerfully welcomed, but accused of being traitors. Luckily, organizations such as the Freedmen’s Bureau, helped the travelers and former slaves. This organization was one of the many that provided the freed slaves with land and …show more content…

The Fifteenth Amendment granted black males the right to vote. Although it was a huge milestone, it was bitter sweet. Yes organizations such as the Freedmen’s Bureau provided some education to the blacks, but it wouldn’t be enough. Many freed slaves did not know how to read and write, let alone anything about politics. Many wouldn’t have known how to vote; and yes the right to vote was of course important, but it was still an empty gesture. Five years later, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 came along in an attempt to crush racial discrimination in public places. The hopes of finally having that equality were quickly pummeled,

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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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He included in his presentation that all white people from the South are able to restore and regain their properties only if they want to be a part of the United States. Lincoln also proposed a 10 percent plan that would help rebuild the state government in the South if the people would agree and vote to abolish the slavery and reconstruct their policies and laws. Although, the majority of radicals republicans demanded from the president Lincoln to treat the people in the South more harshly, they wanted to punish them for what they have done, they saw the reconstruction program a great opportunity to do so. One of the great examples how the republicans wanted to punish the South and made them realize their mistakes was the fact that they created the Wade-Davis Bill, which required a lot of things from the southern population. Not only they had to swear an oath but also claim that they wanted the state government and the laws to be changed right before the election.

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The Reconstruction Era of American history was plagued by many problems. One of the most important problems being the recently released from slavery Freedmen. Freedmen were in a tricky situation in which they had just been released from their owner and had nowhere to go, but the Federal Government made many successful attempts to help them out. The Government helped alleviate all the problems Freedmen had from their finances to basic needs and rights, and in doing so, made the period of reconstruction more helpful than harmful for Freedmen. The events of reconstruction were helpful to freedmen as they were not only freed from slavery, they were given rights directly from the federal government.

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James Meredith had an effect on African Americans in the south because of his courage and determination through the civil rights movement. “The fifteenth amendment to the Constitution granted African American men the right to vote by declaring that the "right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."” (Banfield). The fifteenth amendment was ignored for about 100 years from when is was stated. The March Against Fear made the amendment valid again; especially in the south.

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Abraham Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation, issued on the 1st of January 1863, was a presidential declaration that intended to abolish slavery. The counter argument may be stated that Lincoln’s proclamation was merely a war measure that only ended slavery in certain areas in order to ensure victory for the North. However, the emancipation proclamation marked the beginning of the end of the institution of slavery thus it was a success. Argument: Abraham Lincoln refers to his proclamation as "the central act of my administration, and the greatest event of the 19th century." (Source B2)

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Although slavery was declared over after the passing of the thirteenth amendment, African Americans were not being treated with the respect or equality they deserved. Socially, politically and economically, African American people were not being given equal opportunities as white people. They had certain laws directed at them, which held them back from being equal to their white peers. They also had certain requirements, making it difficult for many African Americans to participate in the opportunity to vote for government leaders. Although they were freed from slavery, there was still a long way to go for equality through America’s reconstruction plan.

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Sources Analysis Freedom During the Reconstruction era, the idea of freedom could have many different meanings. Everyday factors that we don't often think about today such as the color of our skin, where we were born, and whether or not we own land determined what limitations were placed on the ability to live our life to the fullest. To dig deeper into what freedom meant for different individuals during this time period, I analyzed three primary sources written by those who experienced this first hand. These included “Excerpts from The Black Codes of Mississippi” (1865), “Jourdan Anderson to his old master” (1865), and “Testimony on the Ku Klux Klan in Congressional Hearing” (1872).

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The devastation of the war and the collapse of the economy left an abundance of people unemployed, homeless, and hungry. In March 1865, Congress established the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, better known as the Freedmen’s Bureau. The Bureau was responsible for feeding and clothing war refugees in the South using surplus of army supplied. The Bureau issued nearly 30,000 rations a day for the next year. Additionally, the Bureau assisted formerly enslaved people find work on plantations.

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The Ending of Reconstruction It was the one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and people were expecting great things. Reconstruction was off to a great start and people were welcoming the freedmen into the North. Reconstruction was a period after the Civil War where the North was helping build the South back up to what it was before the war. Blacks were even becoming senators just five years after the Civil war. Unfortunately the great Reconstruction era was coming to an end.

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The reconstruction period was a failure because African Americans, mainly males, were not treated with equality although the constitution said that the they were free and had the right to vote, be educated and had the right to liberty, life and the pursuit to happiness. Organizations, like the KKK, were created to harm freed slaves and their families. Laws were created such as the Black Codes restricting former slaves from their rights. African Americans endured a lot of violence over the years. “In Grayson, Texas, a white man and two friends murdered three former slaves because the wanted to ‘ thin the niggers out and drive them to their hole’”.

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24 November 2015 The Real Death of Reconstruction There is no easy way to decide who can be held accountable for the end of the Reconstruction Era. Attempts to rebuild the South ceased to exist in 1877, just over ten years after the Confederacy surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant in Appomattox Court House, Virginia. It seemed as though everything was on the right track in 1876, the one hundred year anniversary of The United States. That was, however, until the South waged conflict against black and white citizens of The United States.

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The American civil war led to the reunion of the South and the North. But, its consequences led the Republicans to take the lead of reconstructing what the war had destroyed especially in the South because it contained larger numbers of newly freed slaves. Just after the civil war, America entered into what was called as the reconstruction era. Reconstruction refers to when “the federal government established the terms on which rebellious Southern states would be integrated back into the Union” (Watts 246). As a further matter, it also meant “the process of helping the 4 million freed slaves after the civil war [to] make the transition to freedom” (DeFord and Schwarz 96).

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This granted Africans the right to vote. Unfortunately, poll taxes and literacy tests were later applied to minimize the votes from African Americans. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that they can’t “employ any literacy test as a qualification for voting in any Federal election unless (i) such test is administered to each individual and is conducted wholly in writing, and (ii) a certified copy of the test” is given (1964 Civil Rights Act, Title I, Section 101). This shows how it had to be the same and equal to every individual taking the literacy test. This didn’t outlaw literacy tests, but it made a restriction on having them all equal to

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Although many attempts were made to prioritize freedom and equality for all, these values were undermined by racist Southerners who wouldn’t accept equality. In the end, Reconstruction had failed and former slaves endured another hardship akin to slavery. However, Reconstruction still could have prospered. There are multiple events that, if they had occurred, Reconstruction would not have failed. For example, had the government continued to fund the Freedmen’s Bureau, then the South would have legislated their discriminatory laws much later, if not at all.

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Leaders emerged. Battles were fought. People were defeated. Just when they have lost all means of hope, miracles happened. Hope was gained back, armies stormed forward and the day was won.

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