Who Killed Reconstruction

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North or South: Who Killed Reconstruction? One may believe the Reconstruction was a period from 1865-1877 in which the United States government put into effect a program that would repair the damages in the South caused by the Civil War, return the eleven Confederate states to the Union, and grant rights to African Americans? Reconstruction in America came shortly after the end of the Civil war. It lasted twelve years, starting under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln and ending under Rutherford B. Hayes leadership, due to the Compromise of 1877. Over the twelve year period the program managed to achieve some good things, such as the thirteenth amendment that ended slavery, fourteenth amendment which gave African Americans citizenship and …show more content…

Abram Colby a former slave who was elected to the Georgia State Legislature during the Reconstruction. According to Abram Colby in document b, October 29, 1869 Klansmen broke his door, took him out of his bed, and whipped him for three hours. Later, they told him that they would never vote for a Radical ticket, and Abram Colby responded saying, “If the vote was tomorrow I would vote a Radical Ticket (Doc B Line 1-5).” Later, the Klansmen offered him $5,000 to with them and then $2,500 in cash if he would let another man go to the legislature in his place. Abram denies the Klansmen the right to vote in his place saying, “I would not do it if they would give me all the county was worth… (Doc B 7-12).” Klansmen trying to restrict a Freedmen of his civil right to vote for president by telling him not to vote for a Radical Republican or let one of them vote in his place is the most significant problem on how the south resistance for the death of Reconstruction because they did not want to allow African American the rights the newly ratified fifteenth amendment and a Radical Republican as president because he supports Freedmen rights and the punishment of former