Why Were African Americans Free During Reconstruction

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Freedom is the right to act without restrictions from any sort of government, like the right to vote or the right to marry whoever you want. Reconstruction was the plan to create equality and unite the states together as one. The Reconstruction happened due to the Civil War and the effects that came along with it. It involved blacks because of their citizenship and other rights given from the amendments. Blacks were not truly free during Reconstruction, because they were required to carry special passes that the whites did not have to and were restricted from having weapons and to rent their own weapons. African Americans were free during Reconstruction, because of the new rights given to them. The first reason to why they were free is from Document A, which shows the 14th Amendment that states anyone born or living in the United States has the right to be a citizen and they cannot be deprived by anyone of life, liberty or property. This represents freedom because no …show more content…

The first reason to why they were free is from Document B, which states that there were Black Codes in the South that were limiting their freedom by limiting where they can go and by limiting their protection. This doesn’t support freedom, because it’s restricting them from doing what they want to do and are forcing them to do something else. Another reason is from the hurtful things that have been seen by Henry Adams. The second reason to why they are not free is from Document C, which state the hurtful and abusive things that the blacks still are going through even though they are free. The whites are still abusing their superior power against the blacks. They are telling them they are not free and are beating them with sticks and other painful methods. This shows that they are not free and still seen as the ones with less power. Black people are not free, because they are still being treated unfairly by the