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Post Civil War Growing Pains

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How would life be different if the South had won the civil war? The differences would be astounding. The North winning the Civil War was the beginning of many turning points for the United States of America. During the next 35 years, the period from Reconstruction through widespread industrialization in the Western United States, there were many major historical turning points that have made our lives what they are today. These turning points represented the difference between life and death for some and changed the quality of life for all people in the United States.
The end of the war and the passing of The Thirteenth Amendment marked the beginning of many major turning points in US history and especially so for the Southern states. The Thirteenth Amendment was passed on January 31, 1865, abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude, and granting Congress the power to enforce this new law. The Thirteenth Amendment brought about rebellion from many of the Southern states. In attempt to regain what they had lost, southern states passed legislation often referred to as “Black Codes”; these laws restricted the rights of blacks in attempt to limit the civil liberties afforded to newly freed slaves and ensure social inequality between whites and blacks. These laws stayed just enough under the line as to be legal while still keeping blacks in a position where they were unable to become self-sufficient thus forcing them into a state of voluntary servitude.
The Thirteenth Amendment drastically shifted the cultural mindset as well as the political and legislative policy of the entire United States and was the foundation of the changes we still benefit from today. Had we never taken the steps necessary to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude, I believe the practice would have expanded to include lower class people of all races. Culturally we would be completely

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