The African Americans after the Civil War simply desired freedom and equality. However, the definition of freedom varied between people and they began to question freedom spread throughout society. To the African Americans, freedom was when people, regardless of race, were not bound to another man but had the ability to work for themselves while receiving the benefits of their labor. They should be entitled to owning land and using it for their own purposes. Being free from the punishments that came with being a slave played a major role in shaping their definition. The person must have the opportunity for education without restriction along with the ability to establish churches and schools. The right to vote was also an important part of …show more content…
Their efforts with reorganizing the South’s government were meant to support free blacks. One group known as the Freedmen’s Bureau “was established by Congress in March 1865 in order to provide food, clothing, and other resources to former slaves”(4). Although the bureau lasted only for a few years, their progress with promoting peace improved the lives of blacks. Healthcare, education systems, and were implemented, and the blacks viewed as these as a stepping stone towards freedom. In a similar fashion as the Freedmen’s Bureau, Thaddeus Stevens attempted to distribute Confederate’s land to slaves. Although his plan was not approved, Stevens continued advocating for African American equality. Other Radical republicans in Congress successfully moved to legally provide black men with citizenship and the right to vote. Working against the Radical Republicans were the Southern democrats. The southern governments passed the Black Codes, which greatly restricted the independence of blacks. The rights to vote and to work for oneself were illegal. In addition, a terrorist group known as the Ku Klux Klan targeted and killed any pro-black movements or people, whether white or black. The great divide present before Civil War was present during the Reconstruction …show more content…
Despite supporting emancipation during Lincoln’s presidency, Johnson was a difficult person to work with and actually held racist views. To begin, Johnson was “unable and unwilling to compromise,” which lead to the tension between him and the Radical Republicans in Congress along with his close impeachment (5). His cold demeanor provided a stark contrast to Lincoln’s political and social actions. Adding to the difficulties was his support and leniency for prior Confederates. He also provided government positions for those who were convicted of treason against the United States. As a result, many of the policies of southern governments followed those of the pre-Civil War, such as the black codes. The South, after Johnson’s policies, created a difficult environment for the blacks that mimicked a life before emancipation. Even after the Radical Republicans openly disagreed with Johnson’s plan and proposed popular new legislature, Johnson vetoed them. By not compromising with others and disproving equality acts, Johnson was nearly impeached and was not able to successfully reconstruct the