Were the goals of Radical Reconstruction feasible ones? Yes, I think that the goals of Radical Reconstruction were feasible ones. The dreams and ideas of those supporting the Reconstruction were to integrate ex-slaves into American economy and society while at the same time welcome back the southern states that had seceded from the United State and participated in the Civil War. In my opinion if it were not for President Andrew Johnson the Reconstruction would have had a better chance of succeeding due to the fact that he supported certain laws such as “Black Codes which regulated the freedom of blacks and used the law to force blacks back to the plantation” (Pollard.S); the very same thing that went against the Reconstruction.
Is it possible to transform a society drastically by government action, or might attempts to do so prove counterproductive? I think that it is possible to transform a society drastically by government actions. Based on the information I gathered from the course material and the “Slavery by Another Name” video although everyone might not have agreed with the Reconstruction people followed suit. The way I see it the only reason why segregation and the uprising of the Klu Klux Klan happened so openly and freely is because the government allowed it to happen. Like all changes it takes time to adjust but I feel that as long as the proper authorities uphold and reinforce the law the people will respect the laws set in place.
Would a more gradualist approach to extending rights to and establishing freedom for African Americans have been more successful? What would be the costs and dangers of such an approach? Eventually the gradual approach to extending rights to African American was taken. It took a century for African American to gain equal rights. I however do not think that this approach
