Americas Post Civil War Growing Pains
1865 to 1900

Robert Ryals
Contemporary U.S. History
Professor Terry Hammons
October 23rd 2012

Abstract This paper is going to incorporate the key elements that contributed to the early revolution within American History. We are going to discuss the Presidential and the Congressional Reconstruction which occurred between 1865 to 1867, and how it laid the foundation to the dramatic changes of governmental ordinances and political ethics. Following that, we will discuss the ratification of the 15th amendment, enactment of the “Jim Crow” laws, Civil Rights Act, Wounded Knee, and the Spanish American War. This essay will attempt to illustrate the events that wrought change to the Americas, the key fueling factors in the momentum of change.

The Presidential Reconstruction began with Andrew Johnson’s impeachment. Johnson possessed a background that mirrored Abraham Lincoln’s. Johnson was raised in poverty, which fueled his drive for prosperity and aided in his development into a businessman. Johnson was also a very qualified candidate for the presidency and boasted a politically accomplished resume.(Jenkins, 2003) Unfortunately, Johnson’s extreme disdain for the slavery lead to his demise, this was often translated into the belief that his plans for American restoration and reconstruction would be extremely detrimental to southerners, even worse then Abraham Lincoln’s plans. Republican extremist fought for him to incorporate Black suffrage, but Johnson viewed this unfavorable. Not only was Johnson a punctilious nationalist and constitutionalist, which gave him the perception that he was incapable as president to independently distribute citizenship and suffrage, and had a goal for states to assume their respective rights.(Zinn, 2003) The main causations