...African Americans from 1865 to the Present HIS 204 Instructor Cheryl Lemus 2014 The United States have come along way in terms of making society what it is today. These ground that we walk on have been the pot in which many different races brew. From the beginning of the development of the United States, there have always been at least two or three different types of races talked about in almost every historical event. The United States would not be what it is today without unity, and the combination of all of the different type of culture and races that it carries. In the process of building this land, the Americans had help from people that they brought over from Africa in which they turn into slaves. These people were called African Americans, people of color, and Negros. African Americans lived under the rule of the White American people. They served them, and did everything that they were told to do. Many did not know how to read nor did they know how to write. Living as an African American in those times was like not living at all. Many were killed, raped, and treated like animals. With the United States progressing there was another process in the making. With the help from their own people, legislatures, and many other types of movements, African Americans were able to accomplish ultimate freedom. As they came into slavery, they stayed slaves for many years. African Americans worked day and night, not as people but as property. The nation was very much divided...
Words: 2204 - Pages: 9
...Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper On September 17th, 1789 The United States Constitution was ratified and made law. The founders of United States Constitution had the foresight to give the constitution a way to grow and adapt with America’s needs, by including an amendment process to change or add to the rights of Americans. The amendment process has allowed America to continue growth and prosperity throughout the years and become one of the most powerful nations in the world. The amendment process will be covered in this paper along with the. The author of this paper will also look at later amendments to the constitution with an emphasis on amendments 13, 14 and 15 and the effects they had on America culture and society. The Purpose of Amendments The constitution was created with an amendment process in Article V to allow the document to adapt to changes in American society. According to article V of the Constitution an amendment can be passed by either a two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a convention where two-thirds of the legislatures meet over an amendment. After the Amendment is approved in the convention process it must then be ratified by 75% of the state legislatures (UMKC School of Law, 2013). Without the Amendment process the United States would have been bound by the same rules that applied back in the late 1700’s. The Amendment process has made it possible for the Constitution to change...
Words: 1356 - Pages: 6
...changed it’s called and amendment. Among the amendments are the bill of rights and the reconstruction amendments. In this paper I will discuss how and why amendments become part of the constitution, what were some problems with the original document that motivated the adoption of the bill of rights, the effects of the bill of rights and the reconstruction amendments and their effects. How and why do amendments become part of the constitution? When the constitution was written, the Framers knew that the constitution would and could be amended. Article V of the constitution tells how an amendment can become a part of the constitution. It takes two steps to add an amendment to the constitution. The first step is the proposal. An amendment can be proposed by either two-thirds vote in congress, which includes both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The second step is ratification; the amendment has to be ratified by wither three-fourths of the state legislatures or by state conventions in three-fourths of the states. An amendment can only be ratified after two-thirds of the House and Senate approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote and then three-fourths of the states must affirm the proposed amendment. Congress has set a term of seven years for ratification. The second way would require a constitutional convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the states. The convention can then propose as many amendments as it sees fit. Those...
Words: 1409 - Pages: 6
...African Americans have fought against slavery, segregation, and racism in politics since they arrived in the United States. From the beginning of the slave trade to the present times in the United States, African Americans have fought to be seen as worthy of having a place in this country. African Americans have had to work for political freedom; it was not handed to them. The African American struggle began when they forcibly became slaves in America. Even when they were declared free, they were not seen as equal to whites and had to fight for civil rights. After earning civil rights, they still had to fight to live among white people and no longer be segregated. Today, there is an ongoing struggle of racism and discrimination in America....
Words: 1548 - Pages: 7
...time is mistreating African American.There have been many movies that talk about the problem of African Americans being treated poorly. There are Some movies that directly talk about the problem of African Americans being mistreated, and some that indirectly talk about the problem. For example, in a lot of movies and tv shows in this era if the director wants to support something they will make a comment about it in a scene and that is ultimately them trying to get...
Words: 1643 - Pages: 7
...the people of the New World for labor. and was immensely heightened by the trans-Atlantic trade in the 15th century, which led to the enslavement and exploitation of vast amount of Africans. The nature of slavery in the New World was cruel, abusive, and emphasized racial discrimination to the point that it created long-lasting legacies of prominent changes such as post slave-trauma, black rights,...
Words: 1597 - Pages: 7
...American Civil Rights Background Timeline of events / Personalities 1860: Abraham Lincoln elected US president. * Made the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, a law which would see the release of all slaves in America. * Belief that the slaves should be freed was a key factor in sparking the American civil war. 1861: The American Civil War begins at fort Sumter. * Fought between the United States of America, who opposed slavery, and the Confederate States of America, a new nation established by seven slave states in the south. * Not the only reason for the civil war, slavery was a key issue being fought over. 1865: The 13th amendment is passed, permanently outlawing slavery. * Shortly after the surrender of all confederate forces, ending the civil war. 1866: The civil rights act is passed by Congress. * The first to define US citizenship as well as state that all citizens were protected by the law. * It is expected that the act was passed, despite being vetoed repeatedly by President Andrew Johnson, in order to protect the rights of African-Americans. 1870: The 15th amendment is passed, giving the black man the right to vote. 1875: A bi-racial senate and House of Representatives passes the civil rights act. * Designed to protect all Americans in their access to accommodations and facilities such as restaurants. * Never enforced and was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme court in 1883 1896: The Supreme Court introduces...
Words: 1518 - Pages: 7
...• Robert Livingston • War of 1812- Military conflict between US and Britain following revolution about unresolved issues: trade restrictions, etc. • Tecumseh- Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy; opposed US in war of 1812. • John Quincy Adams- sixth president; whig. • Empire of Liberty- theme developed first by Thomas Jefferson to identify America's world responsibility to spread freedom across the globe. Jefferson saw America's mission in terms of setting an example, expansion into the west, and by intervention abroad. • Transportation Revolution- early 1800s, development of steamboats, canals, and railroads. Faster transport of people, products, and knowledge. • National Road- First major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Connection between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers and a gateway to the West for thousands of settlers. • Communication Revolution- Samuel Morse invented telegraph. • The Market Revolution- improvements in how goods were processed and fabricated as well as by a transformation of how labor was organized to process trade goods for consumption. • Porkopolis- Cincinnati was the country's chief hog packing center, and herds of pigs traveled the streets. • Labor theory of value- The value of a commodity is only related to the labor needed to produce or obtain that commodity and not to other factors of production • Second Party System- 2 party system • Democrats-...
Words: 2107 - Pages: 9
...Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation is one of the most revered documents in United States history. In its time, the document effectively freed the slaves but also marked the first step in creating an America with racial equality. Therefore, because of its significance in shaping the ideals of the United States, many people assume that future leaders of the nation would view the Emancipation Proclamation in the same way. However, in looking at speeches made by Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama during some of the most notable time periods in United States history, it becomes evident that presidents did not approach Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in the same way. Instead, circumstances surrounding each particular administration...
Words: 1116 - Pages: 5
...Biography: Elizabeth Stanton, M.D. How did Elizabeth Stanton’s political ideologies influence the suffrage movement? Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a pioneering force in the women’s suffrage movement. Stanton’s contributions spanned several decades, with her political ideologies playing a crucial role in shaping the strategies and directions of this historical struggle. Stanton was born on November 12th, 1815, in Johnstown, New York, the eighth of eleven children. Her mother, Margaret Livingston, was a wealthy daughter of a revolutionary hero and her father Daniel Cady, a prominent lawyer and judge. Elizabeth’s early life, education and relationships were instrumental in influencing the development of her strong beliefs on social justice and equality. Following...
Words: 2058 - Pages: 9
...Expansions? The amendments of the early 20th century were a crucial breeding ground for the development of how government and citizens saw their roles. Religious groups and women preached toward anti-alcoholic sentiments and brought about the 18th amendment. Many states prior to this had already banned alcohol sales and it was considered a state matter that government shouldn’t interfere with. This amendment, although morally right, was more of a volatile infringement on American standards that had been around since the Mayflower. Government officials ended up accepting bribes, alcohol that was sold illegally often killed buyers from poisonous elements used in home distillery, and the mafia began to establish stronger footholds...
Words: 1607 - Pages: 7
...How far were the actions of the African Americans the main reason for the advancement of the Civil Rights in the period 1865-1980? “Power concedes nothing without demand, it never has and it never will”[1]. Said by Fredrick Douglass in 1857, an escaped slave who had bearded the brunt of the slave years. He had come to the realisation that African Americans had a fountain of “power”; however that power that they possessed would never establish anything without a “demand”. Fredrick Douglass awoke the conscious of African Americans to make them realise that wanting to be free and wanting to achieve full civil rights was not enough, neither was enduring a life under white supremacy waiting for life after death to see a new dawn .Believing and hoping was not enough. “Power concedes nothing without demand” the solution is to be willing to work hard to establish it yourself by demanding what belongs to them. However using power in order to concede civil rights was a struggle which was acknowledged by Fredrick Douglass “Without struggle there is no success”. To achieve advancement in African American Civil Rights, African Americans had to undergo a process of struggle. A rainbow is not made without rain; you can not want rain without thunder and lightening being accompanied by it. To achieve full civil rights African Americans had to pay the price along the way which was persecution, de-humanisation and scrutiny. Martin Luther King being inspired by Fredrick Douglass said “Freedom...
Words: 4801 - Pages: 20
...This article is about the naturalization backlogs in today’s American society. Compared to last year, the immigrants applying for American citizen increased significantly, surpassing the expectations. It is said that this was a result of the presidential election this year where immigration has fiercely debated. Many immigrants decide to become citizens just so that they can vote. They are hoping to take the oath of citizenship in time to cast their first ballots on Nov. 8 in a presidential race. This may be a bad news for Hillary Clinton. Due to Trump’s immigration plan, almost all Latino immigrants are showing favor of Hillary Clinton. Yet, the blocklog will prevent the immigrants to become citizens in time for the election. “As of June 30,...
Words: 734 - Pages: 3
...answer and skip another line before the next question. Chapter Four: Civil Liberties 1. What are civil liberties and when did individual rights recognized by government first appear in a legal charter? What charter? 73 - Those specific individual rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution and cannot be denied to citizens by government. Most of these rights are in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights. The original English legal charter, the Magna Carta of 1215. 2. How are civil liberties different from civil rights? 73 - Civil liberties may be distinguished from civil rights (sometimes called equal rights), which refer to rights that members of various groups (racial, ethnic, sexual, and so on) have to equal treatment by government under the law and equal access to society’s opportunities. 3. What were the Alien and Sedition Acts and were editors if newspapers actually jailed? 74 - Alien Act, which authorized the president to deport from the United States all aliens suspected of “treasonable or secret” inclinations; the Alien Enemies Act, which allowed the president during wartime to arrest aliens subject to an enemy power; and the Sedition Act, which criminalized the publication of materials that brought the U.S. government into “disrepute.” Yes 4. What is the Patriot Act and what is “Gitmo”? How did Obama alter US policy? 75 - USA Patriot Act, authorizing President Bush to take numerous steps to prosecute the war, including...
Words: 10537 - Pages: 43
...African American's Journey Essay Below is a free essay on "African American's Journey" from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. “African American’s Journey to Freedom” Charity Johnson HIS204: American History since 1865 Instructor: Leslie Ruff February 11, 2013 “African American’s Journey to Freedom” To some African Americans it may seem ironic that The United States of America is known as “the land of the free” considering that majority of their ancestors entered the US as slaves. African Americans were brought to North America via the middle passage which originated during the fifteenth century. They were enslaved for approximately 400 hundred years until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Although African Americans were enslaved in America, they were determine to survive and one day be freed in this great country. During The African American’s journey to freedom several significant events took place which was inclusive of but not limited to: The Civil Rights Movement of 1865-1877, Separate but Equal Legislation (Plessy vs. Ferguson court case) in 1896, The Harlem Renaissance of 1920, Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954, The March on Washington Movement of 1963, and The Black Power Movement of the late 1960s and 1970. I will discuss the significance of these events in relation to the African American journey to freedom and how they have help shape American society today. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF 1865-1877 Frequently when...
Words: 5251 - Pages: 22
