...Essay 1 The years following the Civil War were laden with political, social, and economic strife, especially in the South. While the events of Reconstruction provided political, social, and economic gains for various groups, Reconstruction can only be described as a minor success due to its many shortcomings and failures. The most notable successes of Reconstruction include reunification of the Union, passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, and establishment of the Freedmen’s Bureau. Reuniting the Union was Lincoln’s and many other Northerners’ main focus after the Civil War, although the last ex-confederate state was not readmitted until 1870. The passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments officially outlawed slavery, granted freedmen equal protection under the law, and gave black males the right to vote. While these helped equalize blacks and whites politically, the Freedmen’s Bureau was established to help provide economic and social assistance to former slaves. The bureau offered necessities like housing and food, but more importantly built schools and provided education and employment opportunities to blacks following the Civil War. With much southern resistance to the new political rights of former slaves, the...
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...The civil war caused a lot of damage and tension between the confederate and the union. Reconstruction was the time period following the civil war as the confederate and union began to reunite and join together. Some of reconstruction was successful while other goals failed to succeed. The reconstruction of the nation had a huge impact on culture, politics and economics. Despite Lincoln's tragic death in 1865, the process of reconstruction continued. However, although some parts of reconstruction benefited the nation, much of it also hurt the growing country. Culture throughout the North and South changed greatly following the civil war. One goal following the war was for blacks to be treated equal as whites. However, it was very hard for...
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...After the Civil War, the United States was in ruins. The Southern society and economy were destroyed, and the freed slaves were without money, homes, and jobs. The government was split in two and did not know how to move forward. The changes made, or lack thereof, from the end of the Civil War until around 1877 are accumulated into what is known as the Reconstruction Era. President Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan thought that the federal government should be fairly lenient towards the southern states, and thought that only 10% of the state’s population should be loyal to the union. When Lincoln was assassinated on April 11, 1865, his vice president Andrew Johnson took over. Johnson’s plan was similar to Lincoln’s, but he wanted to be harsh on...
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...Reconstruction is known as the period of repair after the civil war. It was a failed attempt to create a democratic society during that time. Reconstruction provided both positive and negative guidelines. The first positive guidelines established was the 13th amendment making slavery prohibited in the United States. The passing of this amendment meant an ending to slavery additionally meaning an ending to a way of life in the South. The South was then forced to find different ways to support themselves. Secondly, the 14th amendment known as the backbone of the civil rights movement was then established meaning states were not allowed to limit the rights of citizens, and it ensured everyone will be treated equally meaning “No state shall make...
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...After the Civil War, the South entered an era of unbalanced happiness. Houses and business buildings that once stood now laid on the floor, either after having been burned or collapsed from the state they were in. About 2.5 billion dollars in human property had been lost.Railroads and Factories had been destroyed. Cities such as Atlanta and Columbia had been nearly burnt to the ground. Reconstruction was necessary indeed. Since newly freed slaves had no home, along with the rest of the population in the South, it was necessary to reconstruct the south. That way citizens wouldn't have to live in harmful unhealthy conditions. Probably the biggest...
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...Who Killed Reconstruction ? Both the north and the south were responsible for killing reconstruction after the civil war. The north did not agree that slavery should be allowed but really just had given up on trying to convince the south. The south on the other hand simply refused to give into what the north was saying. To clarify reconstruction was the rebuilding of the united states after the civil war , this was a very tough time period that lasted up to 14 years. Though reconstruction occurred after the civil war many considered it just as painful as a war for many reasons. The northerners wanted to punish the southerns because of their ways of life and how they treated the african americans. My argument is that both the north and the south are responsible for killing reconstruction. The north may have wanted to end slavery and many other things that the south were doing but had given up on taking action. The northers weren’t so focused on fixing the situation and founded themselves being distracted from the leading situation. They also didn’t have great attitudes but seemed more racist which contributed to the end of reconstruction. “ Although political violence continue in the south”. The south would refuse any change that was...
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...Reconstruction: The Post War Era Lindsay Pone Professor Goldstein History 105 Strayer University 01/30/2013 Reconstruction: The Post Civil War Era Friday April 12, 1861, America embarked into war with its biggest adversary; America! The American Civil War broke out, and what was believed to be a quick battle by the North, turned out to be a long bloody four years and left the country devastated. President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, successfully lead this country through its greatest constitutional, military and moral crisis. Everything he did was in the best interest in preserving this nation to what it is today. If President Lincoln task of preserving the union would have failed, our nation would be a split nation today. All the events of the Civil War are what truly shaped the face of America today. The President knew that if he wanted to preserve this nation as a whole, not only would he have to win the war, but he would have to have a plan in place to immediately fix the nation to help it move forward from war. During his time in the white house and towards the end of the war, when it was evident the North would prevail, he worked on a reconstruction plan to get the South up and moving. During the war, the northern armies had gone through the South destroying everything that would help the south to prevail in the war. The agricultural belt that was the strength of the was nothing more than ashes as...
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...The civil war and the inception of the US constitution played a critical and pivotal role in the reconstruction of the modern US society. From these events, it was possible for the United States to become a single state and a unified nation, which finally ended slavery and thus expanded the applicable ideals that led to the declaration of independence. Historians argue that the civil war remains to be a critical event in the United States history; this is because this war was able to end the animosity caused by the inevitable climax of conflicts and sectional tensions. This paper will discuss the evolution of the modern US society from the inception of the constitution through the civil war and reconstruction. United States constitution remains to be the oldest constitution in the world and since its inception in 1787; it has played a critical role in the development of the modern US society (Sammis, 1997). Historians argue that the United States constitution has helped in providing a remarkable degree of political stability in the US, a country known for its social diversity. According to law experts, since the inception of the US constitution it has been possible to silence matters that seem to be sensitive in regards to the modern way of living. Moreover, the US constitution enabled the sanctions of the slavery, which remained to be the cause of the animosity before the civil war. On the other hand, before the US civil war, the then US President Abraham Lincoln had began...
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...Devin Sheridan The South After The Civil War The Union victory in the civil war lead to economic decay, social disorder, and political turmoil. Reconstruction was the time period from 1865-1877 which sought to rebuild the south, and with reconstruction brought all new challenges. The unions total war tactics destroyed southern plantations, cities, and factories. Economically, the south post-civil war had a hard time importing and making money off of its main cash crop, cotton. Inflation was also an issue due to the decrease in worth of currency in the south. Socially, emancipated slave’s sought work and validation for the rights they deserved. Politically, the confederate government gave no power to the states and federal government, so it...
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...Guide 1 – Reconstruction The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution officially outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution is one of the post-Civil War amendments and it includes the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. It defines who is a citizen of the US. The 14th amendment states that states must provide equal protection to all people. The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution prohibits each government in the United States from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude" (for example, slavery). The Civil Rights Act of 1866, 14 Stat. 27, enacted April 9, 1866, is a federal law in the United States that was mainly intended to protect the civil rights of African-Americans, in the wake of the American Civil War. The Act was enacted by Congress in 1865 but it was vetoed by President Andrew Johnson. The Freedmen's Bureau Bill, which created the Freedmen's Bureau, was initiated by President Abraham Lincoln and was intended to last for one year after the end of the Civil War. Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) was the 17th President of the United States (1865–1869). As Vice President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following his assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the...
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...The U. S. Civil War and Civil Right Era Abstract This paper will contain information dated during the Civil War through the Civil Rights Era. Throughout this paper you will hear about the expansion of the U.S Federal government and the events of the Civil War, The Reconstruction Period, The Progressive Era, The Great Depression and The Civil Rights Era. The U. S. Civil War and Civil Right Era The Civil War is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic or less commonly between two countries created from a united nation. The Civil Right Era began in 1955. Another important factor of this particular era was the great depression. Throughout this paper you will hear about the events, trials and tribulations that transpired throughout this time frame. Through the expansion of the U.S Federal government are the events of the Civil War, the Reconstruction period, the Progressive Era, The Great Depression and the Civil Rights Era, which will also be discussed. The Civil War officially began on April 12, 1861, when confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. The bloodiest battle of the Civil War took place in Maryland on September 17, 1862, which was called the Battle of Antietam. This event caused Abraham Lincoln to announce abolish to slavery in the South, which became official in 1863. More men died in the Civil War than any other American conflict, and two-thirds of the dead perished from disease. (Facts, 2011)...
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...The Reconstruction IB History of the Americas HL November 10, 2014 The Reconstruction from 1865—1877 would prove to be, in many ways, more difficult than the war itself, despite the victory of the Northern States. Furthermore, many questions began to arise regarding post-war reparations. Because there were so many different views of how the Reconstruction was to be accomplished there was tremendous conflict. After four years of war, despite defeat, some of the southerners remained defiant in returning to the Union. In addition, the roles of liberated blacks were also in question. Although there was conflict, the Reconstruction fulfilled its aims to the extent of granting freedom to liberated blacks, restoring the southern states to the Union and reestablishing their political structure, and the establishment of civil rights for liberated blacks. This was executed through the Presidential, Congressional and Military Reconstructions. To begin, the Presidential Reconstruction was the beginning of defining the voice of freedom for liberated blacks after the civil war. Furthermore, the Presidential Reconstruction began the upstart of a political war as principal Reconstruction proposals and plans were beginning to be implemented in order reform the Union. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln introduces his “10 percent” Reconstruction Plan. Although it is eventually replaced by Andrew Johnson’s own Reconstruction proclamation in 1865, it proposed that a state could be readmitted into...
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...Over 620,000 people were killed in the Civil War that was supposed to unite the country, only to die for great division and violence amongst races and a disrespect for innocent lives. The Civil War was an unjust war because of the effects it left behind. To start the War, the North was not returning slaves which created unnecessary tension and betrayed the constitution. Furthermore, the war tactics used led to backlash during the Reconstruction period after the war. Firstly, the North was violating the Constitution by not returning renegade slaves. The Fugitive Slave Clause states “No person held to service or labor in one State, escaping into another, shall be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered up.” Rather than returning these slaves, the North was, in some cases, helping them to escape. The Confederate states had no obligation to remain part of a country in which many of its states were going against the Constitution. Therefore, the Civil War from the very start was unjust because it was unnecessary from the start. Had the North followed through with returning slaves, slavery would have eventually died out through modernization, and South Carolina and...
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...The Reconstruction Period And it’s Impact Following the Civil War History 121: American History to 1877 10 December 2011 The Reconstruction era was the attempt to restore the Union after the Civil War or The War for Southern Independence. Its perception was viewed differently by Southerners, Northerners, and newly freed former slaves. After the Union won the war in 1865, their job was to begin the reconstruction of the Unites States. This era started at the end of the Civil War in 1865 and ended in1877. The goal was to reunite the southern states and ensure freedom and civil rights of the southern blacks. It could be more accurate to say that Reconstruction began with the war. From the moment the war began, Lincoln focused on the problem of reconstructing the Union. Equally important, from the start of the war, the Confederacy was shrinking in size as United States Soldiers occupied parts of the South.1 Reconstruction was a bitter pill to the devastated South. The Union Armies destroyed southern towns, farms, railroads and confiscated private property. To learn and understand the atrocities committed by the Union Army, one has to look no further than the memoirs of General William Tecumseh Sherman. In one example, General Sherman and his Army are on their infamous march to the sea where he finds himself bivouacked on a southern plantation. “Through inquiry he finds out that it belonged to Confederate General Howell Cob. He states that...
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...Name: __________________________ Date: _____________ 1.|Congressmen who favored vigorous Reconstruction measures held that| A)|although particular southerners had erred, the Union itself had endured through the Civil War.| B)|the Reconstruction process outlined in the Constitution should be closely followed.| C)|the president had sole responsibility for Reconstruction.| D)|the Confederate states, by seceding and making war against the United States, lost their status as states and should now be treated as conquered territories.| 2.|The First Reconstruction Act| A)|recognized the legitimacy of existing southern state governments.| B)|extended federal support for the education of freedmen in the South.| C)|guaranteed freedmen the right to vote.| D)|confiscated large southern plantations and divided them into smaller plots of land.| 3.|The black codes enacted in the South after the Civil War showed that southerners| A)|were willing to allow African Americans equality under law.| B)|sought to return African Americans to a position of servility.| C)|recognized the need for providing basic education for African Americans.| D)|would leave the destiny of African Americans up to African Americans themselves.| 4.|Andrew Johnson's initial plan for Reconstruction| A)|demonstrated an unforgiving hatred of all southerners.| B)|protected the political rights of freed slaves in the South.| C)|attempted, at least temporarily, to deny power to wealthy southern...
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