...Civil War Reconstruction Essay The civil war was a time of great distress in the nation: Americans fighting against Americans, Americans’ homes and businesses being torn up, and American families being destroyed. Happiness was few and far between, since no one could escape the catastrophic war. The war is remembered by many names, such as the Second American Revolution or the half-accomplished Revolution. The names vary, but the memory still rings true. The war was monumental and tragic, but it united us all. The nicknames of the Civil War varied throughout the nation, at one point in time, but today the common history has united us all and all sides see the reason behind the names. After the war had ended in the mid-1800’s the South and the North were at odds with each other. The South had wanted to leave the United States and the North had prevented them from doing so, at the expense of over 600,000 American deaths (American Civil War History). The South believes that this war was a lost cause, since they believed they were justified in when they seceded from the nation. They thought that the North’s growing abolition movement put...
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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 Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Student’s Name Institution The Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Reconstruction of modern America was not a missed opportunity because of rapid economic growth and prosperity, unified nation with a powerful government and political and business reforms (Carnes, Mark & Garraty, 2011). During this period in the 19th century, America emerged as an industrial power and agricultural power mostly in the North and the West and not in the South. This phase of reconstruction made America dominate as the World’s largest economic power. America also rose as a superpower nation with one of the strongest governments in the world (Kennedy, David, Cohen & Lizabeth, 2012). Another positive effect of reconstruction of America is that it led to an end of the infamous Trans-Atlantic slave trade. In this trade, slaves were sourced from West Africa and were sold in the slave markets in America, slaves were sold to be exploited as cheap sources of labor, they were treated inhumanely. Reconstruction, therefore, ended this commerce and gave the slaves their right of citizenship. Actually, in 1867 and for the first time slaves were allowed to vote. Reconstruction era also led to social and business reforms in America. These changes resulted in the expansion of government and education, curtailment of excesses, recognition of the...
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...The Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Student’s Name Institution The Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Reconstruction of modern America was not a missed opportunity because of rapid economic growth and prosperity, unified nation with a powerful government and political and business reforms (Carnes, Mark & Garraty, 2011). During this period in the 19th century, America emerged as an industrial power and agricultural power mostly in the North and the West and not in the South. This phase of reconstruction made America dominate as the World’s largest economic power. America also rose as a superpower nation with one of the strongest governments in the world (Kennedy, David, Cohen & Lizabeth, 2012). Another positive effect of reconstruction of America is that it led to an end of the infamous Trans-Atlantic slave trade. In this trade, slaves were sourced from West Africa and were sold in the slave markets in America, slaves were sold to be exploited as cheap sources of labor, they were treated inhumanely. Reconstruction, therefore, ended this commerce and gave the slaves their right of citizenship. Actually, in 1867 and for the first time slaves were allowed to vote. Reconstruction era also led to social and business reforms in America. These changes resulted in the expansion of government and education, curtailment of excesses, recognition of the...
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...Somebody ... | Wanted ... | But ... | So ... | President Abraham Lincoln | the nation to heal as quickly as possible from the Civil War and planned to reunify the nation quickly | he was assassinated in 1865 only days after Robert E. Lee’s surrender | plans for Reconstruction were taken over by Vice President Andrew Johnson, who became president after Lincoln’s death | President Andrew Johnson | to reunite the nation by including amnesty for all who swore loyalty to the United States | he infuriated the Radical Republicans who thought he was too forgiving by allowing Confederates to return to power | the Republicans gained an overwhelming majority in both the House and the Senate and, Congress began passing bills that would change Reconstruction policy. | Radical Republicans | change for the South and, wanted to take control of Reconstruction | President Johnson vetoed many bills that Congress passed | many other Republicans joined the Radicals and together, Republicans in Congress were able to override the president's vetoes and put their plans in action. | Southern Democrats | the removal of all remaining federal troops from the South and a change in Congress | they had to approve the decision of the commission to make Rutherford B. Hayes president in the election of 1876 | They agreed to accept Hayes if he removed all remaining federal troops from the South and named a Southern Democrat to his Cabinet. | //////// June 27th 2013 01.04 Rebuilding the Government:...
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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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...During both the civil war and civil war reconstruction time periods, there were many changes going on in the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation, as well as legislation such as the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, was causing a new awakening of democracy; while the renouncing of secession by the South marked a definite triumph for Nationalism. As well, the government was involved in altercations of its own. During reconstruction, the legislative and executive branches eventually came to blows over the use of power. The nation was being altered by forces which caused, and later repaired, a broken Union. The first of these "forces", was the expansion of democracy. As early as 1862, Lincoln was taking a major step in that direction. On September 22, Lincoln announced the freeing of all slaves in areas not in Union control. Although the proclamation did not free all slaves everywhere, it was the action that would push Congress to pass the thirteenth amendment in 1865. The amendment, ratified later in 1865, stated that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude . . . shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." It seemed democracy had triumphed by giving freedom to slaves, but the amendment was not complete. It only stopped slavery, and made no provisions for citizenship; therefore, blacks were still not considered United States citizens. The fourteenth amendment was the democratic expansion ...
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...The End of Reconstruction The U.S. needed time to rebuild itself and come back together after the Civil War. The South’s factories and railroads were demolished in the War Between the States. The southern states went from providing 30% of the nation’s wealth and income to only providing 12%. The United States were also learning to accept freedmen into society. Reconstruction was taking place. Thesis: The South ended Reconstruction because of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), the extreme lengths they went to, and the rest of the South just letting it happen. After the Civil War, the United States of America was in desperate need of a reunion of the states. The South was in a bad condition after 4 years of fighting, more than a million casualties, and $337 million spent. It was imperative that some control was established so the Nation could be preserved. This is where Reconstruction came in. It was founded on the idea that “the...
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...were looking forward to their new lives and opportunities as “free men” but the reality was that old fashioned thinking and racist ideology still governed in the nation. The government seemed to make advances in favor for african americans even as...
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...1st, 2016 HIS-202 Trochim Reconstruction Reconstruction was a time era, 1863 to 1877, in American history where there was an attempt to resolve issues from the Civil War. It was a period of putting back the pieces. The Confederacy and slavery were demolished and the development of the Constitution strengthened the rights of citizens. The movement tackled the return of southern states that had estranged, the status of previous confederate leaders, and the Constitutional status of the African-Americans. Controversy on how to handle the situations and by the 1870s Reconstruction had been considered a failure for the lack of equally integrating the recently freed slaves into the legal, political, economic and social system. The Dunning School perceived Reconstruction as a failure for different reasons. They claimed Reconstruction took freedom and rights away from qualified Caucasians and gave it to unqualified African-Americans. Revisionism focused on economics, and ultimately downplayed political and constitutional issues. They claimed that the movement was an attempt by financiers, railroad builders, and industrialists to use the Republican Party to control the national government for their own selfish economic needs. There has been much debate as far as which interpretation is best. Dunning’s interpretation is best because although it views the failure of Reconstruction, it also draws attention to what Reconstruction achieved. Reconstruction allowed for former slaves to...
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...the Japanese and United States’ relationship was very tumultuous. Admiral Perry took a very exploitive stance toward establishing foreign relations with the island nation and it left a lasting impression upon the Japanese. World War II brought saw the ultimate conflict between the two nations which left Japan devastated from both the aftermath of brutal fighting in the Pacific and the use of the atomic bomb on their homeland. How did Japan rebound from such a crippling defeat in the Second World War and how is it that we now enjoy such close ties, especially being from two opposing cultural styles? The United States took a front and center seat to Japan’s reconstruction after the war and it is a combination of both our help and the Japanese people’s remarkable character that facilitated such a miraculous rebirth; also forever tying our two nations together in the bonds of cooperation. “It’s resurgence was due to a legacy of past accomplishments, an indomitable determination to succeed in the quest for modernity, prodigious amounts of hard work, generally shrewd planning, and occasional injections of unanticipated stimulation, or what economists prefer to think of as exogenous events”(McClain 2002). Japan’s post war miracle recovery was the direct result of combined American/Japanese efforts to rebuild the nation and the nature of the Japanese people’s remarkable character to forge ahead with great determination. There was a great...
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...been shaped after the devastating Civil War left the south in crippling condition, it was this nation’s moment to right all its wrongs and promote equality to all genders and ethnicities. Instead, they threw away this nation's only opportunity to create real change across our lands. Initially starting with high hopes of spark coming immediately after the Civil War, it makes we as a nation wonder when everything began to make a turn for the worst. How did our nation’s glimmer of hope die out after all the progress we had made until 1860? As a nation, we used all of our energy to pass laws to support and sustains poor whites and blacks across America. As a consequence, the amount of...
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...The Success and Failures of Reconstruction In the aftermath of the Civil War an arduous task of reconstruction lay ahead for the United States. Subsequently, the North and the South faced the many changes that were instituted. Mainly, it was the friction between the North and the South that prohibited success. Furthermore, Andrew Johnson's presidency evoked havoc on the then vulnerable country. Despite all, the addition of amendments resulted in some progress to the era; yet, states showed oppositions and formed groups and acts to disregard the amendments. In all, the Reconstruction era was deemed partly successful and partial failure; yet it did nullify slavery, granted voting rights to all males and ended segregation. After Abraham Lincoln's...
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...Somebody ... Wanted... But... So... President Abraham Lincoln | the nation to heal as quickly as possible from the Civil War and planned to reunify the nation quickly. | he was assassinated in 1865 only days after Robert E. Lee’s surrender. | plans for Reconstruction were taken over by Vice President Andrew Johnson, who became president after Lincoln’s death. | President Andrew Johnson | to reunite the United States especially those who served the country. | He messed up with the Radical Republicans when he was forgave them and also by allowing Confederates to return to power. | the Republicans took control of the majority in both the House and the Senate and, Congress began passing bills that would change Reconstruction policy. | Radical Republicans | control of Reconstruction, also wanted change for the South | President Johnson vetoed many bills that Congress passed | Republicans and the Radicals joined together, thusly were able to override the president's vetoes and put their plans in action. | Southern Democrats | Change in Congress and remove the last of the federal troops in the south | they had to be approved to make Rutherford B. Hayes president in 1876 | They agreed to accept Hayes if he removed all remaining federal troops from the South and named a Southern Democrat. | PART 2 What was the main issue relating to Reconstruction that divided Republicans at the end of the Civil War? If you had been...
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...In 1861, after decades of tension between the north and the south within the nation over issues including states rights and federal authority, westward expansion and slavery, the nation evolved into a Civil War. The election of Republican Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 had caused southern states to secede from the Union to form the Confederate States of America. The south felt out-numbered from partisan radical politics. The war between the South and North was a four-year awful and destructive war. After the war had ended in 1865, there were 750,000 soldiers dead from both sides. Slavery was abolished by the thirteenth amendment, the union had won, but the nation was still divided economically, politically and socially. The people, land and property of the South were devastated. Besides the challenge of readmitting the southern states into the union, there were plans made to reconstruct the defeated south. Reconstruction hinged on resolving the political, economic and social issues. The terms that the South had agreed to in order or rejoin the Union had an important impact on both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Republican Party took advantage of the south’s absence from Congress. The Radical Republicans from the north divided the Democratic Party after the victories in the elections of 1860 and 1864. Latter on the south was removed from the Electoral College. Both the Republicans and democratic leaders were fearful that readmitting the South would...
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