...The essay below was a very strong essay answering the question about Reconstruction. It was an actual essay (word for word) written by one of the students in class. It received 28.5 points out of 30. This was a great essay; about the only comment I would write was that the thesis in the introduction could have been a little more direct: As a country, America has gone though many political changes throughout her lifetime. Leaders have come and gone, all of them having different objectives and plans for the future. As history takes its course, though, most all of these “revolutionary movements” come to an end. One such movement was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time period in America consisting of many leaders, goals and accomplishments. Though, like all things in life, it did come to an end, the resulting outcome has been labeled both a success and a failure. When Reconstruction began in 1865, a broken America had just finished fighting the Civil War. In all respects, Reconstruction was mainly just that. It was a time period of “putting back the pieces”, as people say. It was the point where America attempted to become a full running country once more. This, though, was not an easy task. The memory of massive death was still in the front of everyone’s mind, hardening into resentment and sometimes even hatred. The south was virtually non-existent politically or economically, and searching desperately for a way back in. Along with these things, now living...
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...The modern Civil Rights movement in the United States was a pivotal period marked by significant strides toward racial equality. Historians have often drawn parallels between this era and the period immediately following the Civil War, known as Reconstruction, prompting some to refer to the modern Civil Rights movement as the "Second Reconstruction." This comparison highlights both the enduring struggle for African American civil rights and the efforts to address the legacy of racial oppression in America. The Reconstruction era sought to establish civil rights for African Americans through constitutional amendments and federal legislation. However, these gains were short-lived as they faced significant backlash from Southern states and white...
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...that were liberated in the south. In this book McPherson tells us that president Lincoln was a conservative and a revolutionary. The War made Lincoln very popular because of his leadership ability and strategy. He is the most important president who fought to keep young stay whole. James McPherson best known for his prize winning book “Battle cry of Freedom,” which was the New York Times Book Review called one of top history writing. It is an account of the Civil War, which McPherson gathered in a sweep of events, which accounts the political, social, and culture aspects during the Civil War. In Abraham Lincoln and the Second Revolution, McPherson takes a different style of writing by offering a series of engaging essays on Lincoln and the Civil War that have rarely been discussed in such depth. McPherson displays his insight prose as he thoroughly examines the critical- themes of American history. He examines the President’s role as commander- in -chief of the Union forces explaining how Lincoln forged a national military strategy for victory. He exposes how Lincoln used parables and figurative language to communicate the purpose of the War as well as a new meaning of liberty for the people of the North. The title derives from McPherson, examining the Civil War as America’s second revolution. He describes how the Republican Congress, in 1860 had passed an astonishing list of new laws which rivaled the first hundred...
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...Major Historical Turning Points of America: Essay I Brian Tui Strayer University Dr. Donna Reeves History 105 January 19, 2013 Abstract What are the major turning points in American’s timeline that helped shaped it into the amazing country that it is today? What was the impact of those turning points on today’s American culture? This essay will give us a tour through two major turn points in America. The first being the “Turning point of the civil war” and the second being the “Turning point of Industrialization and Urbanization”. In the “Turning point of the civil war” we will peer into several possible outcomes of the “Reconstruction Period had Abraham Lincoln survived”. In the “Turning point of Industrialization and urbanization we will also investigate “Industrializations effect on the average working American” and touch on “How state courts served to discriminate against non-white citizens and immigrants”. Finally we will conclude with “The New America”. My view on how the events of the past shaped America into the wonderful nation I am so proud of today. Turning Point of the Civil War America could not be the honored country that it is today had it not been for the turning point of the civil war. In the mid-1800s the Northern and Southern states were divided on many differences. A major difference that lingered after the signing of the Constitution was slavery. You have the Northern statesmen who firmly oppose slavery and the Southern statesmen...
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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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...Abby Ortega Dr. Ross-Nazzal Hist 1301 May 9, 2016 Describe the “new birth of freedom” Lincoln called for in 1863 for that happened during Reconstruction. This essay will examine the new birth of freedom. On December 8, 1863, President Lincoln offered a preliminary plan to reunite Confederate states with the Union. The Civil War, in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, brought to America "a new birth of freedom." President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."By the war's end it was already clear that Reconstruction would bring far-reaching changes in Southern society and a redefinition of the place of blacks in American life. This is important because the expansive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in many ways. It applied only to states that had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal Border States. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy that had already come under Northern control. Most important, the freedom it promised depended upon Union military victory. Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops...
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...• 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-...
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...Unit I: Essay Exam: Reconstruction & Rise of Industry US History Since 1877 Professor Valdenia Winn February 14, 2013 According to Dictionary.com, radical means: 1. Of or going to the root or origin; fundamental: a radical difference. 2. Thoroughgoing or extreme, especially as regards change from accepted or traditional forms. Historians identified Congressional Reconstruction as “radical” because of how the South tried to elude the Thirteenth Amendment. Because of these extreme circumstances the federal government had to intervene, which at that point made it radical to most historians. The root of the problem was slavery and the problem solver was the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. The Thirteenth Amendment prohibited slavery. The Fourteenth Amendment established national citizenship for persons born or naturalized in the United States. It also prohibited the states from depriving citizens of their civil rights or equal protection under the law as well as reduced state representation in the House of Representatives by the percentage of adult male citizens denied the vote. The Fifteenth Amendment forbade states to deny citizens the right to vote on the grounds of race, color, or “previous condition of servitude”. Another problem solver was the establishment of the Freedmen’s Bureau, which was there to aid former slaves get on their feet and supervise “all relief and educational activities relating to refugees and...
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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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...Lauryn Waddle Selected research topic: Bacon’s Rebellion. Research question: How did the ruthless attacks, known as Bacon’s Rebellion, originate? Thesis statement: During this era, English settlers could not seem to get along; Bacon’s Rebellion is one example of the many squabbles between the races, the poor, and the wealthy. The poorest Virginians were at an extreme disadvantage in 1676. They were struggling to survive while the “English gentlemen” had the finest of living. The land the poor had was far inland and pushing into the Indian territory. They found it unfair that they had to live the way that they did, competing for land while the wealthy did not have to do the same. Nathaniel Bacon was among the many who were not happy with the...
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...5.5.3 Test (TS): Post Civil War America Test U.S. History Sem 1 (S3425683) Jasmine M Baca Points possible: 60 Date: _____06.14.2016_______ Unit Six Big Question: What were the social and political consequences of the Civil War? What factors led to the expansion of the United States during the period after the Civil War, and what were the effects of expansion? Section 1: Short Answer Questions (30 points) Write multi-sentence responses for the prompts below. Be specific and give examples from the history we have learned. A. An amendment to the U.S. Constitution changes laws for the entire country. Three amendments changed laws especially for African Americans. Explain how each of the following amendments changed the law for African Americans. (10 points total) a. Thirteenth Amendment (3 points) The thirteenth amendment ended slavery and involuntary servitude except for punishment as a crime. It prevented African Americans from being forced back into slavery. b. Fourteenth Amendment (4 points) the fourteenth amendment addresses citizenship rights and and equal protection of the laws. It was proposed in response to issues that were related to former slaves. c. Fifteenth Amendment (3 points) The fifteenth amendment prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on color, religion, and race. B. Answer the following questions:(10 points) a...
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...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...
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...Reconstruction and the West After the Civil War in the south, the south met many new challenges. The south needed to reinvent its economic, political and cultural environment. In November 1868 Ulysses S. Grant was elected president. Grant would not have won the election without the votes of former slaves who were given the right to vote post- Civil War. Congress passed the 14th and 15th Amendments to protect the rights of all people if born a naturalized citizen to have equal protection of the laws, and the freedom to vote regardless of race in the United States. Congress Reconstruction plan dramatically changed politics in the south (Reconstruction, 2013). Congress provided many programs, such as social services for the people of the south. They opened hospitals, schools, and assisted with the railroad expansion, allowing Blacks to take part in these government programs. The government also improved the lights and telephones systems also the sewer systems. Many industrial jobs became available in the south. Textile, iron, steel, southern coal, oil, and timber industry are just some of the industrial jobs created for the south to assist with reconstruction efforts. The government created new programs in the south the only problem...
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...1.5.3 Test (TS): Post Civil War America! ! ! Test! U.S. History since the Civil War Sem 1 (S2561969)! ! ! SU14-Alex Sanford! Points possible: 60! ! ! ! ! ! Unit Six Big Question: What were the social and political consequences of the Civil War? What factors led to the expansion of the United States during the period after the Civil War, and what were the effects of expansion?! Section 1: Short Answer Questions (30 points)! Write multi-sentence responses for the prompts below. Be specific and give examples from the history we have learned.! A. An amendment to the U.S. Constitution changes laws for the entire country. Three amendments changed laws especially for African Americans. Explain how each of the following amendments changed the law for African Americans. (10 points total)! ! a. Thirteenth Amendment (3 points)! ! ! The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. It freed all African Americans and prevented them from being forced to return to slavery.! ! ! b. Fourteenth Amendment (4 points)! ! ! ! c. Fifteenth Amendment (3 points)! ! ! ! The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws, and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War. All African Americans were now counted for purposes of representation.! The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal and...
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...Army Values Essay From his humble beginnings in a backwoods Kentucky farm, to the latter stages of his development as President, Abraham Lincoln is a role model for all of the Army values, among other virtues, which show him to be a true leader. Practice of these values ultimately allowed Lincoln to make history as the sixteenth President of the United States of America. During only two terms, Lincoln worked extensively to reunite the Union and Confederacy, passed the Emancipation Proclamation, and signed many other laws that have improved the infrastructure of the United States. These tasks were all done in adversity, notably taking the form of financial problems during his upbringing, strong opposition from the American public during times at office, and a violent and drawn out Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was born from a farming family, who had struggled through significant property losses during Lincoln's early childhood. This resulted in a period of transience, which would limit Lincoln's early formal education. Lincoln was however self motivated and resilient, and was able to truly self educate himself in basic school subjects. This drive is important for the development of leadership. An effective leader should be able to take care of himself, so that his subordinates can follow his practice from example, and develop greater motivation and resilience. Later in his presidency, Lincoln passed the Morril Land Grant Colleges Act. This law provided federal funding for agricultural...
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