Reconstruction Dbq Essay

The Reconstruction Era was a period between the conclusion of the Civil War to the Compromise of 1877 in which the North established new principles in the South to attempt to create equality and push the Confederacy to rejoin the works of the union. After surrendering, the Confederacy surrendered their supplies, currency, and generals to the Union powers, while the military settled their land in several areas. Amendments influenced the North’s motives by abolishing slavery, granting natural citizenship to all men, and securing the rights for colored people to vote. The inexistent Confederacy fired back by initiating Black Codes, laws enacted to limit colored voters through unfair exploitation. White supremacists disapproved of the new Reconstruction

Document one states, “...The Negros are not equals of white Americans, and are not entitled … participate in the government of this country…” (Boyer). Benjamin Boyer’s speech expresses the opinion that Black Americans should not be allowed to participate in national governance because they are not treated equally to White Americans. It illustrates the biased attitudes that some people at the time had. It confirms how white supremacist discrimination caused Congress to fail by conveying the opinion that Black Americans are less worthy of participation in national governance than White Americans. This reveals the strong white supremacist ideals that were present in the South and made it challenging to establish laws intended to grant African Americans equal rights. White supremacists resisted Congress' attempts to guarantee equal rights for Black Americans, believing that it threatened their way of life. Congress' attempts to provide equal rights for Black Americans who had been emancipated were unsuccessful due to this discrimination and hostility. Equally, white supremacist discrimination is also represented in document

The thirteenth amendment banned slavery for black Americans. Although this amendment made slavery illegal, there were still many obstacles that freedmen needed to overcome in order to be free in select states. The fourteenth amendment granted citizenship to all born in the United States and guaranteed equal protection, including formerly enslaved people. This repealed the black codes. The fifteenth amendment gave the right for black men to vote. In spite of the fact that they were allowed to vote, the government created literacy tests and poll taxes. The tests were made so black men weren't able to pass and the taxes were not affordable. These amendments were passed in 1865 but unfortunately didn't set in right away for all black Americans. The recollection of John McCoy is an interview that shows how he could not earn an income while working due to economic discrimination. McCoy has to earn other necessities in return like food, clothes, and shelter. In document 7, McCoy states, “Freedom wasn’t no different I knows of. I works for Marse John just the same for a long time. He say one morning, “John, you can go out in the field iffen you wants to or you can get out iffen you wants to, ‘cause the government say you is free. If you want to work I’ll feed you and give you clothes but can’t pay you no money. I ain’t got none.” (University of Chicago Press). He is