The newly freedpeople was one of the groups that played a role in reconstruction. During the reconstruction period the freedpeople had to test there freedoms and see how free they really were. It soon became clear to the freedpeople that it was in there hands how free they really could be. It proved almost impossible for the first generation to live a free life as government help was almost nonexistent (469). Division between whites and blacks were important during this time. This division allowed blacks to stand on there own two feet working, worshiping, and educating their community. Another group that played a role in the reconstruction period was the white house. The president declared that the South never really seceded. This declaration allowed the South to still be part of the U.S. with rights as U.S. citizens. This declaration was against congresses wishes. Congress wanted them to merely be territories without the right to vote (468). Congress felt that Lincoln carried to much power …show more content…
All of there property would be issued back to them in order to start mending north and south relations (472). Another benefit of reconstruction was that black males were granted the right to vote. This benefit was offered so that the government could rationalize that the freedpeople could fend for them selves (489). Although groups of whites like the ku klux clan would physically prohibit them from placing there votes at least it was a step in the right direction. Black Codes was one of the horrible consequences of reconstruction. Without the help of powerful government officials looking out for freedpeople unfair treatment continued. Another negative consequence of reconstruction was that after the north issued there land back they didn’t stay to insure the blacks were freed. Because, of this over sight many freedpeople stayed put and continued to be endure unfair
DBQ Essay Did you know the 13th amendment gave African Americans their freedom from slavery. Then the 14th amendment gave them their citizenship. Finally, the 15th amendment was passed so that they had the right to vote. These amendments were passed during reconstruction. Even with these amendments, freedmen’s lives didn’t change much socially, economically, and politically throughout reconstruction.
To do this, they sent troops into the South, which they were not very pleased with. During Reconstruction, freed slaves still did not have the same opportunities that white people did. The Civil rights laws were made to protect former slaves and make sure everyone is equal, but still, the South cannot agree and continues to make life nearly just as bad as it had been before the war. In the document written by a former slave, he expresses how poorly they have been treated. When Lincoln was president, Reconstruction ran alot smoother.
back into two groups, White Americans and African Americans. The years after the war did not benefit freed slaves because they were denied the right to vote because they were not thought to be equal to white people, they were left to fend for themselves in an economy that was already suffering, and groups like the KKK made sure that freed slaves would not be accepted back into white society. In conclusion, Reconstruction did not benefit the newly emancipated slaves, but overall helped the country ease into the lifestyle and economy that we see
You can see how reconstruction was supposed to help the newly freed slaves while the definition of reconstruction says that it was, “ensuring the rights and protection of the newly freed African Americans,” (Terms to know, On reconstruction.) This shows how some of the intentions of reconstruction were supposed to help bring newly freed slaves safely into the society. The newly freed slaves would have been fond of the idea of being brought safely into the society. You can see this again when it says, “Presidential reconstruction began in 1865 with the ratification() passing of the thirteenth amendment freeing slaves, and continued lincoln’s signature of the bill that created the Freedmen's Bureau. The Bureau was to feed both black and whites in the south, establish schools to teach former slaves to read and write, help them find paying jobs, and shield them from discrimination,” (Stage One: Presidential reconstruction 1865 - 1866.)
The Reconstruction affected the freed slaves economically, politically, and socially. There is no doubt that Freed slaves had no clothes and money plus black people voting rights were taken away. The African-Americans had negatives things, such as Sharecropping, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Ku Klux Klan. Sharecropping was the biggest economical reason that affected the freed slaves during reconstruction. Sharecropping means that the slaves had to give a portion of whatever they grew to their land owners.
I believe that African-Americans were not free during reconstruction. The first reason of why I believe this is because of black codes. “No negro shall reside within the limits of the town of Opelousas who is not in the regular service of some white person or former slave owner.” This is an example of a back code.
The Reconstruction Era of American history was plagued by many problems. One of the most important problems being the recently released from slavery Freedmen. Freedmen were in a tricky situation in which they had just been released from their owner and had nowhere to go, but the Federal Government made many successful attempts to help them out. The Government helped alleviate all the problems Freedmen had from their finances to basic needs and rights, and in doing so, made the period of reconstruction more helpful than harmful for Freedmen. The events of reconstruction were helpful to freedmen as they were not only freed from slavery, they were given rights directly from the federal government.
Who killed Reconstruction: The North or South? Following the civil war, the south killed the reconstruction of the United States. (Reconstruction was putting the country back together after the Civil War) There are many reasons why, the south slowed down the reconstruction of the United States, the main reason was freedmen were not seen as equals to the white.
The goal of the reconstruction politically was to integrate Southern states/rebel states back into the U.S., and socially was to integrate the freed slave population to the society. However, ex-confederates of the South resisted this because of the fear of complete turnover of their lives, and to maintain the social hierarchy, where African Americans remained at the bottom by default due to their race. Several organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan were formed to resist reconstruction and preserve white supremacy. Congress responded to the resistance by establishing the Freedmen 's Bureau, whose aimed was to build public schools and universities, provide food and medical care, political equality between blacks and whites and equal access to the judicial system. Lincoln planned to be lenient
Reconstruction was a period of time dedicated to rebuilding the nation after the Civil War. The war ended with the South being defeated and their economy being devastated. Many Southerners struggled after the war with rebuilding their land and lives. The President and Congress had to decide the terms for which the former Confederate states would be permitted to join the Union. President Lincoln’s plan for reuniting the country was found in the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.
At the end of the Civil War between the North and South arose the Reconstruction era. This was a time period of the late 1800s where the united states, specifically the North started to attempt the rebuilding of the South. Abolitionists were eager to see the end of slavery and Lincoln attempted to end slavery. President Lincoln attempted to put in place the Emancipation Proclamation which stated all slaves in confederate states would be free. This was to weaken the southern states; except, the confederate states did not obey.
Although many attempts were made to prioritize freedom and equality for all, these values were undermined by racist Southerners who wouldn’t accept equality. In the end, Reconstruction had failed and former slaves endured another hardship akin to slavery. However, Reconstruction still could have prospered. There are multiple events that, if they had occurred, Reconstruction would not have failed. For example, had the government continued to fund the Freedmen’s Bureau, then the South would have legislated their discriminatory laws much later, if not at all.
Reconstruction caused prejudice and inequality. To elaborate, the creation of the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Codes were both in the time period of reconstruction, which caused chaos and violence throughout the Union. One of the goals of reconstruction was to repair the economy in the South, because it depended on slavery, which was now illegal, due to the thirteenth amendment. The South’s economic system now depended on Sharecropping, which caused former slaves to be in constant debt and was unjust to the black society. The reconstruction time period, was a time of dispute between the Union.
The reconstruction period was a failure because African Americans, mainly males, were not treated with equality although the constitution said that the they were free and had the right to vote, be educated and had the right to liberty, life and the pursuit to happiness. Organizations, like the KKK, were created to harm freed slaves and their families. Laws were created such as the Black Codes restricting former slaves from their rights. African Americans endured a lot of violence over the years. “In Grayson, Texas, a white man and two friends murdered three former slaves because the wanted to ‘ thin the niggers out and drive them to their hole’”.
Pertaining to the rights of African Americans a new south did not appear after the reconstruction. While they were “free” they were often treated harshly and kept in a version of economic slavery by either their former masters or other white people in power. Sharecropping and the crop-lien system often had a negative impact on both the black and white tenants keeping them in debt with the owner. Jim Crow laws, vigilantes and various means of disfranchisement became the normal way of life in the South. It was believed that white people were superior to black people and when they moved up in politics or socially they were harassed and threatened.