The Civil War and the period of Reconstruction brought significant political, social, and economic changes to American society, and these effects continued into the 20th century. Post Civil War - President Abraham Lincoln and Congress were focused on rebuilding the nation, the South, in particular. Changes made during Reconstruction greatly impacted the lives of many African Americans. African Americans (treatment – some efforts were made to achieve equality, however, many suffered continued discrimination) Political: Use Document 1 and Document 8 to support Background: The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified by Congress on the 31st of January 1865, abolished slavery in the United States. • Document 1: The 14th Amendment, …show more content…
Although slavery was abolished and African Americans were granted citizenship, they still suffered from racial inequality. Widespread racism continued to oppress African Americans. Document 6 – A Public Fountain in North Carolina 1950 by photographer, Steve Kasher (The Civil Rights Movement). Segregation in public facilities – This photograph by Elliot Erwitt epitomizes racial discrimination in the South during 1950. Erwitt captured a colored man drinking from a water fountain designed solely (reserved solely) for African Americans - segregated water fountains ➢ This was not uncommon in the South ➢ The interaction between races was minimized o Plessy vs. Ferguson Supreme Court Case supported segregation: • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities under the doctrine of "separate but …show more content…
While they experienced freedom and were provided with newer opportunities, many did not have the means to support themselves and became economically dependent on the white plantation farmers. The Freedmen’s Bureau was a federal agency that was established to aid and protect the African Americans. However, as noted in Document 2, the Freedmen’s Bureau did little to help. Frederick Douglas describes how the emancipated slaves were treated, “The very manner of their [African Americans] emancipation invited to the heads of the freedman the bitterest hostility of race and class…They were sent away empty-handed, without money, without friends, and without foot of land to stand upon. Old and young, sick and well, were turned loose to the open sky, naked to their enemies.” Support Document 4: Left with no other option, many African Americans became tenant farmers on their former plantations. (System of sharecropping – cycle of debt – a type of slavery, they tried to escape fro many
On December 6 of 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution was passed by Congress on January 31 of 1865 is finally accepted; Slavery is finally
Although slavery was declared over after the passing of the thirteenth amendment, African Americans were not being treated with the respect or equality they deserved. Socially, politically and economically, African American people were not being given equal opportunities as white people. They had certain laws directed at them, which held them back from being equal to their white peers. They also had certain requirements, making it difficult for many African Americans to participate in the opportunity to vote for government leaders. Although they were freed from slavery, there was still a long way to go for equality through America’s reconstruction plan.
Annabelle Wintson Bower History 8A March 12, 2018 Title Although the slavery was abolished in 1865, the rights given to African Americans were not nearly equal to those of white Americans. After slavery was abolished, inequality in American society ran high, and many laws were put in place to restrict the rights and abilities of African Americans. Some laws include the Jim Crow Laws (1870 to 1950s) and the Supreme Court Ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that ruled that there could be “separate but equal” facilities and services for people of color and white Americans.
African Americans face a struggle with racism which has been present in our country before the Civil War began in 1861. America still faces racism today however, around the 1920’s the daily life of an African American slowly began to improve. Thus, this time period was known by many, as the “Negro Fad” (O’Neill). The quality of life and freedom of African Americans that lived in the United States was constantly evolving and never completely considered ‘equal’. From being enslaved, to fighting for their freedom, African Americans were greatly changing the status quo and beginning to make their mark in the United States.
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States of America permanently. Lincoln helped establish the 13th Amendment because he had to sign a joint resolution making the proposed amendment to the constitution to officially end slavery in the United States of America. Lincoln also states in the Gettysburg Address that “all men are created equal.” ( Document A) The quote also shows us his mindset on slaves and whether he thinks they should be free or not.
During this time period, blacks had many different statuses. Some were slaves forever, some were like indentured servants. They were allowed to actually own property, get married and after they served their time they were freed. Slaves were at the bottom of the social order but the individuals above them were not much better. The white people that were poor did not have as many hardships because they always thought at least they were not slaves, even though they were towards the bottom of the social structure.
The devastation of the war and the collapse of the economy left an abundance of people unemployed, homeless, and hungry. In March 1865, Congress established the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, better known as the Freedmen’s Bureau. The Bureau was responsible for feeding and clothing war refugees in the South using surplus of army supplied. The Bureau issued nearly 30,000 rations a day for the next year. Additionally, the Bureau assisted formerly enslaved people find work on plantations.
The American civil war led to the reunion of the South and the North. But, its consequences led the Republicans to take the lead of reconstructing what the war had destroyed especially in the South because it contained larger numbers of newly freed slaves. Just after the civil war, America entered into what was called as the reconstruction era. Reconstruction refers to when “the federal government established the terms on which rebellious Southern states would be integrated back into the Union” (Watts 246). As a further matter, it also meant “the process of helping the 4 million freed slaves after the civil war [to] make the transition to freedom” (DeFord and Schwarz 96).
They freed themselves by 1865. They founded institutions, for example, black colleges, churches, banks, insurance companies, fraternities and sororities to uplift their race. “The process of enslavement was almost unbelievably painful and bewildering for the Africans. Completely cut off from their native land,
The Reconstruction period lasted from 1865 to 1877. The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendment were created during the twelve years of rebuilding the country. All of the amendments were made to protect former slaves and their rights but on paper they did not have any rights. The reconstruction period had its successes and failures.
Reflection on the Reconstruction Period The reconstruction period was a time of cause and effect. It was a time when in order to rebuild the strength of society economically, socially, and politically after a the loss of life and stability in the civil war. In the socratic seminar we discussed how the during the reconstruction period the goal was to ‘fix’ the south as in the eyes of the government, they were the cause of the problem.
Evaluating Cruelty: Sharecropping and Slavery “After the Civil War, former slaves sought jobs, and planters sought laborers. The absence of cash or an independent credit system led to the creation of sharecropping” (Pollard para. 1). Sharecropping is the action of allowing workers, called sharecroppers, to work on someone else’s farm. This let former slaves find jobs; however, farmers found loopholes to exploit the former slaves. Because of this, the workers were rarely paid the amount they needed for their needs.
On April 8, 1864, the 13 amendment passed the Senate and passed the House of Congress on January 31, 1865. The 13th amendment declared freedom for all African-American slaves. Passing the 13th amendment cause the South to disagree with the North and the President of 1860, Abraham
Slaves and free blacks had the worst experiences out of all minority groups. Slaves contributed the most to America’s economy, but they reaped the least benefits for their hard work under their white planter oppressors. Auctioneers ripped children out of their mother’s arms and husbands away from wives, splitting families apart. Some people tried to send slaves to Liberia in hope of clearing the population, yet this practice ceased due to the increasingly low numbers of participants giving slaves away. White males kept free black away from work and travel to ensure their own chances of attaining jobs.
The 13th amendment was passed by the congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the states on december 6, 1865. President Lincoln made the Emancipation Proclamation declaring “all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” The Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation But it started to help abolishing slavery and making it and