The Crop-Lien System Analysis

Resistance to Reconstruction was incredibly aggressive and violent since Southerners were extremely appalled by the radical social transformations that were resulting from Reconstruction, so those Southerners terrorized and killed the Republicans and the black people responsible for the changes. Black people were supposedly guaranteed equality before the law by the 14th amendment, however, their rights were not always upheld. Southerners would kill black people over minor actions, like not yielding to whites on sidewalks or attempting to buy land. A terrorist organization, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), formed in 1866 to punish people who “defied the norms of white supremacy”. Ordinary black people were killed by the KKK alongside black and white

“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. Sharecropping becomes a minute step up from slavery when the fact that the workers rarely were paid if at all, that due to their debts, workers never owned their own land so they couldn’t support themselves, and that this practice

Although former slaves had been freed, they were still facing many struggles in free life. America’s plan for reconstruction had good intent, but did not give African Americans the equality they deserved. From segregation and voting laws to sharecropping, reconstruction did not turn out to be the success it had the potential to be. Many years later, we are

The early 1900s were a time of widespread social and political change in America. During this time, many Americans adopted new, more modern ideas about labor, cultural diversity and city life. Some of these Progressive ideas were brought about by the need for reform in the workplace due to the grown of large companies and rapid industrialization. Not everyone supported the ideas of the Progressive Movement, however. Anti-Progressives, especially in the South, preferred traditional, rural lifestyles, and a slower, simpler way of living. They resisted change brought about by industrialization, opposed immigration and integration, and held tightly to their racist beliefs, which continued to be validated by the Jim Crow laws. During this time,

Three constitutional amendments altered the nature of African American rights, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude.., shall exist in the United States…”(Section 1 Document D). “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subjected to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens,”(Section 2 Document D). “The right of citizens of the United states to vote shall not be denied,”(Section 3 Document D). Slavery was abolished, they were becoming citizens, and gained the rights to vote. Although these amendments seem great, the whites still found a way to torment free slaves. The African American males were eligible to vote now, but ended up not enjoying their citizenship and rights to vote. All African Americans were granted “The First Vote,”(Document F). They were now citizens and were allowed to vote due to the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment. This should have been a great moment in history for the blacks, but instead whites made them feel like being a citizen was bad and they hurt and tormented them. The Reconstruction Era negatively affected the South more so than the North politically.

The thirteenth amendment stated that all former slaves were granted freedom. The reconstruction period, “did create the essential constitutional foundation for further advances in the quest for equality”. It laid the building blocks for the future building for civil rights not just for blacks but women and other minorities. Former slaves, “ found comfort in their family and in the churches they established”. Blacks took community in each other and bonded over the mutual idea of freedom . They found each others company comforting a new way rather than the idea of fear bring them together. African Americans also, “enthusiastically participated in politics”. Black happily voted and became equal, by law, to whites because their voices were heard when it came to the

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).

The Civil War was the most destructive battle in American history. The hurricane of a battle lasted for four years and is responsible for 785,000-1,000,000 Union, Confederate, and slave casualties. The battle was fought for the overall emancipation of slaves, and the Union succeeded in fulfilling that goal. You would think that after that war and after slavery was abolished once and for all, everyone would be happy and everyone would join together and sing Kumbaya; however, that's not exactly what happened. The Reconstruction Era was more destructive for slaves than the war itself. After the war, freed slaves were denied the right to vote, they were not provided with jobs or a safe place to go once they were free, and there were groups of people

After the end of civil war in 1865, Reconstruction era, which was controlled by President Abraham Lincoln, appeared to quickly coalesce the Northern and Southern states. reconstruction amendments, which were approved between 1865 and 1870, played a huge role on giving legal rights to blacks and former slaves. 13th amendment constitutionally abolished slavery in 1865 and followed up by that, 14th and 15th amendment admitted equal citizenship, protection, and rights of suffrage despite the one’s race or skin color. Former slaves were no longer belongings of their owners. They had own rights to form their individual lives and participate in voting. Even Though the power was limited, in consequence, 6 blacks served in U.S congress during reconstruction era. This displays the significant power growth of blacks and great cooperation within the community. Along the amendments, Civil Rights Act of 1866 also

In the 19th century, slavery and the Reconstruction was a sore subject for the South. Reconstruction forged civil rights for African-Americans, but once the North’s influenced waned in the South, the South terrorized African-Americans and blocked them from accessing their newfound rights. While Reconstruction may have brought civil rights, those rights were quickly squashed by the South’s racism. Even after certain freedoms were securely gained, every new attempt to make African-Americans equal to the white populace was contested.

After the Civil War, a period that spanded from 1863 to 1877, known as the Reconstruction period began. This time in history focused on transforming the South and changing African American lives. Although progress was made during this time, set backs from white supremacy groups like the KluKlux Klan also known as the KKK, people with pre-civil war or racist mindsets, and goverment coruption,the full effect of the Reconstruction would not be truely experienced or seen for about the next century.

Looking these ruins that still lay here, I just sigh with disbelief. In 1876, after winning the war, America was on a complete roll. Many stuff were being established such as railroads, buildings, and etc.. America seemed so full of happiness. America even created opportunities so that every American would pursue their dreams (Background Essay,Para.1). I bet the other countries, also, were astonished of how quickly we were growing. It all seemed we were gonna always be a “happy” country. Then something devastating happened, the election of 1876. (Background Essay,Para.1). That officially destroyed million of black Americans, who lived

While there were exceptions of individuals fighting for more than equality by law for African Americans, such as John D. Baldwin who argued “a question concerning human rights” (Frederickson 379), there were racist ideals held that transcended political parties and regional affiliations alike. Radical democrats sought the most resistance with political leaders such as Representative James Brooks who preached in opposition to integration by claiming “the negro is not the equal of the white man, much less his master” (Frederickson 379). Arguments of black inferiority became based upon the false ethnology presented by Josiah Nott that physically and mentally ranked the black race below other races. Even radical republicans became contradictory in their views claiming African Americans were different due to their inability to conquer and dominate like white people had; insinuating that white domination could not be challenged. Although there was a period following the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 and 1868 in which former slaves were granted citizenship, their involvement in politics became rendered by the lack of education previously provided to slaves and inability of “withstanding the economic, political, and paramilitary opposition of the white majority” (Frederickson 382). Frederickson argues African Americans simply did not have the time or preparation to oppose racist forces. Using paramilitary forces, southern redeemers easily made threats to reconstruction forces as seen through the emergence of the violent Ku Klux Klan during the election of 1866. The opportunity for African Americans to gain a stance in society was short lived by the racist efforts of democrats in the south and impartial ideals from

He then goes into detail about the low percentages of the African American people who were in congress or in higher offices for the negro carpet bag rule. Although many African Americans that studied in the north returned to the south after the war, many were still illiterate and unprepared to participate in voting which lead to corruption. The author then reports Caucasian men were corrupt in a way that decreased the African Americans from being officials or testifying against a Caucasian and overthrowing them. The author concludes with the Ku Klux Klan which terrorized the African American with violence due to the increase of Caucasians not tolerating blacks as

It is not so significant that racial equality is achieved, or there is no race-based discrimination rampant in society, but it is enough that African Americans are able to accomplish more than they were before the Civil War and Reconstruction. For example, after the passing of the first of three Reconstruction Amendments, the 13th Amendment, slavery was abolished but many states enacted different laws and economic institutions that hindered the newly freed slaves. These setbacks were devastating for the majority of the southern black population, but with freedom came more opportunity for future generations of African Americans. For example, in the case of former slave Bill Simms, he’d lost his sister when she was sold to another slave owner and he’d only learned to read and write after he’d reached adulthood but his daughters were able to have more opportunities than he or his wife had. “…I promised [my wife] on her death bed, that I would educate our girls. So I worked and sent the girls to school. My two girls both graduated from Ottawa University, the oldest one being the first colored girl to ever graduate from that school.” (An Ex-Slave Recalls his Migration Across the Prairie, 48) Along with this, many African Americans were able to take leadership positions in different communities during Reconstruction: “During Reconstruction, black men held