...America's Post-Civil War Growing Pains Stacey Planz Strayer University Contemporary U.S. History HIS 105 Professor Regan Smith January 27, 2013 America's Post-Civil War Growing Pains This paper will address the period from Reconstruction through widespread industrialization in the Western United States during the time period of 1865 – 1900. 1. Identify at least (2) two major historical turning points in the period under discussion. The year 1865 began an era of presidential reconstruction. Upon Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson became president. During this time he unveiled his plan for Reconstruction: (1) scrapping the “40-acres-and-a-mule” plan suggested in the charter of the Freedmen’s Bureau and (2) creating a tough loyalty oath that many southerners could take in order to receive a pardon for their participation in the rebellion (Schultz, 2012, p. 278). Many southern states returned Confederate leaders to political power and they went onto create “black codes” modeled on the slave codes that existed prior to the Civil War (Schultz, 2012, p. 279). Johnson did nothing to prevent the South from re-imposing these conditions on the black population (Schultz, 2012, p. 279). This led The Radical Republican party made up of northerners since no southerners were in congress yet, a time known as Radical Reconstruction. The Radical Republicans moved swiftly to pass the important Civil Rights Act, which counteracted the South’s new black codes (Schultz, 2012...
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...America’s Post-Civil War Growing Pains The Reconstruction Era was the time period from 1865-1877 after the Civil War ended. The South was severely damaged from the war. Farms, railroads and bridges were destroyed and The South had tremendous hurdles to overcome to get back on track. The North entered a time where politicians took the opportunity to pass laws that southerners in Congress had resisted before. Businesses started to boom and take shape. The Reconstruction Era was the time period where the government attempts to resolve the issues resulting from the end of the Civil War. One turning point was The Freedman’s Bureau was established by Congress in 1865 to build schools, food and medical care to needy southern black and white people and to ensure equal access to the judicial system for southerners both black and white. It also urged former slave owners and former slaves to work as employers and employees rather than master and slaves. The Bureau was managed by Union Army General Oliver O. Howard, in which the historical black college Howard University is named after. The biggest achievement by the bureau was in education. Before the Civil War, there were no state-supported public education which still in effect today. The ex-slaves long to learn to read and write, and this was a major priority for the bureau and by 1870 more than 1,000 schools had be established. The Freedman’s Bureau was only suppose last for a year, but Congress renewed its charter bill extended...
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...Assignment #1 – “America’s Post-Civil War Growing Pains” By Keith A. Watterson Strayer University Dr. Hammons Spring 2013 Two major historical turning points from the period in United States history know as Reconstruction, (1865-1877), were; how to integrate rebel states back into the nation and the social dilemma of how to integrate four (4) million newly freed slaves. This paper will show that almost all major problems faced by all people, (regardless of color or ethnicity), during this period, stemmed from these two conditions. These two turning points have an effect on current society in many ways. Though slavery has been over for many decades, America is still feeling the trickle down effects of this long gone institution. Black and White relations in the South (and North) though much, much better than many years ago, still has pockets of racism throughout the country. Also, though it is not as blatant as in the past, people still possess some of the same prejudices that they did in the 1800’s. Personally, this became evident to me during the last presidential election. Many people did not listen to what either candidate was saying but looked directly at their color, race, and ethnicity. I think this election divided America, though no one would say it publically. Once it was decided, everyone made their feelings known by saying “well I did not vote for this program or that program”, which was just another way of saying I did not vote for the candidate that...
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...treatment of slaves is, horrible. They were finally granted freedom during the Reconstruction period. Although, they were free, life was still extremely difficult for blacks in America especially in the southern states. It would take many years before life improved for the former enslaved African-Americans in the United States of America. According to Smith (2010),” the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 abolished slavery”. The first thing many freed slaves did was move. Most slaves wanted to reunite with family members they lost due to the slave trade. Freed African-Americans wanted to establish their own churches and schools. Many schools for African-Americans opened in the southern states. Strong bonds between families was the backbone of the post war African-American community. Slave marriages had no legal standing at all. After emancipation thousands of freed African-Americans registered their unions before the army, Freedmans Bureau, and local governments. White southerners were scratching their heads trying to figure out a new system of labor to replace the one that was destroyed by slavery coming to an end. Former slave owners were use to having complete power over their workplace. Many of them wanted to reestablish the stronghold they had during slavery. The newly freed African-Americans did not take a liking to this and would absolutely not accept it. Former slaves felt like they should have a...
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...Reconstruction: The process of reestablishing the union to again include the seceded states began during the war and lasted until 1877. Abraham Lincoln believed secession was unconstitutional, and so legally, the Southern states were still in the union. He believed the executive branch, particularly the president, should establish the process of reconstruction and the terms should be generous. As the union army gained control of seceded states such as Tennessee, Lincoln appointed military governors and was prepared to recognize a new state government once 10 percent of the state’s 1860 voting population swore allegiance to the union. Members of congress in 1864 presented their own much less generous plan, but Lincoln did not sign the bill, angering the radical or extreme Republican in congress. Republican in Congress, more interested in punishing the south than Lincoln was bristled at Lincoln’s leniency. In opposition to Lincoln’s plan they passed the Wade-Davis bill, which would have allowed a southern state back into the union only after 50 percent of the population had taken the loyalty oath. Furthermore, to earn the right to vote or to serve in a constitutional convention, southerners would have to take a second oath, called the iron-clad oath that testified that they had never voluntarily aided or abetted the rebellion. Lincoln vetoed the bill, but the battle about reconstruction continued. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was shot in the back of the head while watching a...
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...during this period. I will discuss the impact of the two major historical turning points on America’s society, economy, politics, and culture. I’ll discuss some possible ways the Reconstruction period may have turned out differently if President Lincoln hadn’t been assassinated. I’ll explain how industrialization and urbanization affected the average working American during this time. Last, I’ll touch on how the federal and/or state governments handed down decisions or passed laws during this period that served to discriminate against non-white citizens and immigrants. The assassination of President Lincoln was a large historical turning point during this time period. After Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson took office. President Johnson was a Democratic Unionist who was originally from the South. Many considered him an insecure man looking for approval from the South’s planter aristocracy (Shultz, 2012, p. 278). Due to this, Johnson and the Radical Republicans who held a lot of power in Congress were constantly at odds. During the Radical Republicans reign, they were able to pass several laws which often overrode the Presidents veto. If President Lincoln hadn’t been assassinated, the Reconstruction may have turned out differently. Many believe that Lincoln would have done more to help the economy of the southern states which would have helped heal the wounds from the war. African Americans would have also been treated differently. The black codes would have never...
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...the first covers the complete history of the entire U.S. from 1865 to 1877 following the Civil War; the second sense focuses on the transformation of the Southern United States from 1863 to 1877 as directed by the President with the reconstruction of state and society. Reconstruction was an era in the United States history after the Civil War, in which federal government set the conditions that would allow rebellious southern states back in the union. The ultimate goal of reconstruction was to readmit the south in ways that was acceptable to the North. This meant full political and civil equality for blacks and denial for the political rights of whites. 1865-1877 in the U.S. history, was a period of readjustment following the civil war. The defeated south was ruined, physical destruction brought upon by the invading union forces were great, and the old social economic order founded on slavery had collapsed with nothing to replace it. There were 11 confederate states that needed to be restored to their positions in the union. Radical Republican leaders argued that slavery and the slave power had to be permanently destroyed, and all forms of confederate nationalism had to be suppressed. Before the end of the war, President Lincoln began the task of restoration. “Lincoln was motivated with a desire to build a strong republican party in the south and to end the bitterness developed by the war.” Lincoln issued a proclamation on December 8, 1863 of amnesty and reconstruction for those...
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...America’s Post-Civil War Growing Pains By Jason Strawbridge Irina Popova-Nowak Comtemp U.S. History 4/22/2012 America suffered growing pains after the Civil War. In my humble opinion, two events were crucial to the growth of the nation. Reconstruction, sometimes known as America’s unfinished Revolution, and the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution, which stated that “The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude”. These events catapulted the nation to incredible growth and painful adjustments for the population. Reconstruction was then and is today an on-going project. During the post-civil war times, it was a struggle to unite a divided country and today it is a struggle for those black Americans that still blame their current conditions on the slavery that was forced on their culture so many, many years ago. The 15th Amendment, when passed in 1896, gave the freed men a reason and incentive to fight and get involved in government. Sadly, this great Amendment lay dormant for many years until the 1960s, when another attempt at aligning American sentimentality with the constitution, through the Civil Rights movement. Economically speaking, Reconstruction remains relevant in today’s economy because the issues central to it, the role of the Federal government in protecting citizen’s rights, and the possibility of economic and racial justice...
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...merica's Post Civil War America’s Post Civil War Growing Pains HIS 105 – Contemporary U.S. History January 30, 2013 “America’s post civil war growing pains” In 1619, African-Americans were forced into slavery and roughly 244 years later, in 1863, as the nation approached its third year of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring that all persons held as slaves were to be freed (U.S. National Archives & Record Administration, 2013). Despite the vague verbiage of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln, the proclamation was repressed in many ways and did not end slavery as implied, or intended (Freeman, J., 2011). In January of 1865, began the downfall of the Confederacy. In the U.S., post Civil War, Reconstruction began abolishing slavery (Freeman, J., 2011). The Union victory at War promised a new future for the South's 4,000,000 freed African-American men, women and children, who were once slaves (Freeman, J., 2011). After the Civil War ended in May 1865, freedom was to put forth new opportunities for the newly freed African-American slaves (Azpiroz, X., 2012). The year following the Civil War, congress passed the Civil Rights act of 1866 (Azpiroz, X., 2012). The civil Rights Act of 1866 declared that all persons born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, are hereby declared to be citizens of the United States; and such citizens, of every...
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...America’s Post-Civil War Growing Pains Alyssa Harpster Dr. James Allen History 105 January 27, 2013 There were three major turning points during the period of 1865 -1900. (Schultz, 2012) states that reconstruction is the federal government’s attempt to resolve the issues resulting from the end of the Civil War. Lincoln (Schultz 2012) says issued a ten-percent plan offered amnesty to any southerner who proclaimed loyalty to the Union and support the emancipation of slaves. Once 10 percent of voters signed the oath in the election 1860, it could create a new state government and reenter the Union according to (Schultz 2012). Another major turning point was industrialization. (Schultz 2012) states that the Civil War stimulated the industrial development, with the expansion of the railroad and numerous scientific breakthroughs. The third major turning point during this period was the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. (Schultz 2012) Lincoln was shot while watching a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. With the death of Lincoln, Andrew Johnson became the next President, and he had no concern for the future of the black people in America according to (Schultz 2012). Two major historical turning points on America’s current society are the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment and advertising. (Schultz 2012) says the Fifteenth Amendment prohibited any state from denying citizens the right to...
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...Since almost the beginning of civilized time art has been a way to express emotions and some have even used art to let go of feelings. There are countless different types of art: music, sculpture, painting, ballet, literature, and others. Every person has a different, defined style of fine art. America has a very distinguished type of literature greatly influenced by the wars of America’s past from the very beginning as colonies to post Cold War United States. Nineteenth and twentieth century America was greatly influenced by the Civil War. There was a great suffrage movement happening at the same time, the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. One type of art used to express feelings is poetry. Emily Dickinson stands out as a poet of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era because her poetry communicated her...
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...America's Post-Civil War Growing Pains Dayna L. Wingert Professor Smith HIS 105 January 22, 2012 In 1865, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia General Robert E. Lee surrendered 27,800 Confederate troops to Grant. This eventually brought about the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, that abolished slavery in this country. The Thirteenth Amendment states that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” (Becker, 1999) This was easily the most significant turning point in the era of Reconstruction. In today's society all races are integrated, this is what creates the American culture. In 2008, all races came together to shatter more than two hundred years of history by electing Barrack Obama, the first African American President of the United States. President Obama put the sentiments of this history making night in to words by stating “Young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled, Americans have sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of red states and blue states,” he said. “We have been and always will be the United States of America.” (Johnson, Nove) This is a testament to the end of slavery and the profound impact it has had...
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...Beloved Research Paper Prompt #5 Final Infanticide, neglect, rape, starvation, and loss are all terms describing what the institution of slavery may result in. These same words, however, can very easily fit to summarize Toni Morrison’s Beloved, a story that not only captures the overall theme of slavery, but also delves into a deeper understanding of what these hardships entail. Within it’s controversial pages, Toni Morrison’s Beloved properly and accurately portrays slavery’s brutality and harsh conditions. It is true that the Middle Passage was the largest migration of any group of persons, but no historian could completely grasp what trials and tribulations that this event encompasses. In Beloved, Morrison demonstrates just one of the many cruelties during the long journey across the Atlantic. Sethe recalls the sexual violence her mother encountered while being brought from Africa and the trauma brought about by such. Both Sethe’s mother and Nan were “taken up many times by the crew” (Morrison 66). During the travel to the New World, women were within a closer proximity to the deck and thus, closer to the white men on board. These black women on board were “prey to captains and crew members who would often rape them”, along with other forms of violence to keep order (Rice 9). Sethe’s mother was so affected by the traumatic experience that she murdered her children that were conceived from the white men raping her. This idea of sexual violence is not an exaggeration...
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...UVA-BC-0177 THE THIRD BATTLE OF BULL RUN: THE DISNEY’S AMERICA THEME PARK (A) When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme. . . . —Jiminy Cricket On September 22, 1994, Michael Eisner, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, one of the most powerful and well-known media conglomerates in the world, stared out the window of his Burbank office, contemplating the current situation surrounding the Disney’s America theme park. Ever since November 8, 1993, when the Wall Street Journal first broke the news that Disney was planning to build a theme park near Washington, DC, ongoing national debate over the location and concept of the $650 million park caused tremendous frustration. Eisner thought back over the events of the past year. How could his great idea have run into such formidable resistance? The Controversy Comes to a Head Eisner’s secretary clipped several newspaper articles covering two parades that took place on September 17 in Washington, DC. Several hundred Disney opponents from over 50 anti-Disney organizations marched past the White House and rallied on the National Mall in protest of the park. On the same day in the streets of Haymarket, Virginia near the proposed park site, Mickey Mouse and 101 local children dressed as Dalmatians appeared in a parade that was filled with pro-Disney sentiment. Eisner was particularly struck by the contrast between the two pictures:...
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...UVA-BC-0177 THE THIRD BATTLE OF BULL RUN: THE DISNEY’S AMERICA THEME PARK (A) When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme. . . . —Jiminy Cricket On September 22, 1994, Michael Eisner, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, one of the most powerful and well-known media conglomerates in the world, stared out the window of his Burbank office, contemplating the current situation surrounding the Disney’s America theme park. Ever since November 8, 1993, when the Wall Street Journal first broke the news that Disney was planning to build a theme park near Washington, DC, ongoing national debate over the location and concept of the $650 million park caused tremendous frustration. Eisner thought back over the events of the past year. How could his great idea have run into such formidable resistance? The Controversy Comes to a Head Eisner’s secretary clipped several newspaper articles covering two parades that took place on September 17 in Washington, DC. Several hundred Disney opponents from over 50 anti-Disney organizations marched past the White House and rallied on the National Mall in protest of the park. On the same day in the streets of Haymarket, Virginia near the proposed park site, Mickey Mouse and 101 local children dressed as Dalmatians appeared in a parade that was filled with pro-Disney sentiment. Eisner was particularly struck by the contrast between the two...
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