...Reconstruction of the United states of America was a big failure and here are some reasons why. The government never had taken the biggest step and that was land redistribution. After the civil war slaves were left with no economic rights and basically became peasants to society and had no lives and couldn't live like they would of liked to. “Freeing slaves also led to crippling the land and the foundation of the south.” The reconstruction of the south lasted between the years of 1865 to 1877. Republican legislature failed to protect people who were once slaves from the white people that had been apart of the persecution committee. The supreme court eventually came to totally get rid of anti-progressive legislation to reverse the rights...
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...Reconstruction was America's first big issue dealing with democracy. DuBois argues that racism was used to justify economic oppression. The reconstruction of America was a fail due to equality, restrictions, and government. Many events took place during reconstruction in the 18th and 19th century, which has caused a fail to America. Reconstruction was the time period following the Civil war in The United States of America. In 1865, Presidential reconstruction came about. Congress had established the Freedmen’s Bureau. This was used in order to assist former slaves in the upcoming to freedom.( 13th amendment) The ten point percent plan that was made by Lincoln was shortly changed after his assassination in 1865. Lincoln’s assassination gave Radical Republicans in Congress the power they needed in order to implement their plan for reconstruction. Andrew Johnson later became president. He ordered for Freedmen’s Bureau to return all confiscated lands to their original owners where he had then approved new state constitutions. Later, in 1868 the 14th amendment was ratified. It addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws....
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...Change does not happen overnight, especially when it involves breaking former beliefs and rules in a society. In pre-civil war America, slavery was part of the American culture and lifestyle. The reconstruction era was a period of rebuilding and reevaluating the foundation for the United States after the civil war. It was a buffer period that allowed for the fight for equal civil and political rights of African Americans to be introduced into a dominant white society. The events and values of Reconstruction did not dramatically transform African Americans lives at the time due to Black Codes, the fight for suffrage, and Jim Crow Laws. To undermine the legal status change of former slaves, states created the Black Codes. The thirteenth amendment...
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...Abby Ortega Dr. Ross-Nazzal Hist 1301 May 9, 2016 Describe the “new birth of freedom” Lincoln called for in 1863 for that happened during Reconstruction. This essay will examine the new birth of freedom. On December 8, 1863, President Lincoln offered a preliminary plan to reunite Confederate states with the Union. The Civil War, in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, brought to America "a new birth of freedom." President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."By the war's end it was already clear that Reconstruction would bring far-reaching changes in Southern society and a redefinition of the place of blacks in American life. This is important because the expansive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in many ways. It applied only to states that had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal Border States. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy that had already come under Northern control. Most important, the freedom it promised depended upon Union military victory. Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops...
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...The Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Student’s Name Institution The Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Reconstruction of modern America was not a missed opportunity because of rapid economic growth and prosperity, unified nation with a powerful government and political and business reforms (Carnes, Mark & Garraty, 2011). During this period in the 19th century, America emerged as an industrial power and agricultural power mostly in the North and the West and not in the South. This phase of reconstruction made America dominate as the World’s largest economic power. America also rose as a superpower nation with one of the strongest governments in the world (Kennedy, David, Cohen & Lizabeth, 2012). Another positive effect of reconstruction of America is that it led to an end of the infamous Trans-Atlantic slave trade. In this trade, slaves were sourced from West Africa and were sold in the slave markets in America, slaves were sold to be exploited as cheap sources of labor, they were treated inhumanely. Reconstruction, therefore, ended this commerce and gave the slaves their right of citizenship. Actually, in 1867 and for the first time slaves were allowed to vote. Reconstruction era also led to social and business reforms in America. These changes resulted in the expansion of government and education, curtailment of excesses, recognition of the...
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...The Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Student’s Name Institution The Emergence of Modern America from Reconstruction to an Industrial Power (1865 – 1890) Reconstruction of modern America was not a missed opportunity because of rapid economic growth and prosperity, unified nation with a powerful government and political and business reforms (Carnes, Mark & Garraty, 2011). During this period in the 19th century, America emerged as an industrial power and agricultural power mostly in the North and the West and not in the South. This phase of reconstruction made America dominate as the World’s largest economic power. America also rose as a superpower nation with one of the strongest governments in the world (Kennedy, David, Cohen & Lizabeth, 2012). Another positive effect of reconstruction of America is that it led to an end of the infamous Trans-Atlantic slave trade. In this trade, slaves were sourced from West Africa and were sold in the slave markets in America, slaves were sold to be exploited as cheap sources of labor, they were treated inhumanely. Reconstruction, therefore, ended this commerce and gave the slaves their right of citizenship. Actually, in 1867 and for the first time slaves were allowed to vote. Reconstruction era also led to social and business reforms in America. These changes resulted in the expansion of government and education, curtailment of excesses, recognition of the...
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...Reconstruction: The Post War Era Lindsay Pone Professor Goldstein History 105 Strayer University 01/30/2013 Reconstruction: The Post Civil War Era Friday April 12, 1861, America embarked into war with its biggest adversary; America! The American Civil War broke out, and what was believed to be a quick battle by the North, turned out to be a long bloody four years and left the country devastated. President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, successfully lead this country through its greatest constitutional, military and moral crisis. Everything he did was in the best interest in preserving this nation to what it is today. If President Lincoln task of preserving the union would have failed, our nation would be a split nation today. All the events of the Civil War are what truly shaped the face of America today. The President knew that if he wanted to preserve this nation as a whole, not only would he have to win the war, but he would have to have a plan in place to immediately fix the nation to help it move forward from war. During his time in the white house and towards the end of the war, when it was evident the North would prevail, he worked on a reconstruction plan to get the South up and moving. During the war, the northern armies had gone through the South destroying everything that would help the south to prevail in the war. The agricultural belt that was the strength of the was nothing more than ashes as...
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...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, p. 279). A second historical event, The Industrial...
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...As the Civil War came to an end, the United States of America had become an undivided nation. The United States of America went into a Reconstruction era, which Northern political leaders created strategies to get the government of the South to rejoin the Union. This era attempted to rebuild a shattered nation by resolving some of the major issues with the Reconstruction Amendments. There were many changes being made during this time period from the abolishing of slavery to giving everyone equal rights and privileges, to granting African American the right to vote. This led to the creation of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth (Reconstruction) amendments which benefited African American in many ways and has change their life for the...
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...In 1865, the time where enslaved African-Americans were liberated, reconstruction began. Reconstruction in the United States of America started when the 13th amendment was established. The thirteenth amendment was considered a reconstruction amendment along with the fourteenth and fifteenth amendment. The thirteenth amendment purpose was to ban slavery and involuntary servitude. The fourteenth amendment defined natural citizenship and granted every citizen equal rights. The fifteenth amendment declares every citizen the right to vote. The reconstruction amendments are viewed as a constructive apparatus for the United States judicial system. However, the thirteenth amendment includes exceptions to who's granted freedom rights. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as...
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...As a country, America has gone through many political changes throughout her lifetime. Leaders have come and gone, all of them having different objectives and plans for the future. As history takes its course, though, most all of these “revolutionary movements” come to an end. One such movement was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time period in America consisting of many leaders, goals and accomplishments. Though, like all things in life, it did come to an end, the resulting outcome has been labeled both a success and a failure. When Reconstruction began in 1865, a broken America had just finished fighting the Civil War. In all respects, Reconstruction was mainly just that. It was a time period of “putting back the pieces”, as people say. It was the point where America attempted to become a full running country once more. This, though, was not an easy task. The memory of massive death was still in the front of everyone’s mind, hardening into resentment and sometimes even hatred. The south was virtually non-existent politically or economically, and searching desperately for a way back in. Along with these things, now living amongst the population were almost four million former slaves, who had no idea how to make a living on their own. They had been freed by the 13th amendment in 1865, and in the future became a great concern to many political leaders. Still, it was no secret that something had to be done. So, as usually happens, political leaders appeared on the stage...
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...The essay below was a very strong essay answering the question about Reconstruction. It was an actual essay (word for word) written by one of the students in class. It received 28.5 points out of 30. This was a great essay; about the only comment I would write was that the thesis in the introduction could have been a little more direct: As a country, America has gone though many political changes throughout her lifetime. Leaders have come and gone, all of them having different objectives and plans for the future. As history takes its course, though, most all of these “revolutionary movements” come to an end. One such movement was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time period in America consisting of many leaders, goals and accomplishments. Though, like all things in life, it did come to an end, the resulting outcome has been labeled both a success and a failure. When Reconstruction began in 1865, a broken America had just finished fighting the Civil War. In all respects, Reconstruction was mainly just that. It was a time period of “putting back the pieces”, as people say. It was the point where America attempted to become a full running country once more. This, though, was not an easy task. The memory of massive death was still in the front of everyone’s mind, hardening into resentment and sometimes even hatred. The south was virtually non-existent politically or economically, and searching desperately for a way back in. Along with these things, now living...
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...How promising was the period of reconstruction for African Americans? (50 marks) After the end of the civil war in 1865 and the abolition of slavery, a period of reconstruction followed where by the government hoped to seize control of the south and rebuild America. Some historians argue this was a promising period for the newly freed slaves where as others would argue it was a crisis and thus a negative period for the African Americans. When looking at reconstruction one must consider the economic, legal, social and political impacts it had on the African Americans. One argument that suggests that reconstruction was promising for the African Americans was the passing of the 14th amendment. This stated that all persons born or naturalized in America were citizens. Not only did this overturn the black codes but also meant that states could not limit the right of citizenship for African Americans, resulting in them having the full protection of the law. Moreover the passing of this law secured the rights for black children (from two freed slaves) as well as securing the rights for black Americans in the future. Therefore providing strong evidence to why reconstruction was promising for AA’s. Furthermore, the 15th amendment was also passed during the period of reconstructions which intended to secure the voting rights for AA’s. As a result of this 700,000 AA’s registered to vote, not only was this a success for AA’s, some historians argue that it was also a big success for the...
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...Reconstruction will continue to be one of the most hotly contested periods of time in US history. It is a time the still young country was trying to slowly mend the wounds torn open by the War of the Rebellion, or the Civil War. It was these moments that would determine the fate of the freedman in the south, and all over. The article “The New View of Reconstruction” by Eric Foner sheds brilliant new light on an age-old opinion. It was a commonly held belief that Reconstruction was the time when the radical northerners, or the Vindictives, enforced black supremacy upon the helpless south, while the carpetbaggers made a fortune amid the chaos. Eric Foner’s article highlights that this interpretation of Reconstruction was fostered by anti-Reconstruction propaganda and adopted academically by William Dunning around the turn of the century. He further brings out that films like Birth of a Nation and Gone With the Wind spread the myth-like idea of the years after the Civil War. Foner explains that this view of Reconstruction was widely accepted because it fit with the political and social mentalities of the time that allowed white southerners to vehemently oppose integration and true black suffrage. Despite the convenience of the traditional view of Reconstruction it would soon lose prominence. The original opinion was that Lincoln was ready to accept the South with little reprimands and that Johnson tried to fulfill Lincoln’s policies, the current opinion, as stated by Foner, is “President...
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...Introduction The current America we know today is not comparable to the America which existed after the civil war. Great things such as urbanization, equal rights for citizens and the two major wars have made us understand the current United States. Since the time United States ended slavery, a lot of great things have happened. Some of the major ones being the period of reconstruction, Civil Rights Movement, the great depression and the World wars I and II. The aim of this paper is to compare the views of America a Narrative History 9th edition by George Brown Tindall and those of America Compared 2nd edition by Carl J. Guarneri. According to the two authors the history of United States since 1965 somehow differs. According to (Tindall, George Brown, and David, 196), the period of reconstruction, lasting from 1865 to 1876 was a period when the nation tried to restructure itself and incorporate the southern states which became part of the union. The freed men from the South had found themselves with no system to control them in their lives. So they had to look for a way to incorporate them in a still society that was biased against them. The reconstruction dealt with the transformation of southern states. During this period, a little social or political agreement was available on issues such as who was supposed to vote and how the southern states were going to rebuild themselves after the destruction of their centers and losing slave labor. The reconstruction was enabled by...
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