Reconstruction Dbq

Post-Reconstruction US was a very difficult time for many groups of people within the US. These people, specifically blacks, struggled to get and maintain jobs due to Jim Crow laws and severe racism and segregation. Sharecropping also limited the amount former slaves could rise on the social ladder, as it was basically a legal form of segregation. Doc. 7 shows this by proving that very little blacks were actually born in Philadelphia, a city notorious for its black population.

“By war, God is regenerating this Nation.” (182) The blacks that fought wanted more than the abolishment of slavery. They wanted rights that every human should have. They wanted to go to school, own property, and even

It seemed for a while that equal rights for the African-Americans would soon be granted. The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments were made. But then the South began

African Americans weren’t actually free during Reconstruction because they were initially not accorded the full rights of citizenship under the constitution, they were forced into submission by violence and intimidation, and were abridged the rights they had later gained by Black Codes. Despite the fact that African Americans were liberated from slavery, during the early years of Reconstruction, they were not equal citizens under the law. Even though blacks had fought loyally for the union, they were initially denied the right to vote (Doc a). The President of the United States, President Johnson, regarded black suffrage as something to radical that would “change the entire structure and character of the State governments,” (Doc b).

The goal of reconstruction was to rebuild the south and integrate the newly freed slaves into society. Reconstruction was a great concept but execution of it failed. Many schools were built and many newly freed slaves were registered to vote, but the southern ways took over again once the union soldiers stopped occupying the south. Southerners used sharecropping to basically bring back slavery, lynching of blacks started widespread in the south, blacks were threatened if they tried to vote, and many of the schools were given teachers who limited what was taught. This helps to show the significance that even after the war, which was fought for fair treatment of all, racist ideals still shaped the north and south and this would not be corrected for another 100

A common misconception of the Civil War is that when it was finally over, people think that all the African Americans were immediately freed and they lived happily for the rest of their lives. Well, that is not quite accurate, as there were many things that had occurred during the time right after the American Civil War, known as the Reconstruction Era. This includes the the numerous laws and institutions that were put forth to help African Americans, such as the Reconstruction amendments. Many white Americans, especially those from the south, had opposed the idea of giving blacks the same opportunities and rights as they were given.

As the Civil War represented the fight between labor systems and the shift of power, Africans Americans weren’t really free. As an immediate result after the war, they were subjugated to several laws and racism swept the

Many African-Americans were treated unequally after the Civil War. In source 1, the text states that racial tensions across the country were extremely high after the Civil War, and African Americans continued to deal with oppression (source 1, paragraph 1). This evidence proves that even though African Americans were no longer slaves after the Civil War, they still were being treated unfair. With that in mind, many African Americans had experienced horrible times during the 1800s just because of the color of their skin. According to source 1, back in the 1800s, there were “whites only train cars” and “blacks only train cars”, and the cars were not the same quality (source 1, paragraph 5).

Imagine Being forced to work hard labor day and night for someone who treated you badly. How you you feel if you were forced into slavery and then laws changed to worse conditions? Four million African American Slaves may have gained their freedom, but the process of rebuilding brought the South significant challenges. Conflict continued between the North and the South as the whites resentment towards the South lead to violence. After the destruction of the Civil War, the United States an immense challenge of rebuilding.

The period after the Civil War was thought to bring complete peace and better qualities to the United States. Little was known that the Reconstruction period would bring several negative and positive impacts to America, dealing with issues from slavery, presidential quarrels, the assassination of Lincoln, and many more aspects. The Reconstruction era is a part of United States history that until this day still comes into play in various aspects. The Reconstruction period brought difficulties to the slaves who were freed from the Civil War. The “Freedmen”, as they were called, had no education, food or water.

There were many outcomes from the Reconstruction era. Some were successful, but most were not. The few successes were mostly beneficial to the Union; however, they did not resolve the problems that Reconstruction was supposed to. The purpose of Reconstruction was to end slavery, giving African American males the same rights as white males. This did not happen as there was the poor treatment and discrimination of African Americans after the war.

Technically speaking, the Reconstruction era wouldn’t have occurred at all if the events leading to the Civil War didn’t happen and slavery didn’t exist. The Civil War is a reason for the Reconstruction era and why it

Life back in 1865 was very difficult for Black/african Americans. Black people were brutally forced into working jobs with no option and payment. “ They mistreat me, I mistreat them back ; ain 't no difference between me and white man.” - Boy

The primary objective of the Reconstruction was to reunite the North and the South; however the South gave backlash to the integration of African Americans into their society. They viewed it as a compromise of their ideology. The reconstruction failed to reunite the nation because of the nation’s differences in opinion towards integration. This proved to be a large enough obstacle for the Reconstruction to not achieve its goals and be deemed ineffective. The era of the Reconstruction was a struggle for integration where legislation promoting persecution of African-Americans, polarizing the nation and increasing tensions in the south.

After the war, African-Americans were allowed to vote after the 15th Amendment was passed, this was a huge step for them in gaining more of the staple rights for Americans. In 12.2, when it is discussing African Americans as voters it says, “African Americans-gained voting rights as a result as a result of the Fifteenth Amendment”(12.2). This quote is saying how this amendment finally gave them the right to vote, making them a part of important decisions, and making them more of citizens this amendment was passed during the reconstruction period, which is why I feel that this was one of the success of the period. Another “splendid” part of reconstruction, is that African Americans were allowed to establish schools, and churches, allowing them to take control of their life. Also in 12.2 it discusses