Reconstruction in America!
After the war was over, it was a different atmosphere than before. The Confederate soldiers were allowed to
return home without punishment for surrendering. This was an example of how everyone just wanted things to start anew. Black slaves had high hopes that since the south had lost, there might be changes made to slavery. This was a
high hope considering southerners still did not want to give up their workers. Shortly after the war had been settled, a group of radical white southerners formed a white supremacist group known as the KKK. All slaves were scared for
their lives as they had every right to be. This organization was well-known for beating, whipping, and torturing slaves. White southerners also passed black codes that restricted what the slaves could do and become in society. Many people in the north of course strongly disagreed with this group, and Radical Republicans in congress fought to pass a law to protect the slaves. President Johnson however did not support this bill and tried to keep it from passing. After President Johnson’s term had ended, President Grant came in with fresh, new support for the bill protecting African Americans. President Grant went even further and passed the 13-15 amendments. These amendments brought major change for slaves as the amendments abolished slavery in the U.S., guaranteed blacks the right to vote, and equal protection for blacks under the law. These great accomplishments started a path for hope and change in the south. Freeing slaves uprooted the entire economy of the south but the positives outweighed the negatives. African Americans were elected to office, schools were established for the black children, and The Freedman’s Bureau was established. These advances in equality made great progress to help slaves become part society and learn where they fit in the world. Even though Abraham Lincoln did not mention how he would have handled reconstruction, he did create the first step in passing the Emancipation Proclamation to help the slaves to freedom.
http://histclo.com/essay/war/cwa/recon.html
return home without punishment for surrendering. This was an example of how everyone just wanted things to start anew. Black slaves had high hopes that since the south had lost, there might be changes made to slavery. This was a
high hope considering southerners still did not want to give up their workers. Shortly after the war had been settled, a group of radical white southerners formed a white supremacist group known as the KKK. All slaves were scared for
their lives as they had every right to be. This organization was well-known for beating, whipping, and torturing slaves. White southerners also passed black codes that restricted what the slaves could do and become in society. Many people in the north of course strongly disagreed with this group, and Radical Republicans in congress fought to pass a law to protect the slaves. President Johnson however did not support this bill and tried to keep it from passing. After President Johnson’s term had ended, President Grant came in with fresh, new support for the bill protecting African Americans. President Grant went even further and passed the 13-15 amendments. These amendments brought major change for slaves as the amendments abolished slavery in the U.S., guaranteed blacks the right to vote, and equal protection for blacks under the law. These great accomplishments started a path for hope and change in the south. Freeing slaves uprooted the entire economy of the south but the positives outweighed the negatives. African Americans were elected to office, schools were established for the black children, and The Freedman’s Bureau was established. These advances in equality made great progress to help slaves become part society and learn where they fit in the world. Even though Abraham Lincoln did not mention how he would have handled reconstruction, he did create the first step in passing the Emancipation Proclamation to help the slaves to freedom.
http://histclo.com/essay/war/cwa/recon.html