American Revolution Dbq
Amounting to a Revolution The United States experienced a time period full of changes between the years of 1860 to 1877. During this time period, many constitutional and social developments brought about great change in the country, in both constitutional and social areas. Some constitutional developments that caused conflict include the Emancipation Proclamation, three civil rights bills, and the reconstruction. Meanwhile, some social developments during this period include the Freedmen's Bureau, the Black Codes, and the Ku Klux Klan. Changes that occurred during this time period are staggering, to say the least. These developments from 1860 to 1877 can be considered to have been a revolution. The South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession is considered to be one of the constitutional developments that caused a revolution (Doc A). South Carolina became the first Confederate State to secede from the Union, setting an example for other states to follow. This
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secession angered the United States because they still considered South Carolina as their land, and felt it was unconstitutional for South Carolina to break away from the Union. The Senator of Ohio, John Sherman stated, “It has been that principle of state rights, that bad sentiment that has elevated state authority above national authority, that has been the main instrument by which our government is sought to be overthrown.”(Doc B). Meaning, America has given the states too much power and rights in government which is leading to the United States’ government being overthrown. In order to prevent any other Southern states from seceding, the U.S.
passed theReconstruction Act, which also became a major constitutional development in the cause of theRevolution. This act put too many restrictions on the South. This Act allowed military governors to assume police power and expected to register new electorate voters. These restrictions made the South angrier and angrier and a revolution was now insight. Senator Lot Morrill stated, “I admit that this species of legislation [Civil Rights Act of 1866] is absolutely revolutionary. . . Are we not in the midst of a civil and political revolution which has changed the fundamental principles of our government in some respect?”(Doc F). This shows that even members of government were aware of the fact that these developments were leading to a revolution, some just refused to admit to it. Therefore, both The South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession and Reconstruction Act were major constitutional causes in the
revolution. A social developments was the Freedmen’s Bureau. The Freedmen’s Bureau was passed with the intention of giving homesteads to the freed slaves. However, none of these promises by the government were kept. As stated by The Freedmen of Edisto Island Petition, “We want Homesteads; we were promised Homesteads by the government. If It does not carry out the promises its agents made to us. . . we are left in a more unpleasant condition than our former.”(Doc E). The anger of the freedmen only grew greater with time, because as shown in a picture by Thomas Nast, life of a freed slave became even worse then being a slave (Doc I). Freed slaves were now at the mercy of the Ku Klux Klan as well as the White League. However, these attacks to African Americans were put to an end when The Civil Rights Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, was passed. This Act was seen as “momentous changes to introduce into the administration system of any free country.”(Doc H). Therefore, the United States had also paved the way for a revolution because of the social developments. In conclusion, there were many developments, both socially and constitutionally, which led to a revolution. These developments include the secession of states from the union, which forced the government to pass laws, giving much of the southern states power to the government, Social development included the eventual end of all slavery issues. These are the major developments that brought on a revolution that helped shape the country.
secession angered the United States because they still considered South Carolina as their land, and felt it was unconstitutional for South Carolina to break away from the Union. The Senator of Ohio, John Sherman stated, “It has been that principle of state rights, that bad sentiment that has elevated state authority above national authority, that has been the main instrument by which our government is sought to be overthrown.”(Doc B). Meaning, America has given the states too much power and rights in government which is leading to the United States’ government being overthrown. In order to prevent any other Southern states from seceding, the U.S.
passed theReconstruction Act, which also became a major constitutional development in the cause of theRevolution. This act put too many restrictions on the South. This Act allowed military governors to assume police power and expected to register new electorate voters. These restrictions made the South angrier and angrier and a revolution was now insight. Senator Lot Morrill stated, “I admit that this species of legislation [Civil Rights Act of 1866] is absolutely revolutionary. . . Are we not in the midst of a civil and political revolution which has changed the fundamental principles of our government in some respect?”(Doc F). This shows that even members of government were aware of the fact that these developments were leading to a revolution, some just refused to admit to it. Therefore, both The South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession and Reconstruction Act were major constitutional causes in the
revolution. A social developments was the Freedmen’s Bureau. The Freedmen’s Bureau was passed with the intention of giving homesteads to the freed slaves. However, none of these promises by the government were kept. As stated by The Freedmen of Edisto Island Petition, “We want Homesteads; we were promised Homesteads by the government. If It does not carry out the promises its agents made to us. . . we are left in a more unpleasant condition than our former.”(Doc E). The anger of the freedmen only grew greater with time, because as shown in a picture by Thomas Nast, life of a freed slave became even worse then being a slave (Doc I). Freed slaves were now at the mercy of the Ku Klux Klan as well as the White League. However, these attacks to African Americans were put to an end when The Civil Rights Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, was passed. This Act was seen as “momentous changes to introduce into the administration system of any free country.”(Doc H). Therefore, the United States had also paved the way for a revolution because of the social developments. In conclusion, there were many developments, both socially and constitutionally, which led to a revolution. These developments include the secession of states from the union, which forced the government to pass laws, giving much of the southern states power to the government, Social development included the eventual end of all slavery issues. These are the major developments that brought on a revolution that helped shape the country.