Preview

How Did Reconstruction Change America

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
617 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did Reconstruction Change America
Reconstruction has changed the United States tremendously, the historic period was a period after the Civil War. It was the effort to unite African Americans and whites, establish privileges to former slaves, and establish citizenship to African Americans as well. However, the Reconstruction Act was a triumph as it created new Amendments and new constitutions for confederate states. It came to an end which brought about different issues, for example, segregation and Jim Crow Laws were in full effect which caused violence and so on. The Reconstruction was a major act for the African Americans in the South. Slavery was abolished in the south and there were many supporting gatherings like the American Anti-Slavery Society; "Established in 1833, …show more content…
Although slavery was abolished, the few whites in the south didn't take it well; instead they depended on brutal opposition to the new world being created around them. African Americans were free, however they actually had only a couple of civil privileges and no voice in government. The Civil War created far-changing changes in American life. For example, the end of slavery, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which liberated slaves in Confederate states. During the late spring of 1862 Lincoln concluded that the Emancipation was required because the military wasn't succeeding in any of the wars they were in. He believed that if he liberated the slaves, then they could be clever in helping develop the army manpower. Furthermore, the entire motivation behind the war would perhaps change as slavery was a target for the war. "On September 22, 1862, five days after McClellan's army forced Lee to retreat at Antietam, Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. It warned that unless the South laid down its arms by the end of 1862, he would decree

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Reconstruction occurred from 1865 to 1877. It could be considered successful because it restored the United States as a whole after the Civil War. Even though it brought the states back together, it stilled failed in many ways. Reconstruction gave the Government a chance to end segregation and change society’s view of African Americans, but nobody took it. Reconstruction amplified racial discrimination.…

    • 329 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Reconstruction Era followed the American Civil War from about 1865 to 1877. During this time attempts were made to fix the problems that came up from the readmission to the Union of the 11 states that seceded before or during the Civil War, and attempts were made to once again address the injustice of slavery from a political, social and economic aspect. Historians argue that the Reconstruction failed simply because congress was divided politically on the issues stated previously, and also because some of the extraordinary changes made during this era did not last forever.…

    • 125 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Reconstruction: America Rises Again The Reconstruction of America lasted twelve years, between 1865 and 1877. The most damage was in the South. One of the problems was starvation. Thousands of hundreds of slaves died of diseases and starvation after they were liberated .…

    • 400 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Reconstruction was a major event that happened after the Civil War. It helped end slavery and give rights to freedmen. They also came up with two new amendments, the 14th and the 15th amendments. Reconstruction became a struggle over the meaning of freedom, with former slaves, former slaveholders and Northerners adopting different definitions. Eventually, faced with increasing opposition by white Southerners and some Northerners, the government abandoned efforts for black equality in favor of sectional reconciliation between whites.…

    • 322 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many slaves in the North were granted their freedom only if the agreed to fight for the American cause. A lot of slaves were set free during the revolution without formal emancipation. A growth of free black communities was greatly promoted by the war of American Independence. In 1807 the revolutionary sentiments led to the banning of the importation of slaves. In addition slavery did not end right away in America.…

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Reconstruction was a period in United States history where African Americans gained tremendous freedom and rights. This period came after the Civil War when the Northern states won the war and the Southern States were defeated. Reconstruction took place during the years of 1863 to 1877 and the goal of Reconstruction was to abolish slavery and reunite and rebuild the Union. Reconstruction was successful because of the unification of the Union under President Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan, the passing of the constitutional amendments, and the elections of African Americans to Congress. Abraham Lincoln implemented the “10% Plan” at the beginning of this period, in 1863.…

    • 1194 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22nd, 1862. It stipulated that if the Southern states did not cease their rebellion by January 1st 1863, then the Emancipation Proclamation would go into effect. When the Confederacy did not yield, the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect. Lincoln justified the Emancipation Proclamation as a war measure intended to cripple the Confederacy. Being careful to respect the limits of his authority, Lincoln applied the Emancipation Proclamation only to the Southern states in rebellion. Lincoln’s advisors did not initially support the E.P. When President Lincoln first proposed the Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet in the summer of 1862Proclamation to his cabinet in the summer of 1862, many of the cabinet secretaries were apathetic, or worse, worried that the Proclamation was too radical. It was only Lincoln’s firm commitment to the necessity and justice of the Proclamation, along with the victory at Antietam which finally persuaded his cabinet members to support him. President Lincoln had first proposed the Emancipation Proclamation to his Cabinet in July 1862, but Secretary of State William Seward suggested waiting for a Union victory so that the government could prove that it could enforce the Proclamation. Although the Battle of Antietam resulted in a draw, the Union army was able to drive the Confederates out of Maryland – enough of a “victory,” that Lincoln felt comfortable issuing the Emancipation just five days later. Up until September 1862, the main focus of the war had been to preserve the Union. With the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation freedom for slaves now became a legitimate war aim. Britain and France had considered supporting the Confederacy in order to expand their influence in the Western Hemisphere. However, many Europeans were against slavery. Although some in the United Kingdom saw the…

    • 1412 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Civil War Waste

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Civil War led to Abraham Lincoln 's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, on January 1st 1863, which issued the freedom of all African Americans deemed slaves in the Southern Confederate states, The Emancipation Proclamation specifically states " by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Reconstruction period (1865-1877) was the era of rebuilding, the south, after the Civil War. In the South reconstruction meant rebuilding the economy, establishing new state and local governments and establishing a new social structure between whites and blacks. Abolishing slavery, what should be demanded of the Southern states, restoring political rights to the South, and what should be the responsibility of the newly freed slaves were the concerns doing the Reconstruction period. They also wanted to know how the economy should be rebuilt based on free labor. Reconstruction addressed how the eleven seceding states would regain self-government and be reseated in Congress. The laws and constitutional amendments that laid the foundation for…

    • 332 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Reconstruction period took place in the U.S after the Civil War where it affect the freed slaves in both positive and negative ways. The African American were freed during the Civil war due to the emancipation proclamation being passed. African American now are able to become citizens of the US. For example they are now able to vote and have their freedom and become politicians. In addition, the Civil War cause such great amount of damages down south where all the battles were fought and African American still faces racism..…

    • 91 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Reconstruction was the period during which the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War, lasting from 1865 to 1877. It was to repair the North and the South politically, economically and socially. After the Civil War, the South’s economy was completely ruined and needed help from the Union government; which they were trying to stay way from. The Reconstruction can be evaluated both as a success and a failure. Its successes were the restoration of the eleven confederate states back to the union, giving African-Americans (ex-slaves) their freedom and rights and providing aid to the freed slaves and poor whites. Its failures were the Anti-African Americans groups such as the KKK, the Black Codes, not protecting the rights of the freedmen and the southern corruption. Although African-Americans were freed and gained their rights because of 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, and the ex-eleven confederate states came back to the union, the Reconstruction was more of a failure than a success.…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Civil War solved the issue of slavery regarding the African Americans. Once the Union had won the war, they proceeded to eliminate slavery across the entire United States, freeing all previous slaves. Through the Emancipation Proclamation, President Abraham Lincoln pronounced all slaves in states in rebellion against the Union free, with the promise that others will “recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons” (Lincoln 1862). With the addition of the 13th amendment, adopted in 1865, slavery was prohibited by rule of the constitution (Hakim 139). Without the Civil War, the 13th Amendment would have never been passed.…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Reconstruction is the period of time when America was rebuilding from the Civil War in a multitude of ways. The most challenging aspect of the Reconstruction was integrating the freed slaves back into American society and how everyone wanted to go about such a monumental change. Other more minor things that happened during the Reconstruction period (1865-1876) were: rebuilding everything that was destroyed during the Civil War, readmitting all of the seceded states back into the US, and reevaluating the current currency and making sure it was still in working order.…

    • 218 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865 and America had to be rebuilt. This was the beginning of Reconstruction. Most would look at this period as the most misunderstood and controversial eras in the history of America. The roles of ex—slaves after the Civil War ended went through many changes. Many African Americans post civil war played great significant roles as they hurdled the obstacles they were faced while making great contributions to numerous levels of society.…

    • 925 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Reconstruction Period had a positive impact on the United States, because it was the time where it ended slavery. The 13th, 14th and 15th amendments outlawed slavery, defined citizenship and protected all Americans under the law with extended suffrage to all men. They had the right to vote and confederacy was completely demolished. Now ex slaves and African Americans were able to participate in the government for example being governors and senators. The Reconstruction helped improve education for African Americans because it worked for equal rights to rebuild and create schools, hospitals, railroads, and equal buildings.…

    • 362 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays