Essay on The Successes and Failures of Reconstruction

Reconstruction could be considered one of the largest projects ever undertaken. The mess that was the south, left in the ruins of a bloody war, called for drastic measures. The inquisition that begs to be asked is whether or not this venture was a success. Unfortunately the answer isnt as simple as yes or no. Although many promises were broken, the much-debated goals of Reconstruction are still present in the minds of todays leaders as we continue to rebuild our country. Readmission to the union was a dividing factor between Republicans in politics. Lincoln advocated for the Ten Percent Plan. This demanded that only ten percent of voters in a state take an oath to uphold the values presented in the constitution in order to†¦show more content†¦Many participated in a practice penned sharecropping. A plantation owner would offer freedmen a portion of their land in exchange for a percentage of the crops cultivated on the land. Unfortunately many men took out food and other n ecessities on credit and found themselves sucked into debt. They were then trapped on the plantation as if they were slaves again. Henry Black, a former slave, trying to express his frustration, said anything that kept you a slave because he was always right and you were always wrong. Sharecropping wasnt the only way that Southerners inhibited the freedom of former slaves. Under Johnsons control states were able to enact Black Codes. These codes were created state by state and often prohibited freedmen to be unemployed, testify against a white man in court, participate in an interracial marriage or carry fire arms. The parish of St. Landry in Louisiana prohibited any blacks within their parish without written permission. Both Freedmen and white Northerners were infuriated by these policies and Congress, in reaction passed the Civil Rights Act. The Civil Rights Act was one of many laws and amendments passed during the reconstruction era. It provided citizenship for all men without d istinction of race of color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude. Jackson originally vetoed this act but the veto was overridden by Congress. Only months before the Civil Rights Act was passed, theShow MoreRelatedHistorical Events That Played A Paramount Role During Mapping The Trends Of The United States906 Words   |  4 Pagesperiods of time such as the shaping of the Reconstruction Act in early 1865 to its end in 1877. Reconstruction, after the Civil War, was the desired intent in bringing the southern states back into the Union, provide legal citizenship and protection for the liberated slaves, and establish the rights of the people. The period of Reconstruction experienced many successes along with its failures. The leading cause to the end of Reconstruction was due to the failures of the federal government and their lackRead MoreThe Reconstruction After The Civil War977 Words   |  4 Pagesnew. One such movement was the Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time period between 1865 and 1877 following the Civil War, during which people of the United States worked to put the country back together again, introducing a new set of significant challenges. Though, like all things in life, it did come to an end, the resulting outcome had been labeled both a success and a failure. The Reconstruction after the Civil War consisted of failures as well as successes. Despite having the intentionsRead MoreThe War Of The Civil War1704 Words   |  7 Pagespresiding over the transition from slavery to freedom.After the war, there was a 12-year period best known as the Reconstruction and the main goals that it had were to get the Confederate States back into the Union, to rebuilt the Southern economy that around that time was devastated, and the most controversial one: to protect the rights of the newly freed slaves. 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As Catton describes in his book, a war began neither side prepared for. The mobilization of men was so large that in terms of percentage no other war in American history required such a large percentage of American men. Old world militaryRead MoreThe Crucible vs from Good Night and Good Luck1774 Words   |  8 PagesReconstruction Essay â€Å"The battle was done, the buglers were silent. Boneweary and bloodied, the American people, North and South, now faced the staggering challenges of peace.† After the Civil War, no one knew what to do next. The terrible conditions of the South after the war made it so no one wanted to participate in such a situation. When President Abraham Lincoln held office, he knew that the Union must be reassembled while treating the blacks respectfully which began the period of ReconstructionRead MoreCauses And Effects Of Reconstruction1362 Words   |  6 Pages Following the Civil War, the Reconstruction Era began. During this time, the southern part of the United States attempted a transformation directed by Congress from 1863 to 1877. Known for its successes and failures, the Reconstruction was a time of great pain and an infinite amount of questions. As well as many long term, short term, positive, negative, social, and political effects. Before the war had even ended, Lincoln had begun this Reconstruction, with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863