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Reconstruction Team C (as in Chinchilla)
Jessica, Robert, Monica, Joel, Zach W.
Sources (from everyone):
Essay:
The South‘s Reconstruction after the Civil War, from 1865 to 1877, is one of the most debated periods of American history. It was an era of violence, drama, and controversy as the government of the United States tried to bring the war torn country back to normal. We believe that, even though the government did make some progress, Reconstruction was a failure for several crucial reasons. While slaves were given their freedom, they were not granted equal rights or given the protection and aid they required to survive. As a result, Southern whites did almost whatever they wanted to these newly freed people. Also, the South had no desire for their feudalistic social classes and systems to be reconstructed by the North, so they repeatedly resisted the changes that were forced upon them. Another fault was that the government that was attempting to do the reforming ended up having difficulties agreeing on which method was better for Reconstruction, which led to two different Reconstruction policies: Presidential and Congressional. Lastly, economic hardships that struck the United States during this period caused less money and effort to be given to Reconstruction.
Freed slaves, or 'Freedmen', had hardly any rights directly after their freedom was granted under the Confiscation Act of 1862. This act told Confederates that they had to give up their slaves within 60 days or the Union army would go after them. Slaves were told to join with the Union soldiers only to be protected from the angry Southerners. This act allowed the Emancipation Proclamation to fully work and now gave the Union soldiers something to do during the time directly after the Civil War; protect all newly freed slaves.
Homeless, with absolutely no money or almost any possessions, freedmen did not know what to do with themselves. Already, the Reconstruction Movement had turned its attention to other issues such as the politics and government of the new South. Many slaves clung to the Union soldiers that had rescued them; meanwhile still waiting for Washington to form some sort of welfare problem and bleeding the army for food, clothing and shelter.
Although freedmen were allowed to be employed, many jobs given to them that were very similar. One form was sharecropping, which had a black family rent a small piece of white plantation land and give the plantation owner half of their crop, and giving very little pay. the freedmen still had to do back-breaking work out in the fields and got barely anything for it; just the barest of the bare wages to put little food on the table. Many Southern states passed laws to control the behavior of black people. Louisiana, for example, passed the Vagrant Law in 1865. Anyone (primarily blacks) walking around the streets without jobs were immediately arrested. In theory, the law did apply to both blacks and whites, but many whites already had jobs when roughly 4 million slaves were freed onto Southern streets practically overnight.
Black men were given the right to vote with the passing of the 15th Amendment, but it was hardly enforced and made extremely hard to do so in some cases. The Amendment had been written vaguely and loosely, and many whites took advantage of this. There were literacy tests given to blacks at the polls that few whites could pass, such as reciting verses from the Bible. Also set up were poll taxes and grandfather clauses to add even more road blocks in freedman's way. These and other actions subsequently caused blacks to be neglected their true right to vote.
Another reason that reconstruction of the American south following the Civil War was considered a failure was because the southern people did not want to be reconstructed by the North. The states that seceded from the Union did so to achieve their own way of life and live peacefully the way they wanted to. When the Union pursued them and tried to get them to return, the South fought for their freedom so they could live without being controlled. And when they were defeated, they certainly did not want to regress back under Union control. However, with their political, economic, social, and military structures in ruin, the people had no choice but to listen to what the Union wanted.
The people of the south enjoyed a lifestyle completely different from the people in the North. Their social classes resembled the Europeans and they stressed gentlemanly behavior, such as honor. Their lifestyle also included the free labor that slaves provided. Many southerners saw all African Americans as inferior, and therefore felt justified to use them as property. By using slaves, southern farmers were able to make large profit margins under the plantation system. After the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1st, 1863, however, every slave in the south was freed. This brought an end to the plantation system, and with it their way of life.
Not only were southerners upset to lose their means of labor, but they were outraged to hear that Northern “carpetbaggers” known as the Freedmen’s Bureau were making efforts to improve the standard of living for their recently emancipated property. Now, not only would African Americans have their freedom, but they were being given the opportunity to learn to read and write. Also, these activists were even moving to give them equality. This was unbelievable to southern plantation owners, who had been buying and selling them just several years before.
Reconstruction also failed due to the contrast of President Johnson's ideas and the ideas of Congress. Both had different views on the way to go about reconstructing the nation. Johnson basically thought he was doing what Lincoln would have done if he had not been assassinated. Johnson's plan required the abolishment of slavery in any state wishing to return to the U.S. pardons would be given to anyone taking an oath stating their loyalty to the United States However, he would not give pardons to high ranking, or otherwise important ex-Confederates. He also made the property of political leaders that was worth $20,000 or more eligible for confiscation. Johnson also demanded that the Southern states repeal their articles of secession so as to be allowed back into the United States. Most of this was because he wanted the country to be dominated by small farmers, as opposed to the large planter aristocracy of the South. One thing Johnson did not call for in new state constitutions was the right for blacks to vote. One effect of Johnson's leniency concerning the rights of freedmen were the black codes that took place in the South, and limited the rights of African Americans.
Those in Congress did not approve of Johnson's plans, and felt that the was actually being too soft on the South. They disliked the fact that Johnson pardoned so many ex-Confederates so quickly and easily. Radical Republicans in Congress would not allow an ex-Confederate to be a Senator or Representative. They basically wanted states to be re-admitted into the United States only if they guaranteed that all freedmen would have all of their rights and liberties. Congress passed acts such as the Freedmen's Bureau Bill, which allowed the organization to remain in service for another year. The Freedmen's Bureau worked to get land and education for the new freedmen and women. They also passed the Civil Rights bill which granted African Americans citizenship, as well as all others born in the U.S.. Both of these bills were passed regardless of Johnson's vetoing of them. Also passed even with Johnson's veto was the Reconstruction Act. It called for the ratification of the 14th Ammendment in all ex-Confederate states except Tennessee, and a loyal government in each. It also divided the remaining South into five military districts, all led by a Union military commander. The territory had to ratify its new constitution as well as the fourteenth ammendment to become an actual state. It is clear that Johnson and the Congress had two very different ideas which clashed with one another. Johnson planned for a quick and easy reuniting with the South, taking it easy on the Confederates. Congress, however believed that the South deserved a much harsher punishment, and therefore made sure re-admittance to the United States was as difficult as possible for the ex-Confederacy.
Reconstruction failed due to the country's other problems. For example, the Panic of 1873 was a large part of this. During this panic, many banks failed, wages were cut, people were laid off - it was a depression. Because of the severity of this, the Reconstruction movement took a back-burner. Another large issue was the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. While he may have had the interests of the freed-people at heart, he was still a corrupt president. He appointed his friends to his cabinet, instead of people who were actually fit for the job. In other words, the people getting paid to run the country may not have had the best idea of what they were doing. There was also the issue of moving out west, and settling new territory. During this time the plains as well as western areas such as California were being settled. This meant more opportunities for people. New land, new lifestyles, and new ideas were becoming more and more important. It is for these reasons, and more, that Reconstruction became less important, and ultimately failed.
In conclusion, the Reconstruction of the South was not the romanticized period in history after the Civil War, but a failure for the country. Though the United States government attempted to restore the nation to its former glory, it made some key mistakes that ultimately caused the Reconstruction to fail. For it to have succeeded, we believe that a huge part of the plan should have consisted of a much better effort by the government to help the four million newly freed slaves in the country. Additionally, the South should have been dealt with in a different manner, as it did not want to reenter the Union and forcing them to change their way of life just did not work. President Johnson and Congress also should have tried harder to work together so contridicting laws would not be passed because of conflicting ideas. And fianlly, while an economic hardship in the country is sometimes unavoidable, the government should have spent more money and time on the Reconstruction effort becuase helping form the future of the country is just as important as helping the present.
Sources (from everyone):
http://www.civilwarhome.com/freedmen.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedmen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstruction_era_of_the_United_States
The Beast and the Bagger (packet from class)
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0860646.html
http://www.eagleton.rutgers.edu/e-gov/e-politicalarchive-reconstruction.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/congressional-reconstruction
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556642/Reconstruction_(U_S_history).html
Essay:
The South‘s Reconstruction after the Civil War, from 1865 to 1877, is one of the most debated periods of American history. It was an era of violence, drama, and controversy as the government of the United States tried to bring the war torn country back to normal. We believe that, even though the government did make some progress, Reconstruction was a failure for several crucial reasons. While slaves were given their freedom, they were not granted equal rights or given the protection and aid they required to survive. As a result, Southern whites did almost whatever they wanted to these newly freed people. Also, the South had no desire for their feudalistic social classes and systems to be reconstructed by the North, so they repeatedly resisted the changes that were forced upon them. Another fault was that the government that was attempting to do the reforming ended up having difficulties agreeing on which method was better for Reconstruction, which led to two different Reconstruction policies: Presidential and Congressional. Lastly, economic hardships that struck the United States during this period caused less money and effort to be given to Reconstruction.
Freed slaves, or 'Freedmen', had hardly any rights directly after their freedom was granted under the Confiscation Act of 1862. This act told Confederates that they had to give up their slaves within 60 days or the Union army would go after them. Slaves were told to join with the Union soldiers only to be protected from the angry Southerners. This act allowed the Emancipation Proclamation to fully work and now gave the Union soldiers something to do during the time directly after the Civil War; protect all newly freed slaves.
Homeless, with absolutely no money or almost any possessions, freedmen did not know what to do with themselves. Already, the Reconstruction Movement had turned its attention to other issues such as the politics and government of the new South. Many slaves clung to the Union soldiers that had rescued them; meanwhile still waiting for Washington to form some sort of welfare problem and bleeding the army for food, clothing and shelter.
Although freedmen were allowed to be employed, many jobs given to them that were very similar. One form was sharecropping, which had a black family rent a small piece of white plantation land and give the plantation owner half of their crop, and giving very little pay. the freedmen still had to do back-breaking work out in the fields and got barely anything for it; just the barest of the bare wages to put little food on the table. Many Southern states passed laws to control the behavior of black people. Louisiana, for example, passed the Vagrant Law in 1865. Anyone (primarily blacks) walking around the streets without jobs were immediately arrested. In theory, the law did apply to both blacks and whites, but many whites already had jobs when roughly 4 million slaves were freed onto Southern streets practically overnight.
Black men were given the right to vote with the passing of the 15th Amendment, but it was hardly enforced and made extremely hard to do so in some cases. The Amendment had been written vaguely and loosely, and many whites took advantage of this. There were literacy tests given to blacks at the polls that few whites could pass, such as reciting verses from the Bible. Also set up were poll taxes and grandfather clauses to add even more road blocks in freedman's way. These and other actions subsequently caused blacks to be neglected their true right to vote.
Another reason that reconstruction of the American south following the Civil War was considered a failure was because the southern people did not want to be reconstructed by the North. The states that seceded from the Union did so to achieve their own way of life and live peacefully the way they wanted to. When the Union pursued them and tried to get them to return, the South fought for their freedom so they could live without being controlled. And when they were defeated, they certainly did not want to regress back under Union control. However, with their political, economic, social, and military structures in ruin, the people had no choice but to listen to what the Union wanted.
The people of the south enjoyed a lifestyle completely different from the people in the North. Their social classes resembled the Europeans and they stressed gentlemanly behavior, such as honor. Their lifestyle also included the free labor that slaves provided. Many southerners saw all African Americans as inferior, and therefore felt justified to use them as property. By using slaves, southern farmers were able to make large profit margins under the plantation system. After the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1st, 1863, however, every slave in the south was freed. This brought an end to the plantation system, and with it their way of life.
Not only were southerners upset to lose their means of labor, but they were outraged to hear that Northern “carpetbaggers” known as the Freedmen’s Bureau were making efforts to improve the standard of living for their recently emancipated property. Now, not only would African Americans have their freedom, but they were being given the opportunity to learn to read and write. Also, these activists were even moving to give them equality. This was unbelievable to southern plantation owners, who had been buying and selling them just several years before.
Reconstruction also failed due to the contrast of President Johnson's ideas and the ideas of Congress. Both had different views on the way to go about reconstructing the nation. Johnson basically thought he was doing what Lincoln would have done if he had not been assassinated. Johnson's plan required the abolishment of slavery in any state wishing to return to the U.S. pardons would be given to anyone taking an oath stating their loyalty to the United States However, he would not give pardons to high ranking, or otherwise important ex-Confederates. He also made the property of political leaders that was worth $20,000 or more eligible for confiscation. Johnson also demanded that the Southern states repeal their articles of secession so as to be allowed back into the United States. Most of this was because he wanted the country to be dominated by small farmers, as opposed to the large planter aristocracy of the South. One thing Johnson did not call for in new state constitutions was the right for blacks to vote. One effect of Johnson's leniency concerning the rights of freedmen were the black codes that took place in the South, and limited the rights of African Americans.
Those in Congress did not approve of Johnson's plans, and felt that the was actually being too soft on the South. They disliked the fact that Johnson pardoned so many ex-Confederates so quickly and easily. Radical Republicans in Congress would not allow an ex-Confederate to be a Senator or Representative. They basically wanted states to be re-admitted into the United States only if they guaranteed that all freedmen would have all of their rights and liberties. Congress passed acts such as the Freedmen's Bureau Bill, which allowed the organization to remain in service for another year. The Freedmen's Bureau worked to get land and education for the new freedmen and women. They also passed the Civil Rights bill which granted African Americans citizenship, as well as all others born in the U.S.. Both of these bills were passed regardless of Johnson's vetoing of them. Also passed even with Johnson's veto was the Reconstruction Act. It called for the ratification of the 14th Ammendment in all ex-Confederate states except Tennessee, and a loyal government in each. It also divided the remaining South into five military districts, all led by a Union military commander. The territory had to ratify its new constitution as well as the fourteenth ammendment to become an actual state. It is clear that Johnson and the Congress had two very different ideas which clashed with one another. Johnson planned for a quick and easy reuniting with the South, taking it easy on the Confederates. Congress, however believed that the South deserved a much harsher punishment, and therefore made sure re-admittance to the United States was as difficult as possible for the ex-Confederacy.
Reconstruction failed due to the country's other problems. For example, the Panic of 1873 was a large part of this. During this panic, many banks failed, wages were cut, people were laid off - it was a depression. Because of the severity of this, the Reconstruction movement took a back-burner. Another large issue was the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. While he may have had the interests of the freed-people at heart, he was still a corrupt president. He appointed his friends to his cabinet, instead of people who were actually fit for the job. In other words, the people getting paid to run the country may not have had the best idea of what they were doing. There was also the issue of moving out west, and settling new territory. During this time the plains as well as western areas such as California were being settled. This meant more opportunities for people. New land, new lifestyles, and new ideas were becoming more and more important. It is for these reasons, and more, that Reconstruction became less important, and ultimately failed.
In conclusion, the Reconstruction of the South was not the romanticized period in history after the Civil War, but a failure for the country. Though the United States government attempted to restore the nation to its former glory, it made some key mistakes that ultimately caused the Reconstruction to fail. For it to have succeeded, we believe that a huge part of the plan should have consisted of a much better effort by the government to help the four million newly freed slaves in the country. Additionally, the South should have been dealt with in a different manner, as it did not want to reenter the Union and forcing them to change their way of life just did not work. President Johnson and Congress also should have tried harder to work together so contridicting laws would not be passed because of conflicting ideas. And fianlly, while an economic hardship in the country is sometimes unavoidable, the government should have spent more money and time on the Reconstruction effort becuase helping form the future of the country is just as important as helping the present.
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| joelhead | um.. yeah. | 0 | Dec 8 2008, 9:43 PM EST by joelhead | ||
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Thread started: Dec 8 2008, 9:43 PM EST
Watch
just saying this is monica. but i have no idea what my password is and when i try to make a new one it doesn't work. so i'm just using joel's. so yeah.. i suppose i'll just do the part about the government then.
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| jessieeex0x | stuff | 0 | Dec 8 2008, 9:14 PM EST by jessieeex0x | ||
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Thread started: Dec 8 2008, 9:14 PM EST
Watch
okey dokeyy so joel and robert did their parts. i'm just waiting on monica and zack? the only reason for reconstruction being a failure that i have left is the government always fighting (presidential reconstruction v. congressional?).
so yeahh one of you can use that one, or maybe you both will come up with better ones than me =] but i need them soon so i can write the intro and conclusion thoughhhhhh. |
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| rkrupa | Blah | 0 | Dec 7 2008, 5:33 PM EST by rkrupa | ||
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Thread started: Dec 7 2008, 5:33 PM EST
Watch
And i guess I'll write about how the south didnt want their social structure changed and didn't want to be occupied by the north. Questions, comments, concerns? No? Good.
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