Was Reconstruction A Failure Or Success

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When America started off as a nation, many political changes has come to the country over the years. Presidents come and go throughout time and so do their plans and attempts at a better future. As history has gone by their plans have had success and have failed with the American public. The movement of reconstruction which had to put the pieces of America back together after the American civil war. The political movement ended in 1877 while modern historians are split among the views of whether it should be considered a failure or success.

After the civil war the southern economy was in shambles and its industry and infrastructure were in ruins. Ironically the south had to rely on the government they had tried to defeat. They had a nonexistent …show more content…

The federal government offered anyone who needed food, medical attention and shelter to free slaves. The bureau also made sure the slaves got a good Education, the government opened over 4000 schools to help freed slaves and southerns who were poor . These health programs but most importantly the education system the bureau put in place, served as a foundation of future education and both are considered one of the most important successes of Reconstruction, because for most blacks and southerns it was the only education and teaching they will ever receive. The congress passed the 14th amendment that helped support new black rights. The amendment helped expand voting rights for blacks leading to greater overall political participation at the state and national …show more content…

And were unable to own their own farms, which might have made them more independent, equal to other white farm owners and successful in selling and growing their own crops. The Black Codes and other laws restricting former slaves, though clearly unconstitutional, were not challenged in court or struck down by local military authorities. Instead Johnson vetoed a couple of laws that would of ensured free slaves of rights. but instead African Americans were left unprotected economically and socially. Left with no options they once again had to work for whites in bad conditions coming back into the slave life they thought they left. Eventually the effort of Reconstruction was abandoned by the government after only 12 years, leaving the economy of the South still in ruins and its population largely in

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