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The impact of the civil war
effects of the civil war in united states
The impact of the civil war
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Racism After the Civil War After the Civil War conditions were bad for both Southern blacks and Southern whites. There were 4 million black men and women emerging from bondage. They began forming all black communities, freeing themselves from white control. But in 1865, Southern state legislatures began enacting sets of laws called Black Codes. These laws authorized local officials to apprehend unemployed blacks, fine them for vagrancy and hire them out to private employers to satisfy their fine. Some codes allowed blacks to only take jobs as plantation workers or servants. The South found a way to go back to slavery without breaking the new laws. In 1866, Congress passed the first Civil Rights Act, which declared blacks as citizens of the United States which allowed the federal government to intervene in state affairs when necessary to protect the rights of the citizens. Then in June of 1866, Congress approved the 14th Amendment which states that everyone born in the United States, and everyone naturalized was automatically a citizen and entitled to equal protection by both state and national government. Even though slavery was abolished and blacks were, at least by law, free and considered equal, they still did not have the same rights and opportunities as white people. In February of 1869, Congress passed the 15th Amendment. The Amendment attempts to ensure black voting rights by stipulating that voting rights cannot be denied on the basis of race, color, or previous servitude. But yet it did nothing to allow the Southern whites to prevent blacks from voting. Since blacks were not educated and did not own property or have the money to pay poll taxes it made it almost impossible for blacks to vote. There was a dramatic improvement in southern education. By 1870 reformers established 4,000 schools for former slaves. Efforts to integrate schools were a failure. All black schools were open to all races but whites chose to stay away. Most blacks did not own land. By 1865 the Freedman’s Bureau distributed land from abandoned plantations to 10,000 black families, but when the original white owners returned they wanted their land back and most of it was returned. Even though blacks were working, most of them still remained in poverty. They worked shorter days and women and children were less likely to work like they did in the past as slaves.
Additionally, the Fifteenth Amendment guaranteed blacks the right to vote, but the South found ways to get around this amendment.
The 15th Amendment was an law added to the United States Constitution in 1870 that gave citizens the right to vote no matter their race, skin color, or previous conditions of servitude. This specifically applied to African American males who, though technically were citizens under the 14th amendment, were still being oppressed and restricted from voting. According to Angela Davis in her text, while some feminist activists in the 19th century supported this amendment, others were adamantly opposed to it. These activists were both males and females and many of them had been or were distinguished figures in the abolitionist movement. Supporters argued that African American men had as much of a right as anyone to vote and shouldn 't be denied that right simply because women were, while antagonists argued that until women
...dom and right to vote established by the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, blacks were still oppressed by strong black codes and Jim Crow laws. The federal government created strong legislation for blacks to be helped and educated, but it was ineffective due to strong opposition. Although blacks cried out to agencies, such as the Freemen's Bureau, declaring that they were "in a more unpleasant condition than our former" (Document E), their cries were often overshadowed by violence.
Though the issue of slavery was solved, racism continues and Southerners that stayed after the war passed Black Codes which subverted the ideas of freedom including the actions of state legislatures (Hakim 19). Black Codes were a set of laws that discriminated blacks and limited their freedom (Jordan 388). Such restrictions included: “No negro shall be permitted to rent or keep a house within said parish...No public meetings or congregations of negroes shall be allowed within said parish after sunset…” (Louisiana Black Codes 1865). A solution to this was the 14th Amendment. It meant now all people born in America were citizens and it “Prohibited states from revoking one’s life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” This meant all states had to...
African Americans had an active participation during the Reconstruction era and worked hard to achieve rights that they deserved. African Americans acquired different roles, both as individuals and in groups to achieve their goals. One very important role of the African Americans was participation in voting during elections. After the 15Th amendment was passed in 1870 voting was not restricted by race. With this newfound voting power African Americans could control the future of their country. Thanks to this, other rights could now be gained through democratic election. Another role was the African American leaders that represented
In 1866 Congress passed the 14th and 15th amendments because the south was not looking out for the better intreates of the blacks. At this time reconstruction had began. Around the time reconstruction had began , most black people felt that they did not have to work in the fields or work at hard labor jobs. So they started electing other black man into office so that they could have rights and voice in the government. Also these officals helped with getting schools and education for the black population.
The 15th Amendment was an amendment added to the United States Constitution in 1870 that gave citizens the right to vote no matter their race, skin color, or previous conditions of servitude. This specifically applied to African American males who, though technically were citizens under the 14th amendment, were still being oppressed and restricted from voting. According to Angela Davis in her text, while some feminist activists in the 19th century supported this amendment, others were adamantly opposed to it. Supporters argued that African American men had as much of a right as anyone to vote and shouldn 't be denied that right simply because women were, while antagonists argued that until women obtained the right to vote, neither should African
that a majority of the South would have to take an iron clad oath that
The amendment stated “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude” (15th amendment, Section I). Shortly after white's came up with a law that you couldn't vote unless you were literate, but they would cheat and say whites could read or understand even if they couldn't. Russell Brooker stated that in the early 1900s “White officials usually claimed that whites could understand what was read. They said blacks could not understand it, even if they could” (Russell Brooker). This quote shows how whites were trying to stop freedmen from voting anyway possible. During this time period since black got the right to vote some joined congress but freedmen stopped voting because they were threatened by whites and didn’t want to be harmed or get their families. Russell Brooker also said “Blacks who tried to vote were threatened, beaten, and killed. Their families were also harmed. Sometimes their homes were burned down. Often, they lost their jobs or were thrown off their farms” (Russell Brooker). this quote also shows how hateful whites could be to keep freedmen oppressed like they were during
White males over the age of 21 were the first to be able to participate in American democracy. Besides some taxpaying or property owning laws, the majority of all working class white males were eligible to vote by 1850. During this time, the nation was on the brink of a civil war. One of the underlying issues of the Civil War was slavery. Blacks were beginning to cry for equality, and their right to vote was not far off. The 15th amendment was quick to follow the Civil War, making it illegal to deny the right to vote to anyone on account of their race. Blacks did not actually gain the right to vote in all states until The Voting Rights Act in the 1960s.
Finally the 15th Amendment was made in 1870 to assure that every person in the US had the right to vote and no one could take that right away as a result of race, color or because citizens used to be slaves.
A year after Abraham Lincoln emancipated the African American slaves, America was working on restoring the country as one. Lincoln set forth a Proclamation of Amnesty and established Freedman’s Bureau to help feed, clothe, and provide supplies for those who were war refugees. It also worked helped formerly enslaved people to find work. Although the Freedman’s Bureau’s efforts aided those who served in the war and the freed slaves, it was not enough. After Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson began to implement a program that resembled Lincoln’s restoration plans. In March 1866, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and it was the first time Congress overrode a presidential veto. It became the 14th Amendment and declared that all
In the latter half of the 18th century, freed slaves possessed the right to vote in all but three states. It was not until the 19th century that states began to pass laws to disenfranchise the black population. In 1850, only 6 out of the 31 states allowed blacks to vote. 1Following the civil war, three reconstruction amendments were passed. The first and second sought to end slavery and guarantee equal rights. The third, the 15th amendment, granted suffrage regardless of color, race, or previous position of servitude.2 The 15th Amendment monumentally changed the structure of American politics as it was no longer the privileged whites who could vote. For some it was as though hell had arrived on earth, but for others, it was freedom singing. However, the song was short lived. While many political cartoons from the period show the freedom that ex-slaves have for voting because of the 15th Amendment, they often neglect to include the fact that many African Americans were coerced into voting a certain way or simply had their rights stripped from them.
Racism is the mistreatment of a group of people on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, place of origin, or ancestry. The term racism may also denote a blind and unreasoning hatred, envy, or prejudice (Dimensions of Racism). Racism has had a strong effect on society. Despite the many efforts made to alleviate racism, what is the future of African Americans' Racism's long history, important leaders, current status, and future outlook will be the main factors in determining how to combat racism. Racism is still present in many societies, although many people are doing their best to put an end to racism and its somewhat tragic ordeals.
African Americans were emancipated via the Thirteenth Amendment and were then given the right to vote. However, states, especially southern states, gave an impossible literacy test for African Americans to take and pass in order to be eligible to vote (Hevron, 2015). If the national government passed a legislation to allow African Americans regardless of truly being literate or illiterate, African Americans probably would have been more eligible to vote depending on policy given compared to each individual state’s policy. Another reason is how the Supreme Court, in 1883, overturned the 1875 Civil Rights Act and argued, “the Fourteenth Amendment did not give Congress the power to regulate private conduct,” (Bianco and Canon, 2015). It had only affected the conduct of state governments and left the national government with no power to stop the southern states from implementing state and local laws that headed to the segregation of whites and blacks in the South, which is also known as the Jim Crow Laws, and had denied the numerous basic rights that the African Americans