Lincoln 's decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, was to up the North 's support so they wouldn 't go to the confederate side. Not only a change in North war, but a change in the slavery, like granting the slaves their freedom so they wouldn 't have any more slave revolts which would cause even more chaos in other words another war. "The Emancipation Proclamation granted freedom to the slaves in the Confederate states if the states did not return to the Union by January 1,1863. In addition, under the proclamation, freedom would only come to the slaves if the Union won the war." Abraham Lincoln president at the time, the northerners also known as the Union, the south also known as the confederates, and slave states still in
His goal was to rebuild the South peacefully and quickly rather than punish the South. President Lincoln wanted to help the South and its folks. He wanted to abolish slavery. He made the abolishment of slavery possible by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was the executive order and document that freed all African-American slaves in Confederate states. With this document, President Lincoln announced that any African-American slave that was fit condition to fight could be accepted into the Union Army. This statement made it possible for African-American slaves to have a chance to fight for their freedom. President Lincoln’s opinion on political power was to leave the South alone and let them vote. He did not want to penalize the South, he wanted to help them. With this in mind, he planned to give the South back the land that they had lost to the Union Army; as well as keep the Southern lifestyle similar to what it was before. The few chances that Lincoln made were the establishment to free the African-American slaves and the unison of the North and
Lincoln's election lead to the belief that Southern interests were no longer considered in the federal government, and that the government would outlaw slavery. However, Lincoln's only agenda was to preserve the union and restrict slavery where it already resided. Despite receiving no votes from Southerners, Lincoln was still able to win the election. Southerners viewed this as Northern conspirators planning the destruction of Southern institutions. Southerners virtually lost all political power due to the influx of immigrants in the North and the election of Lincoln. Southerners feared Lincoln would use federal power to push through the abolition of slavery. Lincoln’s desire to restrict slavery caused many Southerners to feel as though their constitutional rights were violated. With no representation in government Southerners felt the only solution was to secede from the Union and form their own government. In addition, Lincoln’s inaugural address made it clear that “the Union of these states is perpetual,” making clear that secession would not be tolerable. Lincoln's attitudes and policies after winning the Election of 1860 fueled the secessionist’s arguments of the South. If any other candidate had been elected, who was more willing to compromise, war would’ve been avoided and concessions could’ve been made to both sides. However, Lincoln couldn’t compromise with the South,
On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected as president in the United State. But, the United States had been divided in the 1850s, due to the question about expansion of slavery and the rights of the slave owner. The issue of slavery had heated the nation to the boiling point. Fourth Months later, after Abraham presidential election, the seven states in the deep southern part of the United States, like South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia. Louisiana, and Texas, had seceded and seized many federal facilities. Although President Lincoln is the president of the United State, he still had no official powers to do anything about the Southern forming a new nation. On April 15, Lincoln called 75,000 volunteers to put down the Southern rebellion, and to reverse the seven states to vote in favor of session. After the nation drifted toward conclusion, Abraham Lincoln traveled all over the North, so he can make campaign speeches for the Republicans party. Abram Lincoln used his influence, as the leader of the Republican Party, by reaching out to the political leader of the Republican party, writing privately letters, demanded that the Republican party needs to hold firm to its opposition to the extension of slavery and to also reassure the southern that the Republicans composed no threats. When Civil War begins, Abr...
Black codes that were passed after the civil war ended was an effort to restrict civil rights for African Americans. They helped maintain a cheap source of farm labor and sustained the Social Hierarchy. Black codes made it illegal to carry weapons or even vote. They weren’t able to serve in juries, testify in court, marry white citizens and travel without permits. The Ku Klux Klan terrorized African Americans. Even though African Americans were the Ku Klux Klan’s main target they also attacked Jews, Gays, Lesbians, and Catholics. Not only did the Ku Klux Klan lynch ( public hanging ), raping was involved as well. The Ku Klux Klan started as a social club in 1866, Tennessee. Blacks were separated at schools, theaters, and other public places. The Ku Klux Klan and other terrorists murdered thousands of blacks and some whites to prevent them from voting and participating in public life. The KKK was founded in 1865 to 1866, they burned people alive, shot them, and beat them to death. In the Jim Crow Laws blacks and whites rode together in the same railway cars, ate in the same restaurant, used the same public facilities, but didn’t interact as equals. Whites addressed black adults as “boy” and they were expected to show differences to whites. In Public places the signs “Whites
The souths conditions after the war were horriable, as if there wasnt a south to even begin with. After the civil war the land was in ruins and destroyed by the north, William Techumseh Sherman had burned everything from the Mississippi to the Georgia coast committing rampant war crimes along the way and even burned Atlanta to the ground! Confederate currency was useless, which led to banks being pointless even though they were already ruined. Then there wasnt any law or authority, many slaves ran and became free which lossed in total at least two billion dollars worth and governments bassicly vanquished.
Many Southerners were opposed to reconstruction because it would allow for African Americans to finally have rights. Reconstruction was supposed to be an effort to bring peace back to the North and South and to reunite our nation back together, but that would not happen if African Americans were allowed to vote. If African Americans had the right to vote the North would have political control over southern states leaving Republican control over the national government.
Reconstruction was in many ways a failed attempt at rebuilding America. The aftershocks of this era will have lasting effects on the American society for centuries to come. This period was intended to stitch America back together after the ravages of the Civil War. U.S. History describes it as: “although the military conflict had ended, Reconstruction was in many ways still a war” (“Reconstruction”). Instead of uniting again, this time period drove the North and the South further apart. The North sought liberation and equality for the former slaves, whereas the South so desperately clung to their way of life where African Americans were just the dirt on the bottom of a shoe. It has taken centuries to make everyone equal. We all may be equal
The Civil War was one of the most brutal battles that the United States has ever part-taken in. This was because of the fact that we are ultimately fighting ourselves. This battle was to set order and form to the newly drafted nation called The United States of America. The Reconstruction period affected ideas of American Identity, national purpose and citizenship for many reasons shown throughout the era of the mid-late 1800’s.
The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments now stated that slavery was illegal and that any citizen of the U.S. was allowed life, liberty, the right to own property, and vote without racial stops. This meant that all former slaves were Americans regardless of color because this was their right and they were to be protected if problems arose; but this had to be enforced somehow if it was to make any difference. Leading up to the Enforcement Acts of 1870 that protected African-American rights like being able to hold office, vote, or get police protection because of groups like the KKK that tried their hardest to keep the Confederacy alive. Although all these laws were put in place to fight racism, it was still occurring through loopholes that were to be patched up by the Civil Rights Act of 1875. It stated that it was illegal to discriminate in public service places but the act was overruled by the Supreme Court due to private individual
The Civil War was “a revolution, but only half accomplished” because it ended slavery and reunited the country; however, Reconstruction failed to rebuild the South and to promote democracy and political unity. Even though the Freedmen’s Bureau was created to provide support for newly freed African Americans, it did not change the Southerners mindset about slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, but the Solid South reacted by creating the Black Codes, “Compulsory Free Labor”, Jim Crow Laws, and the KKK. The Black Codes were laws that restricted African Americans’ freedom, imposing travel restrictions; preventing them from voting, serving on juries, and testifying against white people; and implementing vagrancy laws and limiting work opportunities to domestic/agricultural jobs, thus creating “Compulsory Free Labor.” In addition, the Jim Crow laws followed the principle of “separate but equal,” which enforced
The Ku Klux Klan used violence to strike fear in black voters. The clan members didn’t believe that blacks were equal to the superior white people. The Ku Klux Klan targeted any black farmers, businessmen, politicians, and all other African Americans in their wake. They attacked schoolteachers that taught blacks and would often attack black students going to and from school. They would also attack any white people that were supporting black rights (Morales1).For instance, the Ku Klux Klan murdered and hung a state senator at court house as an example. The members killed him because they wanted to ward people off from voting for equality for African Americans. Freedom for slavery was a bumpy, hazardous path that had many rough edges which was a huge delay (McCardell296). Another way the clan tried to deter the political world was the abducted a George State Legislature from his home and viciously beat him because he would not forfeit his morals about the freedom for blacks. They bribed him with lots money to persuade him to leave his office but he stayed true to his beliefs. The Ku Klux Klan killed or injured thousands of African Americans and supports (Morales1). At this time of the reconstruction, the Ku Klux Klan was at a down fall. They’re main intentions were to discourage blacks and black supporters. But as the Reconstruction era progressed, people, both black and white,
After four hard-fought years of the deadliest war on American soil, the Union, led by President Abraham Lincoln, defeated the Confederacy, led by president-elect Jefferson Davis. The victory of the Union resolved the matter regarding the freedom of slaves, but along came the concern of the future status of four million newly freed slaves. The United States was divided, and in response, Congress passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867. Even with the best efforts put into the Reconstruction Act of 1867, it ultimately failed in its quest and ended ten years after in 1877. What remained was the issue regarding the status of African Americans and the South’s economy.
“War was easy. The hard part was cleaning up afterward.” In this essay we will be talking about the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth amendments and their contents, contexts, and consequences. Also the successes and failures of the Reconstruction, lastly the election of 1876. The Reconstruction era after the Civil War had both beneficial and non beneficial happenings that helped shape our country into what it is today.
In 1867 a 2/3 Republican Congress passes the Reconstruction Acts, which abolishes all governments, and in the elections, Republicans have the advantage thanks to black voters. In Tennessee, a radical Republican by the name of William G. Brownlow takes over, and he is a rather savage man. He is very radical and believes that those who fought for the Confederacy are traders, and he shows no mercy on returning rebel soldiers. His paper publishes the names of the soldiers, targeting them for revenge. He ratifies the 14th amendment, and while giving rights to freed slaves to vote, it also stripped former rebel soldiers of voting rights. These drastic changes of course anger many southern trying to hold on to the old ways, and in particular, it angers