Reconstruction Dbq Essay

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In the fall of 1867, local black leaders, ministers and Republicans mobilized large numbers of voters in the South. Southerners in Alabama united to “claim exactly the same rights, privileges and immunities as are enjoyed by white men”. 265 African Americans were elected as delegates to state conventions. However, democrats controlled the North and racial prejudice was a major concern. Blacks tried to pursue their dreams of equality, but whites wanted to keep as many features of slavery as they could. The end result of the Reconstruction was violence, brutality and election fraud. In the election of 1868, Ulysses S. Grant won fifty-three percent of the vote and won the electoral college by a vote of 214 to 80 although he did not have any political experience. Because of this lack of experience, he at times appeared confused; he appointed men who also didn’t have the experience of a leader. Allegations of scandal and corruption plagued his administration leading to embarrassment for Grant. His second term was also filled with scandals—allegations of bribery, giving senators and representatives a retroactive pay increase, and …show more content…

Rutherford B. Hayes was selected as the Republican candidate. Samuel J. Tilden was selected as the Democratic candidate. Results of the election were so close that Republicans requested a recount. The Constitution did not specify how to resolve a contested election and the House and Senate could not agree on how to count the votes, so a committee of fifteen members was created. The committee ruled in favor of Hayes by one vote. Democrats postponed tallying the vote in hopes of getting concessions from the Republicans. Their tactic worked because the ‘Compromise of 1877’ was agreed upon. The South would agree to Hayes becoming president if the North would pull the military out of the south. On March 2, 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes was elected

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