Reconstruction
The Era of Reconstruction following the Civil War was a period marked by an intense struggle to restore a worn-out and devastated society. The war, which was aimed at confronting the national problem of slavery, only led to subsequent dilemmas over emancipation and an undefined condition of freedom. Some had naively believed that ending slavery would solve the problem of racial inequality, overlooking the prejudice and uninviting atmosphere towards blacks. Questions over how to reinstate a disloyal population with the fall of the Confederacy and restore a destroyed southern territory rang throughout the nation. Although the former slaves were undeniably freed, the foundations for a racial democracy were laid, and the country was once again united, overall, Reconstruction was a period of political strife, shortcomings, and general failure. After the war, the South was left in a state of complete turmoil. Passing armies had shattered the South’s agricultural economy with the burning of buildings, destroying of crops, and killing of livestock. Southern industry was also badly hurt, as assets needed to support loans were lost in the war. More importantly, the South, for the first time ever, was without an easy pro
” Johnson’s Jacksonian convictions for a truly united nation led him to insist on the speedy restoration of Southern governments based on the prewar white electorate. Factionalism within Republicans, through the growth of Liberals in 1872, and the financial panic of 1873 contributed to a platform of mixed intentions and placed doubt on the Republican majorities in the House. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. Racial prejudice was as strong as ever and many white southerners, with a feeling of superiority found it difficult to adjust to the new way of life. Most importantly, however, was that blacks were undeniably freed. Johnson, a southerner and former slaveholder fully disagreed with the Republican aims of strict southern reinstatement and racial equality and from the beginning called such radicals his “adversaries. Upon meeting in December of 1865, the body refused to seat any of the representatives from the seceded states. Tilden, “We have just emerged from one civil war, and it will not do to engage in another civil war… it would end in the destruction of free government. Ordeal By Fire: The Civil War And Reconstruction. However, Johnson’s plan in practice revealed that little had changed in the South.
Common topics in this essay:
Civil War,
Union Army,
South Freedmen,
Johnson’s Jacksonian,
Samuel Tilden,
Reconstruction Acts,
Reconstruction Reconstruction,
Fourteenth Amendment,
Predictably Johnson,
Republican Congress,
civil war,
thirteenth amendment,
former slaves,
rights former slaves,
rights former,
racial equality,
secession ordinances,
pushed extreme,
freedmen’s bureau,
civil rights,
secession ordinances repudiate,
ratify thirteenth amendment,
nullify secession ordinances,
undeniably freed,
|
Acceptance Essays
