Civil War
During both the civil war and civil war reconstruction time periods,there were many changes going on in the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation,as well as legislation such as the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenthamendments, was causing a new awakening of democracy; while the renouncing ofsecession by the South marked a definite triumph for Nationalism. As well, thegovernment was involved in altercations of its own. During reconstruction, thelegislative and executive branches eventually came to blows over the use ofpower. The nation was being altered by forces which caused, and later repaired, The first of these "forces" was the expansion of democracy. As earlyas 1862, Lincoln was taking a major step in that direction. On September 22,Lincoln announced the freeing of all slaves in areas not in Union control. Although the proclamation did not free all slaves everywhere, it was the actionthat would push Congress to pass the thirteenth amendment in 1865. Theamendment, ratified later in 1865, stated that "Neither slavery nor involuntaryservitude . . . shall exist within the United States, or any place subject totheir jurisdiction." It seemed democracy had triumph
These changes, both good and bad, made the Unionthe United States once again. The war had aroused the democraticspirit of the nation, and had so aroused a good deal of legislation to improvethe equality of all people. The House ofRepresentatives approved articles of impeachment and in May 1868, Johnson wasimpeached by the House. Originally passed to "put a number of matters beyondthe control or discretion of the president," the amendment also made "Allpersons born or naturalized in the United States . His plan recommended, but did notrequire, the repeal of secession ordinances and repudiation of secession,repudiation of the Confederate debt, and the ratification of the thirteenthamendment. " It also provided that, "No State shall abridge the privileges orimmunities of citizens of the United States. Post-war times brought forth the nationalisticspirit of the nation, proving once and for all that this Union was indeed,"indivisible under God. now and forever, one and inseparable. In 1866, Congress overrode a presidential veto for the firsttime in history, when Johnson vetoed a civil rights bill. Under Johnson's program, southernrepresentatives had been elected to Congress. " It has been theUnited States ever since. If secession from the Union was nowillegal, then Daniel Webster's theory of the Constitution being a people'sgovernment, and not a compact of states had to be true. The Union became more united than ever before, because now ittruly was a Union, ". " The lust for power and justice during reconstructioncaused the fight between the executive and legislative branches, a fight thatwas not completely resolved.
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