Social Revolution

Constitutional and social developments between 1860 and 1877 had a huge impact on American politics and life, resulting in a massive cultural, political, and social revolution. Added to these developments were continually changing goals and revolutionary ideas which helped furthered the revolutionary process. Such changes dramatically altered American lifestyles and trains of thought. As Senator Morrill said, "every substantial change in the fundamental constitution of a country is a revolution."
Politics and states' rights, black suffrage, and civil rights issues all combined during this period of turmoil to create unrest and, eventually, a revolution, Civil War and Southern Reconstruction. Politics and states' rights were major issues
A definite statement can be made regarding the issue: primarily all free white Americans in the South, from 1860 to 1877, wanted blacks barred from voting. The federal government, however, is another matter. In the beginning of the Civil War, even people in leadership positions confessed to the Union and their disinterest in black suffrage. Gideon Welles stated that the federal government does not want to attempt and has no right forcing a state to allow blacks to vote. Lincoln, during the Lincoln-Douglas debates, claimed not to be an abolitionist and was uninterested in freeing the slaves. In the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln claimed that at that point slaves should be free, but this document was primarily to pacify the Border States and keep European powers, namely France and England, out of the war. Blacks began to demand the vote through abolitionist and Union support. In 1865, American citizens of African descent begged for the vote to combat the enemy just as they were called to do in the field. Blacks wanted to vote, whether they were in the Union or the Confederacy. Eventually under Southern Reconstruction, blacks were given the right to vote under a Constitutional Amendment, and the union, which earlier claimed that the federal
Changing federal goals in this area also helped to confuse Americans. Throughout American history prior to this time, blacks were not viewed as equal to whites (3/5 Compromise). Slavery was definitely thought of as something to be destroyed at the beginning of this time period, but civil rights was another matter. Later during Southern Reconstruction, civil rights became a goal of the unionists, through such laws and the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Civilization was to be equal, according to Unionist beliefs. Southern people did not want civil rights during this time period. Whites intimidated black voters. Literacy tests were created, which were unequal, to prevent blacks from being registered. Black Codes and Jim Crow laws developed in the South to further oppress blacks. Violence made freedom awful and created a beautiful view on slavery. Groups such as the KKK terrorized many blacks. Not all Americans took the civil rights issues seriously and journalism spread the idea of such a strong federal government as a "novelty." The federal government created strong legislation for blacks to be educated and helped, like the Freedmen's Bureau, but it was not as effective due to powers in the South who were against it. Blacks had to cry out for such agencies to help full force and provide such necessities as land. But often times these cries were