The Success and Failures of Reconstruction
Jasmine Beasley
History 101
February 16, 2013
Essay Question
1: In what ways was Reconstruction a success and in what ways a failure?
The reconstruction was successful in abolishing slavery and giving them the rights to protect them for instance the right to vote, speak, own property, make contracts, and have access to courts as parties and witnesses. Also there was the freedmen’s bureau which helped the ones in need from being homeless and completely poor. This bill gave the bureau added responsibilities of supervising special courts to resolve disputes involving freed people and establishing school. The bureau provided emergency food, clothing and medical to war refugees. Furthermore in 1870 the Fifth Amendment was passed which forbids any state to deny the right to vote on grounds of race, color, or conditions of servitude. Finally, the compromise 1877, President Hayes supporters agreed to withdraw federal troops from the south, help rebuild southern railroads, and not oppose the new democratic state government by doing so southern democrats pledged to respect African Americans rights. Yes, the reconstruction opened doors for African Americans yet it had some failures specifically the Ku Klux Klan democratic men who terrorized African Americans at night. These men didn’t want change they could not accept African American having equal rights and they demonstrated that by threatening, beating, and executing the blacks. In the 1870’s the Ku Klux Klan’s violence and intimidation prevented 60,000 or more black and white republicans from voting. Poverty was an issue in the south. White southerners were losing their land and had no economic opportunities and African Americans had little job offerings. Also there was the corruption, government stealing a percentage of the taxes and pocketing it which wasn’t limited to southern republics but many democrats and white business leaders. Moreover the economic issues were another sever problem.
History 101
February 16, 2013
Essay Question
1: In what ways was Reconstruction a success and in what ways a failure?
The reconstruction was successful in abolishing slavery and giving them the rights to protect them for instance the right to vote, speak, own property, make contracts, and have access to courts as parties and witnesses. Also there was the freedmen’s bureau which helped the ones in need from being homeless and completely poor. This bill gave the bureau added responsibilities of supervising special courts to resolve disputes involving freed people and establishing school. The bureau provided emergency food, clothing and medical to war refugees. Furthermore in 1870 the Fifth Amendment was passed which forbids any state to deny the right to vote on grounds of race, color, or conditions of servitude. Finally, the compromise 1877, President Hayes supporters agreed to withdraw federal troops from the south, help rebuild southern railroads, and not oppose the new democratic state government by doing so southern democrats pledged to respect African Americans rights. Yes, the reconstruction opened doors for African Americans yet it had some failures specifically the Ku Klux Klan democratic men who terrorized African Americans at night. These men didn’t want change they could not accept African American having equal rights and they demonstrated that by threatening, beating, and executing the blacks. In the 1870’s the Ku Klux Klan’s violence and intimidation prevented 60,000 or more black and white republicans from voting. Poverty was an issue in the south. White southerners were losing their land and had no economic opportunities and African Americans had little job offerings. Also there was the corruption, government stealing a percentage of the taxes and pocketing it which wasn’t limited to southern republics but many democrats and white business leaders. Moreover the economic issues were another sever problem.