Us History Reconstruction Dbq Essay Example

DBQ – Reconstruction In the time period from 1860 to 1877 many major changes occurred in the United States that made it more similar to how we know it today. During this time the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were acquired. In addition, many welfare and federal government programs began, however some of the social developments were less effective. Between 1860 and 1877 constitutional developments, to an extreme extent, and social developments, to a lesser extent, amounted to a revolution. During this time period many constitutional developments and battles over state vs. federal power made the changes that happened revolutionary. For the first time a state, South Carolina, used its power to secede in 1860 (Doc A). It argued that the states entered into the union under the Nature of the Compact and that if they disagreed with the actions of the federal government than it was within their power to secede and leave the union. However the opposing view believes in nationality (Doc B). That once the states entered the Union they did so permanently, and the cause of a lot of suffering and treason was when state rights were elevated above federal authority. President Buchanan offered the opinion that it was illegal to succeed but also illegal to go to war to prevent it. Another disagreement in this period was suffrage and black rights. The African Americans believed they deserved a right to vote as much as anyone else because they had been allowed to raise their bayonet against the South in the revolutionary war (Doc C). The Southern view was that the Federal Government doesn’t have the right to decide suffrage in any state or the rights of certain peoples within each state (Doc D). The Northern viewpoint won out with the ratification of the 14th amendment with gave African Americans equal rights. This was completely revolutionary compared to the prewar mindset that Blacks were inferior and even stupid. Even some of people who wished to end slavery didn’t