Reconstruction seriously limited the rights that it gave to black people. It did give the newly freed slaves the basic right to vote. That was a step in the right direction. However, they also allowed poll taxes to be put into place. Poll taxes not only weeded out the poor blacks, they excluded the poor whites as well. The people who started the poll taxes didn't want to lose all

those white votes, so they also started Grandfather Clauses that allowed anyone to vote if their father or grandfather had at one time voted. That was a step back.

I realize that some Radical Republicans had good intentions and they strived for equality in the races. I see that Reconstruction was the beginning of the status black Americans hold today. I also know that some Radical Republicans were inexperienced and forced into the southern government. And some were just in it to make some money.

Also under the 14th amendment, it says that confederate soldiers couldn't hold office. This was a good thing except they gave that right back to the confederates far too soon and under the wrong conditions. It ended the Reconstruction Era before it finished the job it needed to do.

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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 557
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)