reconstruction in the south

A detailed Summary of reconstruction in the south

In U.S. history, Reconstruction refers to the time period following the

Civil War and to the process by which the states of the confederacy were

readmitted to full membership in the union. The period was marked by

struggles between political parties about how reconstruction should proceed

and between the president and congress over who should direct it.

Reconstruction aroused violent controversy over constitutional powers

of federal government to intervene in a states affairs. Northern democrats

believed the constitution strictly limited federal power, anticipated that most

southern whites would vote democratic, and had little sympathy for black

aspirations. Northern democrats favored a rapid Reconstruction.

Republicans took a broader view of federal power. The more radical of

them believed that the secessionist states had forfeited their status and could

treated by congress as territories. Republicans also thought that steps had to

be taken to foretell future rebellions. In addition, many felt that blacks were

entitled to fundamental rights and hoped southern republicanism could be

Reconstruction left a nasty legacy to future generations of Americans. Whites Southern felt wronged and for years perceived blacks as potentially dangerous political enemies. By failing to develop a fair Reconstruction , Northerners permitted the creation of a caste system in the South that deprived many black Americans and poor whites of basic rights. The effects of discrimination that developed during Reconstruction still persists to this day.

Economic independence, for blacks, relied on their ability to own and care for land. However, most blacks were not able to become property owners and remained as poor as those who ran to southern towns in search of better jobs. Most blacks were compelled to go to work on white owned farms and plantations. The most popular kind of farming in this time period was sharecropping for cotton. An agreement between blacks desire for work and whites desire for workers is basically how share cropping was back then. Share cropping allowed each black family to work on a certain area , with the crop divided between the worker and the owner at the year end. In many cases, big plantations fell to pieces and blacks were able to get land for very cheap, but blacks economic opportunities were held back by the whites control of credit and the price of agricultural foods.

After Lincoln's assassination , the former Vice President Johnson, now President Johnson, had his own plans for reconstruction. He adopted the Wade-Davis Plan with some changes. Not allowing exceptions to wealthy or "important" people like Lincoln did , Johnson gave a pardon to anybody

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Approximate Word count = 1454
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History