Reconstruction4
After the Civil War ended, President Lincoln was faced with the task of rejoining a Union which was thriving less than fifty years earlier. In 1863 to achieve this goal, Lincoln introduced his "restoration plan" to the country. During this time of Reconstruction many compromises were made in order to bring the south into American society once more, while incorporating the needs of the newly emancipated slaves. Although Lincoln was very helpful in trying to join the north and south, he was assassinated before and his successor, Andrew Johnson disliked by the majority of the nation, could not follow through with its ideals. During this time, ex-slaves were trying to integrate into the new American economy and society. Throughout the course of the twelve year period of Reconstruction, black Americans made significant gains in their struggle for equal rights. Because of the lack of attention and the unfair manner Johnson treated the North, all who opposed him aided black Americans in their goal for economic and social equality of opportunity. President Lincoln's announcement of restoration plans for the country began with what he called his 10% plan. He pr
In the midst of these bazaar occurrences, the black Americans felt that they had to fight for their rights for economic and social equality. With little representation from only the radical republicans, their only supporters, the black community felt that they had to create a company that would assist ex-slaves. The company was known as the Freedmen's Bureau. It fed and clothed war refugees of both races, rented confiscated land to "loyal refugees and freedmen," and drafted and enforced labor contracts between freedmen and farmers. It also helped to educate and train ex-slaves so as to help them integrate into white dominated society. Even though black Americans were being helped by a stable bureau, white supremacy rained in the the racist south. The Ku Klux Klan, created by Nathan Bedford Forrest, traveled around the south killing blacks as well as destroying mass amounts of their property. Also beginning in 1865, new southern laws, known as Black Codes became popular in most southern states. These laws were designed to keep the free blacks in a state as close to slavery as possible. "Localities set curfews, required black agricultural workers to obtain passes from their employers, insisted that blacks who wanted to live in town obtain white sponsors, and, in an effort to prevent political gatherings, sharply regulated meetings of blacks, including those held in churches. Fines and forced labor were the penalties for violators."1 These ozbstacles only made the ex-slaves more determined to gain equality. oposed an exculpation for Confederate citizens, not including high-ranking officials, who agreed to take an oath pledging their loyalty to the Union and accept all the Union's wartime acts and proclamations concerning to slavery. Once 10% of any confederate state too
Some common words found in the essay are:
President Lincoln's, Civil Rights, Black Codes, Andrew Johnson, President Lincoln, Freedmen's Bureau, Union Rich, Johnson Johnson, Supreme Court, Reconstruction Act, black americans, radical republicans, fourteenth amendment, andrew johnson, civil rights, moderate republicans, fourteenth amendment congress, republican party, party demanded, 10% plan, economic social, economic social equality, tenure office act, civil rights bill,
Approximate Word count = 1209
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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