The reconstruction of the south was the period during and after the Civil War where several different groups in the government tried to solve the economic, political, and social problems that arose as a result of the Civil War. It was a time of disorder and chaos. Southern whites rejected all forms of equality and blacks wanted nothing but full freedom and land of their own. This led to frequent and inevitable riots. Reconstruction lasted from 1865 to 1877 and was one of the most controversial periods in the nation's
history. People still debate its successes and failures.
Many people blames Reconstruction failure on black politics, calling it "Negro government." Even some newspaper
One of the main reasons for the failure of Reconstruction was the dropped prices of crops. Many farmers and sharecroppers could not live off what they earned. The depression caused the price of cotton to nearly drop by 50%. Many of the main crops such as: tobacco, rice, and sugar also declined. "The depression disrupted commerce, bankrupted merchants, seriously undermined the economic situation or artisans, and all but eliminated prospects for social mobility among unskilled laborers of both races."
The banks could have also caused the failure of Reconstruction to speed up. The Freedman's Savings Bank went under with no money to pay its depositors. The bank held thousands of black's (Freedman) money. "In June 1874, with only $31,000 on hand to cover obligations to its
All papers and essays are for research and reference purposes only!
Copyright 2002-2009
Direct Essays , LLC. All Rights Reserved. DMCA Webmasters make $$$$