Reconstruction Dbq Apush Essay

The era from 1860 to 1877 was a time of reconstructive memory and revolution in America. some(prenominal) constitutional developments aided the reform movement, such as the ratification of the 13th, fourteenth, and fifteenth Amendments, which exclusivelyow African Americans pick out and civil rights. Though these changes seemed like a step in the right direction, social values such as white supremacy didnt allow things to go as planned. notwithstanding the fact that African Americans were granted rights on paper, they still werent do by equally. Actions of furiousness from the Ku Klux Klan threatened African Americans. Although sla rattling was considered abolished, people became partially enslaves cod to the Mississippi Black Codes and sharecropping.During reconstruction there were m some(prenominal) changes within the laws that granted African Americans rights that they hadnt previously had. In 1865, many American citizens of African descent claimed that if they were fitt ed to be drafted, then they should have the right to ballot as well (Doc. C). Soon after, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 provided citizenship to all occasion slaves and gave them equal rights, equal adherence to laws and rights to protect property. This was by far adept of the most revolutionary transitions for slaves because it was a change in legislation (Doc. F). Further much, the appurtenance of 3 new amendments also tremendously changed the lives of African Americans.The 13th amendment abolished sla genuinely, the 14th amendment granted black people citizenship and equal protection of the laws, and the 15th amendment presented general suffrage. The first black man was reported voting on November 16, 1867 (Doc. G). In addition, the Force Act of 1870 also dish uped to reinforce the idea that former slaves were to be treated with respect. Anyone who acted against them, specifically forbidding African Americans to vote by fleshy them, would be seen as guilty of felony. The Se cond Force Act of 1871 was a reiteration of the first act, but it expanded further than just voting rights, and anyone who violated the constitutional rights would be found guilty of a laid-back crime. This act was mainly used to stop the actions of the Ku Klux Klan. Although all of the reinforcements were made to help African Americans, there were still manyissues and disagreements upon the viewpoints of the American people.The point of reconstruction was aimed at helping to preserve the Union. Staying united as a area was the only way to go about the situation (Doc. B). If all the states severalised, more problems would arise as there would be more tension among them. This universe so, the union didnt want to do anything that might cause the southeastern to secede from the nation. They wanted to keep a balance mingled with various areas of the nation. They had satisfied the North by abolishing slavery, but this upset the south as they lost their main source of labor. To dea l with this issue, the federal administration give tongue to that they had no motive to dictate the matter of suffrage in any state because they didnt want to upset the south any more, sick that they might secede (Doc. D). A couple years later, the ratification of three new amendments would change that, but at the time being the government didnt want to risk anything.Discrimination against African Americans was still very big issue in America. The installment of the Mississippi Black Codes created situations very similar to slavery. If someone was under eighteen years old, they would be get into apprentice ship where they would be under the title of a master. They could be persecuted or recaptured if they tried to run away. In addition, freed slaves who didnt find a job within the year would be fined, and if they couldnt afford to wear the fine they would be lent to those who could pay the fine. Another issue that came up was that the government didnt carry out the promise that freed slaves that they would be able to purchase homesteads. Many former slaves argued that they are free men and be to have the same rights as anyone else (Doc. E).Since a lot of former slaves were vagrants and couldnt afford a homestead, they would follow the system of sharecropping. Tenants would use the landowners land to plant crops, and they would pay the owner by giving them a share of the crops. This often became a cycle where the tenant would continuously be in debt, not allowing them to leave the land, close to making them slaves in a certain aspect. Following the Black Codes, the initiation of Jim Crow Laws created segregation surrounded by black people and white people. Each race had their own separate facilities and they were not allowed to share or combinethem.There was separation in simple things such as water fountains and restrooms, to more intricate things such as federal workplaces and the US military. As well as segregation between the blacks and whites, the re were also acts of violence from groups such as the Ku Klux Klan towards the African Americans. Although, the government did take action against members of the KKK, their actions were still brutal (Doc. H). A semipolitical cartoon by Thomas Nast that appeared in Harpers periodic on October 24, 1874 shows how the abuse from the KKK was considered to be worse than slavery (Doc. I).Reconstruction was a time of revolution to a certain extent in ground of constitutional developments. The Civil Rights Act, the ratification of three new amendments, and the enforcement of the Force Acts all helped to give African Americans the equality that they deserved and protect them from potential harm. exclusively in a social manner, African Americans werent treated as equals and were looked down upon. Instillations of the Black Codes and sharecropping put the recently freed slaves back in almost the same position as they were just recently. Jim Crow Laws created segregation between the two race s, separating them with any given opportunity. Groups such as the KKK practiced acts of violence against the black people, seeing them as inferior. So although the ideas of reconstruction were revolutionary, the actions that followed them backfired the plan.