Of the many trials and tribulations that occurred during reconstruction we are
faced with determining whether it was a success or a failure. Many good things and bad
things happened as a result of reconstruction. . Although some setbacks and tragedies did
Order nowhappen as with any project of this size would. The entire effort overall was successful.
Although it did not accomplished what it was set in place to do. The act changed the
course of history for the better.
As this project started there was much conflict as what to do with the south. The
Presidents ideas and Congresses ideas of how to solve the problems in the south differed
greatly. President Johnson was vetoing everything that congress wanted to pass. His
reasoning for this was that he thought congress was being too harsh on the south.
In turn
congress thought the President was not being harsh enough. Congress told the southern
states that they must ratify the fourteenth amendment to gain admittance back into the
union. So reluctantly the south eventually gained admittance but not without finding
loopholes first. Some states as they ratified the amendment made laws and clauses that
still prevented blacks from voting such as black codes and grandfather clauses. These
laws and codes were totally legal. The way they worked is that literacy tests were given
at the polls before you could vote.
Or the grandfather clause that stated if your
grandfather could vote so could you. All of these problems proved to be a detrimental
setback in the processes of reconstruction.
Despite all of these loopholes many good things came from reconstruction. It led
the way for the civil rights movement. It also promoted equal rights and the right for
everyone to be free. Free labor was a result of these acts.
Without reconstruction where
would the south be today? Most likely poor, unequal rights, and most likely bad
economic problems. As a direct result of reconstruction industrialization emerged in the
south. Less raw materials were sent north and they were used in the south. Former slaves
and poor whites started working in factories earning wages instead of working on
plantations. Blacks started to be voted into office. If reconstruction never happened this
situation would never have come about.
Reconstruction not only changed things in the
south they also changed things in the north. Feminists movements started coming about
in the north. They started asking why freed slaves could vote but women still could not.
Many new questions arose and reconstruction was the cause.
Although the reconstruction acts failed in many ways they were reconciled by the
fact that it opened doors to many new ideas. It tested the laws, practices, and even our
very beliefs in the United States of America.
It broke into the time when industrialism
really exploded onto the scene. Civil rights emerged to help make this country equal and
just. Feminism emerged as well to help in this equal rights fight. As with every fight this
one was not easy but was overcome and became one of the most important turning points
in American history.
Words
/ Pages : 526 / 24 .