HIS 315L - Essay #1
Reconstruction in the context of American History refers to the process of integrating the Southern Confederacy into the American Union. The process began in 1861 after the capture of the Confederacy by the Union. It was opposed by the white Southerners and supported by the black Southerners. The contrary position taken by the two races was based on the policy proposed by the Congress during the process.
In 1865, President Andrew Johnson proposed a policy that required the land that was given to the freed black slaves be returned to the white owners. Additionally, President Johnson’s policy created an avenue for the Southern states to pass legislation that restricted the Blacks’ movement and demanded they be readily available to provide labor to the firms. However, Johnson's policy was rejected by the Northerners during the Congressional elections in 1866. The rejection of Johnson's policy led to the adoption of a radical process in the Reconstruction that was fiercely opposed by the white Southerners and widely embraced by the black Southerners. …show more content…
It required all the Southern States to comply with the 14th Amendment, which broadened the definition of citizenship and provided equal opportunities and rights for all the citizens, regardless of their races, before joining the Union. Later in 1869, the Congress passed the 15th Amendment that granted the Blacks the right to vote and participate in the electoral process. The white supremacists viewed the legal enactments as an attempt to do away with their dominance and favor the “inferior Blacks.” Unlike the whites, the Blacks embraced the Reconstruction process since it afforded them the rights they were denied by the Confederation. But was there a way the Reconstruction process could be done to satisfy both
Reconstruction in the context of American History refers to the process of integrating the Southern Confederacy into the American Union. The process began in 1861 after the capture of the Confederacy by the Union. It was opposed by the white Southerners and supported by the black Southerners. The contrary position taken by the two races was based on the policy proposed by the Congress during the process.
In 1865, President Andrew Johnson proposed a policy that required the land that was given to the freed black slaves be returned to the white owners. Additionally, President Johnson’s policy created an avenue for the Southern states to pass legislation that restricted the Blacks’ movement and demanded they be readily available to provide labor to the firms. However, Johnson's policy was rejected by the Northerners during the Congressional elections in 1866. The rejection of Johnson's policy led to the adoption of a radical process in the Reconstruction that was fiercely opposed by the white Southerners and widely embraced by the black Southerners. …show more content…
It required all the Southern States to comply with the 14th Amendment, which broadened the definition of citizenship and provided equal opportunities and rights for all the citizens, regardless of their races, before joining the Union. Later in 1869, the Congress passed the 15th Amendment that granted the Blacks the right to vote and participate in the electoral process. The white supremacists viewed the legal enactments as an attempt to do away with their dominance and favor the “inferior Blacks.” Unlike the whites, the Blacks embraced the Reconstruction process since it afforded them the rights they were denied by the Confederation. But was there a way the Reconstruction process could be done to satisfy both