African Americans And Reconstruction Dbq

Since Lincoln’s first election in 1860 to the end of the reconstruction period in 1877, many things changed. The north went to war against the south, slavery was abolished, and blacks were permitted to vote. This political progress was encouraging but many political and social aspects remained the same, including the treatment of African Americans and friction regarding states’ rights. During this period, the 15th amendment was passed and the Civil War was ended, however, African Americans were still dependent upon plantation owners for survival and states’ rights were not completely stabilized. Even during this time of significant political and social upheaval, continuity was essentially maintained in the years 1860 to 1877. Despite the social discrimination in the form of black codes, sharecropping, and hate crimes, abounding political developments fostered change in blacks’ lives. The 15th amendment guaranteed voting rights for all African Americans. After the Civil War but before the 15th amendment was passed, many blacks petitioned the government for the right to vote, stating that if they fought against rebels in the field they should be able to vote against them in the polls. (Doc 3) The impact of the 15th …show more content…
A practice called sharecropping was slavery in another form, with the former slaves still at the mercy of their former masters. The government promised freedmen land, but never fulfilled their promise, leaving the former slaves still tied to the large plantation owners. (Doc 7) This state of dependence was considered even more despicable than slavery by some, with many black sympathizers attempting to bring the country’s attention to the continual discrimination against African Americans. (Doc 8) Because of sharecropping resulting the blacks’ continual dependence on plantation owners, a form of slavery remained throughout the years 1860 to