Apush Dbq Reconstruction Era

After the Civil war, the United States had to welcome a formerly slave population and a formerly rebellious population back into the country. Just as slavery was the center of the Civil war, center to Reconstruction was the effort to ensure that former slaves had the right to breathe full meaning into their newly acquired freedom, and to claim their rights as citizens. The Reconstruction period, under the guidance of President Andrew Jackson, was a time to make reunion possible. With their newly founded freedom, African Americans were, supposedly, equal to white men. Freedom, the ability to express what you want and when you want to without care or concern of other’s opinion, was not always given the way it should have been. With the many acts …show more content…
The Black Codes were passed throughout the Southern states, restricting the rights of African Americans (Document B). This just shows the unwillingness of the white government to ensure the rights of the newly freed citizens. Not only do these codes restrict them of their rights but it also force them to work in a labor economy based on low wages and dept. Though these codes were abolished through the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments (Document A), those who sought to return to the old customs before the Reconstruction used violence to achieve their goal. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) aim to rid negroes who held office, voted or attempted to exercise their rights. Anyone who supported free African American were met with the same fate (Document H). Rather living a free life, African American were living a life in fear. Those who had the courage to express their rights had a high chance of being beaten or even