Goals Of Reconstruction

While Reconstruction could have been the opportunity to heal our country after the American Civil War. Unfortunately politics, greed and emotions got in the way of this. Society was a mess prior to the war, it was even worse after the war. Former slaves’ major goal was to achieve equality with whites. Southern whites’ goal was to ensure the blacks did not achieve equality. Legislation can change laws but it cannot change feelings. Reconstruction was an attempt at a social revolution that failed.
Former slaves’ major goal was to achieve equality with whites. Southern whites goal was to ensure the blacks did not achieve equality. Education was necessary for freedom and the slaves longed to be educated. Frederick Douglas, who was self-educated felt that the pathway from slavery to freedom is knowledge. Prior to reconstruction slaves did not have access to education. Slaves knew education would empower them. It would also allow for them to be able to read the Bible, which was sacred to most. The ultimate reward of freedom though, was having the right to vote. African American’s idea of freedom was vastly …show more content…
In 1866 when soldiers and representatives from the Freedman’s Bureau met at Edisto Island for the redistribution of land to the whites, they were met by many blacks rebelling against this action. Unfortunately the troops forced them to surrender. There were a number of violent events during reconstruction. Even the slightest action could trigger violence such as a black man not tipping his hat to a white person or the action of a black child not stepping off the sidewalk to allow a white person to pass. These indiscretions might cause a beating or a shooting. The blacks did not have the support of the legal system. The police force was made up of only white officers born and raised in the south and raised in a life with prejudice against blacks. Often the police force was made of up confederate veterans still wearing their gray