Reconstruction is commonly known as the time of rebuilding the United States in a post Civil War America. When slavery was abolished and the Nation was divided President Andrew Johnson had to face the daunting task of bringing the South back into the Union, as well as redefining a culture that had drastically shifted in a few short years. The culture and economy of the Southern United States had been built around slavery, when the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted, freeing the slaves and ending the war, such a culture had to be redefined. The reforms in the Southern United States helped to industrialize the nation as well as forming what is commonly referred to as the New South.
One of the major changes to come out of post-Civil War America and Reconstruction was the revamping of the South’s economy and labor force. In pre-Civil War South the economy was mainly agricultural and based upon slave labor. However, after the abolishment of slavery the South had to industrialize and therefore the labor force grew to encompass the production of tobacco. However, “of all other areas, the New South’s main success lay in its expansion of its textile production which began in the 1880s” (powerpoint) …show more content…
“Before the war, blacks had been excluded from the regular army and militia. In 1861 and 1862, the Lincoln administration had rejected black volunteers, fearing that white soldiers would refuse to serve alongside them.
With the Proclamation, the enlistment of blacks began in earnest. By the year 's end, some 200,000 African-Americans had served in the Union army and navy, the large majority of them former slaves. Within the army, black soldiers were anything but equal to whites. Organized into segregated regiments under white officers, they initially received less pay than whites.”
One of the major changes to come out of post-Civil War America and Reconstruction was the revamping of the South’s economy and labor force. In pre-Civil War South the economy was mainly agricultural and based upon slave labor. However, after the abolishment of slavery the South had to industrialize and therefore the labor force grew to encompass the production of tobacco. However, “of all other areas, the New South’s main success lay in its expansion of its textile production which began in the 1880s” (powerpoint) …show more content…
“Before the war, blacks had been excluded from the regular army and militia. In 1861 and 1862, the Lincoln administration had rejected black volunteers, fearing that white soldiers would refuse to serve alongside them.
With the Proclamation, the enlistment of blacks began in earnest. By the year 's end, some 200,000 African-Americans had served in the Union army and navy, the large majority of them former slaves. Within the army, black soldiers were anything but equal to whites. Organized into segregated regiments under white officers, they initially received less pay than whites.”