The time after the Civil War in the United States is one of the most important times in our country’s history. The country was divided over the issue of slavery and the South had been destroyed in the Civil War. The North used a military tactic called “total war” which damaged much of the South. Now African Americans are free from slavery and the people want the South to be punished. This era after the Civil War is called the Reconstruction era. During this time the United States worked to unify the country once again. Reconstruction was necessary in order for there to be a system to reintroduce states into the Union and a plan to rebuild the South. Without a plan, there would have been chaos, but people still question whether or not the events
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African Americans also made big strides by being elected to political positions and gaining an education which they were not allowed to have before, but with the good there is also the bad (Black Leaders during Reconstruction 1). Terrorist groups tried to use violence and intimidation to prevent African Americans from gaining their rights, but they were unable to stop it all (Ku Klux Klan 1). Southern political leaders tried to pass laws which limited the rights of African Americans but that also did not work (Black Codes 1). Overall, I believe Reconstruction was a success; as organizations were set up to help newly freed slaves, laws were passed giving them more rights, and more opportunities became available to African Americans. I think that Reconstruction would have been more effective if more emphasis was on restoring the nation than punishing the South. I do not think there would have been as much resistance if the penalty was not as harsh. There would have been less time wasted on trying to deal with the radical groups and political leaders of the South and that time could have been used to unify the country. With that said we can use the mistakes made from the past to make more progress in the present. Hopefully what someone can learn from these mistakes is to be more open-minded and not
African Americans also made big strides by being elected to political positions and gaining an education which they were not allowed to have before, but with the good there is also the bad (Black Leaders during Reconstruction 1). Terrorist groups tried to use violence and intimidation to prevent African Americans from gaining their rights, but they were unable to stop it all (Ku Klux Klan 1). Southern political leaders tried to pass laws which limited the rights of African Americans but that also did not work (Black Codes 1). Overall, I believe Reconstruction was a success; as organizations were set up to help newly freed slaves, laws were passed giving them more rights, and more opportunities became available to African Americans. I think that Reconstruction would have been more effective if more emphasis was on restoring the nation than punishing the South. I do not think there would have been as much resistance if the penalty was not as harsh. There would have been less time wasted on trying to deal with the radical groups and political leaders of the South and that time could have been used to unify the country. With that said we can use the mistakes made from the past to make more progress in the present. Hopefully what someone can learn from these mistakes is to be more open-minded and not