The documents provide deep understanding about the life of American African during the Reconstruction. The colored people celebrated their freedom both privately and in public spheres. The black family, the black church, and education were the center in the lives during the Reconstruction of the African Americans. Document 14.3 had the greatest impact on the public’s opinion.
The victory of the white abolitionists in the Civil war gave the Black slaves the opportunity to taste the freedom. Colored people “felt like a bird out of a cage” (Hewitt and Lawson, p.449) and enjoyed their moment under the protection of the Union troops. Although the emancipated slaves experienced catastrophic disease, the smallpox, they still determined to pursue …show more content…
In order to own lands and be considered as a citizen of America, former slaves went to great length to be a good citizens, “Have we broken any Law of these United States? Have we forfeited our rights of property In Land? - If not then! Are not our rights as A free people and good citizens of these United States to be considered before the rights of those who were Found in rebellion against this good and just Government.” (Document 14.1). They were also willing to follow all the rights, pay the bill and devout their loyalty to deserve the equal treatment “We were the only true and Loyal people that were found in possession of these Lands. We have been always ready to strike for Liberty and humanity… Shall not we who Are freedman and have been always true to this Union have the same rights as are enjoyed by Others?”;“We are already pay for this Land […] and just government take from us all this right and make us subject to the will of those who have cheated and Oppressed us for many years” Another account of Whittlesey demonstrates the Black’s acknowledgement in the new society: “great mass of colored people have remained quietly at work upon the plantations of their former masters during the entire summer”. “We the freedmen of this Island and of the State of South Carolina- Do therefore petition to you as the President of these United States, that some provisions be made in which Every colored man can purchase land and Hold it as his own”. Thanks to the Freedmen’s Bureau, 400 acres of soil were distributed to the Blacks. Later then, after the Black Codes was enacted, the owning-land right from colored people was taken and likely put these freedom-seekers into the new form of slavery. All the lands were restored and given back to the white landowners by the federal government despite the efforts of Republican to protect the owning-land right of the
The victory of the white abolitionists in the Civil war gave the Black slaves the opportunity to taste the freedom. Colored people “felt like a bird out of a cage” (Hewitt and Lawson, p.449) and enjoyed their moment under the protection of the Union troops. Although the emancipated slaves experienced catastrophic disease, the smallpox, they still determined to pursue …show more content…
In order to own lands and be considered as a citizen of America, former slaves went to great length to be a good citizens, “Have we broken any Law of these United States? Have we forfeited our rights of property In Land? - If not then! Are not our rights as A free people and good citizens of these United States to be considered before the rights of those who were Found in rebellion against this good and just Government.” (Document 14.1). They were also willing to follow all the rights, pay the bill and devout their loyalty to deserve the equal treatment “We were the only true and Loyal people that were found in possession of these Lands. We have been always ready to strike for Liberty and humanity… Shall not we who Are freedman and have been always true to this Union have the same rights as are enjoyed by Others?”;“We are already pay for this Land […] and just government take from us all this right and make us subject to the will of those who have cheated and Oppressed us for many years” Another account of Whittlesey demonstrates the Black’s acknowledgement in the new society: “great mass of colored people have remained quietly at work upon the plantations of their former masters during the entire summer”. “We the freedmen of this Island and of the State of South Carolina- Do therefore petition to you as the President of these United States, that some provisions be made in which Every colored man can purchase land and Hold it as his own”. Thanks to the Freedmen’s Bureau, 400 acres of soil were distributed to the Blacks. Later then, after the Black Codes was enacted, the owning-land right from colored people was taken and likely put these freedom-seekers into the new form of slavery. All the lands were restored and given back to the white landowners by the federal government despite the efforts of Republican to protect the owning-land right of the