Was the Reconstruction Period a Failure

Was reconstructive memory a failure? As the flaming(a) obliging War drew to a close, the period of reconstruction began to lay down shape across the states. there were macrocosmy questions aroused following the cont obliterate regarding the physical re-building of the domain, demobilisation and more or little importantly what was to replace the pre-war norm of bondage? Americas position on the latter, was of course both vague, with differing opinions from the conglutination to the mho, these differences which should create been settled with the outcome of the Civil War meant the war on the battlefield had transgressed to one and only(a) on a social and political level.However as Michael Les Benedict quite aptly states that winning had been more important than tally out what to do afterwards, which resulted in a sporadic reconstruction be forced by dissimilar motives. When faceing at how successful the reconstruction period was in America one should consider the in tentions behind such(prenominal) Reconstructing, this poses the question at that placefore of whether the period was one of rebuilding traffic amid the North and the South or between the slaves and citizens?This essay will look at therefore the attempt at creating an increasingly harmonious nation with the interruption of unstoppable de facto discrimination that make reconstruction a unemployed period. When discussing the reconstruction some decide to begin with the Emancipation contract where capital of Nebraska addressed the nation on 1st January 1863 I do commit and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforth shall be free. This of course was the primary leap into the unknown, only as this was non passed by dint of Congress and there only being a hardly a(prenominal) states states emancipate renders 1863 as an ineffectual starting construe for the Reconstruction period. However what was important dur ing this time was the role of African Americans in the war which shaped their position in post-war America. By the wars end, some 180,000 corrosives had served in the Union Army. Although there was severe dissatisfaction over conscription, the opportunities offered in the army was the foundation for the move towards equality.Primarily it was an opportunity for Afro-Americans to prove their cap ability and ability to be disciplined this allowed them to be seen as equals, as equal as possible as the time. Although slavery was still legally intact, in the pass of 1862 General moreoverler began substituting a system of compensated labour, Butlers recognition of military status of b wishing soldiers was an example of the appointed outcome of the war, and what impact It had on integration even though most of the soldiers spoke scornfully of niggers there was an un-admitted truth that the war could non keep back been won without the help of the Negros.Learning from the military inte gration and flowing the passing of the thirteenth Amendment in 1865 power saw the true beginning of the reconstruction period and as a result there was an increase of active participation of African-Americans in society. Local leaders played such a variety of roles in schools, churches, and fraternal organizations that were bridges to the larger world of politics. The primary source of elaborateness was through the parishes however Afro-Americans were soon able to mildew their way provided as in 1865 John S.Rock of Boston was the initiative black attorney admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court, this showed that slowly the Norths racial barriers began to fall. This positivistic change non only saw the increased integration of blacks within the judicial branch, however also in the executive, among the ablest were Robert B. Elliott of South Carolina and John R. Lynch of Mississippi. Both were speakers of their state House of Representatives and were members of the U. S. Con gress. However such was little(a) lived due to the ever increasing violence from the Ku Klux Klan this shows that the restoration was throttle to the North.As previously mentioned the 13th Amendment was a milestone in the road to immunity or blacks, however the amendment closed one question only to up to(p) a host of others. This was because although freed on paper and equal under the law, Afro-Americans were not quite regarded as equal under the eyes of society. The federal regimen therefore set up a protective organisation the freedwomans Bureau which meant there was a freer military position towards supplying silver for plantation equipment, clothing, and food, including salt, bacon, and other necessities for the Negros. The was a successful outcome of the Bureau, however there was obvious weaknesses within the Bureau, commenting on the organisation, a citizen expresses that it would have been wise if our statesmen could have received, digested and acted upon the answer s these men blacks gave to their questions. This suggested the nonchalant attitude the bureau had towards the emancipated slaves, rendering the cheek of a new smell increasingly difficult without federal aid.Further test of the federals restricted willingness to give aid can be seen through their attitude as for a while northerners regarded the proposed Fourteenth Amendment as an incredibly flabby settlement of the Civil War. Prior to this the Civil Rights Act had been passed in 1866 which declared that every race and color, without regard to any previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for offensive activity whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall have the identical right. This shows that had the 14th amendment seen to be too radical then the importance of the Civil Rights Act had not been thoroughly enforced of accepted. Years before the end of slavery, black abolitionist Charles L. Reason had predicted that emancipati on would impose severe trials upon the freedman. This prediction of course was one of great clarity as during the reconstruction period there was a general escape of emancipated slaves and a re-establishment and maintenance of gabardinened supremacy.The neglect can be seen though the inefficiency to support the released slaves and their struggle during the reconstruction period, conclusion employment and housing, food, clothes and medicine for the flow of refugees into the Department was almost impossible. thither was such little prospect for a freed slave that the result was to work practically how life had been previous to the 13th Amendment just without chains or to get involved with sharecropping which resulted in the increase of Tenant farming. Planters had no propensity to supercharge stinting democracy, white or black, and no confidence that freedman could farm successfully independent of whites. The lack of confidence in the freed man bears question to what it was r eally the Civil War was fought for. In 1861, the restoration of the Union, not emancipation, was the cause that generated the widest support for the war effort, this supports the evidence that there was a lack of concern for the emancipated slaves, as this was not at the forefront of Americans objectives.Quite a profound contribution to the failure of the reconstruction period was none the less than the president at the time, Andrew Jackson. Following the assassination of Lincoln was the beginning of the end for the Reconstruction period as Jacksons interpretation of reconstruction was a locution of his southern prejudices. Jackson excluded blacks from politics, in fact excluded legion(predicate) problems from his time in office Johnson had always believed in limited political science and a strict construction of the Constitution.In Congress, he had moved to reduce the salaries of organisation workers, voted against aid to famine-stricken Ireland, and even opposed appropriations to pave Washingtons pestiferous streets. This could either be described as laissez faire methods of rule or disuse. Although the Civil Rights Act did eventually get passed this was with no thanks to President Johnson, who during what was meant to be the restoration period vetoed it twice meaning its eventual passing through congress was due to an overall majority vote from his cabinet.The lack of the presidents intervention, or acceptance of the Sherman-Johnston agreement reflected the lenience accepted by the executive at the time as it was agreed that the executive authority of the government of the unify States not to disturb by reason of the late war so long as they live in peace and quiet. This meant very barren treatment of the ex-rebels of the Civil War. The leniency toward the de-mobilisation of the South meant it possible for the same people, the same issues that had precipitated the great war to remain. This therefore making the restoration of slavery hike possible, rather opposite to the original intentions of restoration, it was what Les Benedict described as the final stage of the Confederate reconstruction. Laura Towne reported that the freedman would not believe that Lincoln was assassinated as he was the foundation for the emancipation of the slaves and one who had revolutionary visions at a time of prevalent discrimination. As previously mentioned, Afro-Americans were increasingly acquire involved in positions and society however this was not true to everyone and was emphatically not on the increase. Cleveland County, North Carolina, counted 200 black members of biracial Wesleyan churches in 1860, ten in 1867, and none five years later. There is a recurring trend of the laissez faire method of rule or negligence towards the Afro-Americans during the reconstruction period. Under President Ulysses S. Grant the state produced less forms of reconstructive policies to protect the blacks from a prejudice society. He had won election in 1868 by urging, let us have peace, and he had not intervened in the South until Klan violence had forced his hand. This shows the executives turning a blind eye towards the violence and discrimination that prevailed throughout the reconstruction period. not only was there negligence towards imposing protection for the emancipated slaves, but there were further restrictions implemented on their freedom such as the Black Codes Sec. 3. Every negro is required to be in the rhythmical service of some white person, or former owner, who shall be held answerable for the conduct of said Negro. This shows that although black slaves were meant to have been emancipated, there was always the article of being emancipated under the control of the white man.The fact the white man had control over the emancipated slave made freed life sometimes harder than the days of slavery. Additionally although the 15th amendment was passed with the intention of enabling the emancipated the privilege of the vote, it was not long followed by the restrictive Jim Crow laws which had further implication into the post-Reconstruction period and into the twentieth century. The Crow laws not only made it impossible for makes to ascertain suffrage due to the Grandfather Clause, but enabled de facto segregation.The reconstruction period was not only a failure due to the order or lack of legislation, but the economic depression resulted in the first great crisis of industrial capitalism permanently altering the nature of economic enterprise, and had profound political and ideological consequences. This meant that due to economic hardship there was a decrease in sympathy towards the Negro who had nothing compared with the white man who had nothing. By the end of 1874 nearly half the nations iron furnaces had suspended operation The reconstruction period was one that saw a plethora of legislative change, however not all for the better.There were legion(predicate) empty promises directed at the l iberated slaves, however liberated is not the correct term to use. The emancipated slaves saw little to no cash advance in their lives, and not only were the reconstruction a failure with regards upward(a) relations between North and South it was a failure with repairing relations between the slave and the citizen. The fact the reconstruction period was so short and its ending reverted back to previous times renders the reconstruction period a failure. There remained the underlying intentions, just lacked motivation to implement the reconstruction of the coupled states.Additionally these intentions derived from a handful of just minded thinkers such as Lincoln, however there were too many, with great power who were not yet organize to accept the equality that was preached to clearly in the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th amendment. Therefore as there was such little veritable change when reflected against how much legislative change at Wa shington makes the Reconstruction period a failure as perception, treatment and understanding of a different race did not improve.