Reconstruction A Story of Limited Success Essay - 1613 Words

As a country, America has gone though many political changes throughout its lifetime. Leaders have come and gone, and all of them have had their own objectives and plans for the future. As history has taken its course, though, almost all of these â€Å"revolutionary movements† have come to an end. One such movement was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a violent period that defined the defeated South’s status in the Union and the meaning of freedom for ex-slaves. Though, like many things in life, it did come to an end, and the resulting outcome has been labeled both a success and a failure. When Reconstruction began in 1865, a broken America had just finished fighting the Civil War. In all respects, Reconstruction was a time period of†¦show more content†¦To rejoin, a state had to have ten percent of voters both accept the emancipation of slaves and swear loyalty to the union. Also, high ranking officers of the state could not hold office or carry out vot ing rights unless the president permitted. Unfortunately, Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre on April 14th, 1865, before he could put his plan to the test. After his death, several other political leaders emerged with plans in hand. These men were of the Republican Party, and they called themselves Radicals. The Radical Republicans that emerged in the political spotlight after Lincoln’s death had two main objectives to their cause. First, they were mad at the south, blaming them for the Civil War that had just ended. Ergo, they wanted to punish them and make them pay. Secondly, they wanted to help all of the near four million slaves who were now free men after the war. They felt these â€Å"men† needed protection, and it was their job to do so. There were three main Radical Republican leaders. These men were Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner, and the formally inaugurated president Andrew Johnson. Thaddeus Stevens, a political man, held a place in the House of Representatives. His main concern was the economic opportunity for slaves. Stevens wanted them to be able to make a living on their own, and not depend on the â€Å"white man† as they had done all their lives. Thinking almost on these same lines wasShow MoreRelatedCh 16 Reconstructed1096 Words   |  5 Pages Often times they all struggled but they were now free. 2. Compare the economic conditions of the South with the economic conditions of the North during the period of Reconstruction. The economic conditions of the South compared to the North during the period of Reconstruction varied quite heavily. The South was limited in many ways after the war and had little to expand and prosper where as the North had everything from political power to trade. They made it so the South could not haveRead MoreThe Era Of Reconstruction During The Civil War1630 Words   |  7 Pageswas followed by a brutal contraction, which was imposed by the white people. This contradiction is emblematic of the African-American experience. The era of reconstruction was a short-term success, a medium-term failure, and a foundation for the long-term successes of the civil rights movement in terms of black freedom. The era of reconstruction exposed the radical limits of freedom for natural born citizens in the post-civil war United States. The idea of freedom changed in a tremendous way for theRead MoreCinematography Is an Integral Part of Motion Pictures Essay1183 Words   |  5 Pagespart of motion pictures. Within this context, Russell Carpenter’s role as the cinematographer of the film Titanic is important. For instance, his attitude towards cinematography, especially his tireless effort to attain perfection contributed to the success of the film. In the film, Carpenter’s co-operation with art department and visual effects department deeply influenced his role in the film as a cinematographer. During the production of the film, Cameron’s initial idea did not clash with Carpenter’sRead MoreHistory Thesis: Reconstruction Era Essay1574 Words   |  7 Pageschallenges faced during this time of rebuilding varied among the classes. Of all the groups, African-Americans, had the most treacherous economic ladder to climb. Immediately following the Civil War they had the freedoms necessary to obtain economic success. They were ready to take advantage of their newly found rights as Americans after the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. Many African-Americans began to find jobs away from the plantations or even re-negotiate deals with their previous mastersRead MoreThe Growing Popularity of Plastic Surgery: Possible Causes690 Words   |  3 Pagesthe reconstruction of a single breast of a woman a couple of years ago went for an upwards of US $10,000. The same is now possible for a mere US $600 (Bosshart, 2006). Thus those who could not afford plastic surgery in the past due to the prohibitive costs of such a procedure can now afford the same. Next, unlike in the past, individuals today are increasingly turning to plastic surgery in an attempt to have their physical defects corrected. This is more so the case given previous success storiesRead MoreWhat Did The Ku Klux Klan Reach Their Goals, Both Social And Political, During The Reconstruction Period2012 Words   |  9 PagesCriterion A: Identification and evaluation of sources: This investigation will evaluate the question: to what extent did the Ku Klux Klan reach their goals, both social and political, during the reconstruction period from its birth in 1866 to 1877? This essay will first determine the social and political goals of the Klan, than analyze how successful they were in attaining them. The source that proved most useful during the research process for this paper was the non-fiction White Terror by AllenRead MoreNative-Born American Racist Terrorist Organization: The Ku Klux Klan1598 Words   |  7 PagesThe Ku Klux Klan is a native-born American racist terrorist organization that helped overthrow Republican Reconstruction governments in the South after the Civil War and drive black people out of politics. It revived in the 20th Century as a social lodge and briefly became a nationwide political power. During the 1960s, the Klan fought the Civil Rights Movement in the South. Under attack in state and federal courts, in a racially changed and disapproving South, the Klan hangs on —marginally, butRead MoreThe World Bank s Support For The Construction Of The Nam Theun 2 Dam1326 Words   |  6 Pageselectrical power to neighboring Thailand (2013). Project Goals In 2006, The World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), reported that the average daily income of Lao PDR citizens was less than US$1, lower in rural areas, and that limited options existed for generating income. At that time, MIGA projected that the NT2 would generate close to US$1.9 billion in foreign exchange earnings over the dam’s twenty-five year lifespan (through the export of electrical power to Thailand), andRead MoreWomen and Cosmetic Surgeires Essay1358 Words   |  6 Pagesthe purpose of the technic is to correct the born body imperfection such as cleft palate for patients so that they are able to have a normal life. By reviewing Lindridge’s and Graham’s paper, analyzing the group research, and sharing the personal story Angelina Jolie, this paper argues that even though not all plastic surgeries will cause negative impact, the technic of plastic surgery has certainly been abused in society nowadays for female to accom plish unrealistic goal in beauty due to the lackRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Of The United States1668 Words   |  7 Pagesequal citizen rights. (Welcome to the Civil Rights Digital Library, n.d.) From petitions to pickets, protests and to boycotts and lawsuits, these were the forms of struggles that the people before 1954 engaged in. many of the activities gained huge success and produced results in the twentieth century. Faith was the sole inspiration that kept the African Americans to keep fighting for their education, employment and other facilities that were restricted to them because of racial discrimination. The