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History and Anthropology

03/08/2018

Essay on African Americans experience during Reconstruction

The Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment act was a major turning

point in the Reconstruction phase of the United States of America. It freed all the slaves both

in the rebel and the free stated. The white population however was still unsure on how to deal

with the fully freed black population. Missionary organizations, schools, churches worked

tirelessly not only to educate the former black slaves but also the white population about

equality among people. However the Reconstruction did give the newly freed black

population authority, responsibility and freedom up to some extent.

The Reconstruction was mainly aimed at achieving integrity between the north and the south

population. Hence the freed slaves were to be given a social position among the whites. The

slave owners had to recognize the freedom of the former slaves. Although this was a difficult

gamble, it was a win for the black population.

The political changes on the other hand were much more significant. The radical Republicans

who were playing a major role in the Reconstruction made the three important amendments

that shaped the Reconstruction. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments that

abolished slavery, recognized US citizens by birth and provided voting rights to all

irrespective of the colour or if they were former slaves or not, respectively.

The Southern part was mainly dependant on agriculture where the slaves usually worked in

the cotton and sugarcane fields. With the new laws giving them freedom, the black
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population who were now landowners and landlords ventured into a diversified industrial

sector. Agriculture remained as the primary occupation among the Southners. Also the

introduction of the railways into the south provided better connectivity and hence boosted its

economy.

The Reconstruction era was a huge success for the Black community. For the first time in the

History of the US they were being treated equal in the eyes of the law. They had voting

powers and the power to contest in elections. This ear saw the rise of many prominent black

political figures. They also occupied seats of local and state offices. The African-Americans

were given the right to education and as a result of this there was a huge rise in the level of

literacy among their community. The freed blacks’ population was able to set up their own

churches and fraternal societies. They were able to reconstruct their families broken up by

slavery. Although the historians describe the Reconstruction as a failure in terms of political

and Economical growth of the US, it was a huge victory for the African-American

community.

Reeling under the humiliation of losing the war and suffering both socially and economically,

the white Southerns were angry and felt that the Northners were dictating too man rules upon

them, similar to a military rule. The few white Southners who actually supported the

Reconstruction were shunned socially and were branded as “Scalawags”. They despised the

government for giving the blacks same equality status as them and felt that they were living

in a hostile environment. The Reconstruction was not taken in a positive manner by the white

population.

The Reconstruction lasted from 1865-1877. The end began when the Northners began to

realise that the idea that had begun as an exciting social adventure was a futile attempt that

only damaged the political and economical status of the south. Radical Republicans became
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aggressive and began pushing for more and more amendments and changes. Violence helped

their cause and they successfully passed the Fourteenth amendment after taking full control

of the Congress. However, internal fighting among the Republics allowed the Democrats to

take control of the House of Representatives in 1874 which marked the end of the

Reconstruction period.
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Works Cited

Behrend, Justin. "Interpreting American History: Reconstruction." The Journal of American

History 104.3 (2017): 772-772.

Aarim-Heriot, Najia. "American Heathens: Religion, Race, and Reconstruction in

California." The Journal of American History 100.1 (2013): 216-217.

"A Tropical Reconstruction." Labor: Studies in Working-Class History of the Americas 12.4
(2015).

Morgan, Lynda. "The Reconstruction of White Southern Womanhood, 1865–1895." Journal

of Interdisciplinary History 36.2 (2005): 281-282.