From the years 1866 to 1877, the country was in disarray, America had just finished fighting the Civil War. They were attempting to put their broken pieces back together, which had caused Congress to implement this destruction to “The Reconstruction Period.” They set this to unite the North and South sides and to become a full-running country once again.
The Civil War’s aftermath brought out unusual changes in America’s politics, society, and laws. They wanted to reconstruct the country. However, due to economic power, conservatism, and racism, this had caused their original plans to struggle and go backward. Americans faced a harrowing challenge, but they were not ready to give up just yet. It was a transfer from slavery to equal liberty and it was seen as irregular, especially during that period because it never happened anywhere else. It was a bold stance that set in motion (practically overnight) to gain equal citizenship so that both white and black people could work together.
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One of the various causes of the Reconstruction Era was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln which led to Andrew Johnson stepping up in his place. They had to rebuild and Americans were faced with profound duties such as healing and dispensing of justice. For the South to be reaccepted into the Union they had to take an oath of loyalty and whoever had taken it would be excused of crimes. It was a plan to prove their loyalty to the country and abolish slavery. Segregation also played a huge factor, even though African Americans were free, still, not very many people in society showed respect toward them. After some time, African Americans were given a new voice in government. Some of the references to local Sumter that can relate to these problems would be; Mount Pisgah AME Church and the Military Post are significant. “Mount Pisgah Church” went through trials and tribulations to get the church started. It was started in 1866, and many of the people couldn’t read or write. The South wanted to avoid any kind of educational opportunities for former slaves. The “Military Post” was designed to protect the rights of former slaves. If they were a former slave and felt like their rights were being violated, they could talk to one of the soldiers at the post and deal with the mishap and get things situated.
Although it was a time full of greed and corruption, they also made important decisions that led to a huge step in the right direction. Black Codes were the control of whites over blacks, limiting the freedom of blacks. The creation of the Klu Klux Klan used violence and threats to restore white supremacy. The Reconstruction also brought along a lot more advantages to African Americans. Important things such as the “Freedman’s Bureau Act” passed in 1865. It was key during Reconstruction to help freed slaves in the South that provided them food, housing, health care, employment, and education. Along with the Civil Rights Act that was established in 1866, which gave them the right to sell and own property. The Thirteenth Amendment prohibited slavery in the U.S. The Fourteenth Amendment was passed to give slaves more rights and become citizens. And the Fifteenth Amendment gave all men the right to vote. Years before this, it was never seen before. Without the turmoil of the Reconstruction, people in the future, probably wouldn’t have taken the risk to take a stand for what they think is right to achieve justice and equality.
Throughout 1865-1900, America was mending and repairing its damaged society. During this time it was continually changing, and due to these ever-changing events, are the reason why America is what it is today. Events such as the great movement towards the West, reconstruction of the South, increase of industrialism, and the finishing of the transcontinental railroad. The West and South became more “modernized.”
Farming converted into a more specialized system after the Civil War. Social and economic change intimidated smaller farms that were less fortunate and were not able to afford farming equipment. The economy remained tied with cotton and wheat causing an overproduction of crops and lowering their prices significantly. The South was very poor and was faced with the decision of whether to move to the West and start new, or stay in the South and plant new crops. The economy began to flourish due to the newly made invention, this being the “transcontinental railroad.” The railroad was a huge success because back then they didn’t have very many types of transportation and this made it easier for them. It stretched from coast to coast as a way for all of America to be connected.
Expansion to the West gave plenty of opportunity for mining for gold, and the number of farms began to double. Segregation towards African Americans was strong in the South. This made them protest to gain their civil rights. Indians were forced to separate and move to different reservations, they were faced with poverty and suppression. Problems began to emerge between the Indians and settlers, making the government divide the tribes and assign them to different reservations, which then led to “the ghost dance.” The government wanted the Indians to be more like the settlers, but the Indians often disagreed with them. They also created boarding schools for the Indian children, but because of the Dawes Severalty Act, they got their property. A reference from local Sumter that can relate to this would be the “Sumter Institute.” This institute also served as a school from (1867-1901) it began as a one-room day school.
Throughout their constant run-ins with trials and tribulations, they were able to conquer more than what they had anticipated. Improvements in technology made settlement in force possible, and railroads more significant which helped with their distance and supply problem, they eliminated the Indian problem by destroying buffalo, and many people ended up moving West to gain more of an advantage in more land for farming. The South and West experienced their own set of changes. The West continued with its discrimination within a multicultural society. They began to see a rise in agricultural products and raw materials. In the South, they were still dealing with various forms of discrimination. Although the South grew economically in some ways, it remained an independent region. They reached their goal of becoming one nation, but due to their continuing differences, only make the nation more diverse.
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