Was the Reconstruction Period a Failure

Was Reconstruction a failure? As the bloody cultivated struggle drew to a close, the intent of reconstructive memory began to betroth shape across the states. on that point were many questions steamy following the war regarding the physical re-building of the population, demobilisation and close importantly what was to replace the pre-war norm of bondage? the Statess get on the latter, was of course both(prenominal) vague, with differing opinions from the North to the South, these differences which should have been settled with the terminus of the well-bred War meant the war on the battlefield had transgressed to sensation on a social and political level. and as Michael Les Benedict quite aptly states that winning had been more than important than figuring out what to do afterwards, which resulted in a sporadic reconstructive memory world hale by dissimilar motives. When looking at how winning the Reconstruction occlusion was in America iodin should consider th e intentions behind much(prenominal) Reconstructing, this poses the question accordingly of whether the finale was ane of rebuilding relations amid the North and the South or amid the slaves and citizens?This act will look at thitherfore the prove at creating an more and more harmonious nation with the kerfuffle of unstoppable de accompanimento discrimination that made reconstruction a void period. When discussing the reconstruction some decide to come with the Emancipation Proclamation where Lincoln addressed the nation on 1st January 1863 I do effect and declare that all persons held as slaves within verbalize designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free. This of course was the uncreated leap into the unknown, provided as this was non passed with Congress and in that location solitary(prenominal) when being a few states states vary state renders 1863 as an ineffectual starting date for the Reconstruction period. However what wa s important during this time was the role of Afri buns Americans in the war which shaped their position in post-war America. By the wars end, some 180,000 b privations had served in the conjugation Army. Although in that respect was severe dissatisfaction over conscription, the opportunities offered in the forces was the pes for the move towards equality.Primarily it was an opportunity for Afro-Americans to prove their cleverness 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 summer of 1862 General Butler began substituting a constitution of compensated labour, Butlers recognition of multitude status of b leave out soldiers was an example of the positive outcome of the war, and what impact It had on desegregation even though most of the soldiers spoke scornfully of niggers there was an un-admitted legality that the war could not have been won without the assistance of the Negros.Learning from the military integration and prevailing the passing of the thirteenth Amendment in 1865 dictum the true beginning of the reconstruction period and as a result there was an increase of active participation of African-Americans in society. local anesthetic leaders played such a mix of roles in schools, churches, and fraternal organizations that were bridges to the larger demesne of politics. The primary source of involvement was through the parishes except Afro-Americans were soon able to influence their way hitherto as in 1865 John S.Rock of Boston was the basic caustic lawyer admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court, this showed that easy the Norths racial barriers began to fall. This positive replace not only saw the increased integration of b inadequacys within the judicial branch, moreover 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 H ouse of Representatives and were members of the U. S. Congress. However such was short operated due to the ever increasing vehemence from the Ku Klux Klan this shows that the restoration was limited to the North.As forwardly mentioned the 13th Amendment was a milestone in the road to freedom or blacks, however the amendment closed one question only to open a host of others. This was because although freed on make-up and equal under the law, Afro-Americans were not quite regarded as equal under the eyes of society. The federal regime therefore set up a evasive organisation the Freedmans Bureau which meant there was a freer attitude towards supplying money 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 answers these men blacks gave to their questions. This suggested the fooling attitude the bureau had towards the emancipate slaves, rendering the instauration of a new life increasingly delicate without federal attend.Further evidence 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 fabulously lenient settlement of the gracious War. Prior to this the Civil Rights execution had been passed in 1866 which declared that every aftermath and color, without regard to any previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall have the homogeneous right. This shows that had the 14th amendment seen to be besides radical then the importance of the Civil Rights Act had not been thoroughly en force of authorized. Years in front the end of slavery, black abolitionist Charles L. Reason had predicted that freedom 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 neglect of liberate slaves and a re-establishment and maintenance of white supremacy.The neglect can be seen though the inefficiency to support the released slaves and their struggle during the reconstruction period, finding employment and housing, food, clothes and medicine for the flow of refugees into the Department was almost unacceptable. There was such piddling prospect for a freed slave that the result was to work practically how life had been previous to the 13th Amendment plainly without chains or to get involved with sharecropping which resulted in the increase of Tenant farming. Planters had no desire to supercharge economic democracy, white or black, and no faith that freedman could farm successfully independent of whites. The lack of confidence in the freed man bears question to what it was very 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 liberated slaves, as this was not at the forefront of Americans objectives.Quite a punishing contri andion to the failure of the reconstruction period was none the little 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 objurgation of his southern prejudices. Jackson excluded blacks from politics, in fact excluded numerous problems from his time in potency Johnson had always conceived in limited government and a strict construction of the Constitution.In Congress, he had moved to put down the salaries of government workers, voted against aid to famine-stricken Irela nd, and even opposed appropriations to surface uppercases muddy streets. This could either be described as laissez faire methods of rule or negligence. Although the Civil Rights Act did eventually get passed this was with no give thanks to President Johnson, who during what was meant to be the restoration period vetoed it doubly meaning its eventual passing through copulation 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 join States not to disturb by reason of the fresh war so long as they live in peace and quiet. This meant very liberal intercession 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 therefo re reservation the restoration of slavery further possible, rather resistance to the original intentions of restoration, it was what Les Benedict described as the stopping point of the Confederate reconstruction. Laura Towne reported that the freedman would not believe that Lincoln was dead 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 getting involved in positions and society however this was not true to everyone and was definitely not on the increase. Cleveland County, North Carolina, counted 200 black members of biracial Wesleyan churches in 1860, ten in 1867, and none pentad years later. There is a recurring stylus 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 t he 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 force play 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. any negro is required to be in the unceasing service of some white person, or motive owner, who shall be held responsible for the conduct of said Negro. This shows that although black slaves were meant to have been emancipated, there was always the clause 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 years of slavery. Additionally although the 15th amendment was passed with th e intention of enabling the emancipated the privilege of the vote, it was not long followed by the constraining Jim Crow laws which had further implication into the post-Reconstruction period and into the ordinal 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 legislation or lack of legislation, but the economic depression resulted in the commencement ceremony great crisis of industrial capitalism permanently holdfast 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 zipper compared with the white man who had nothing. By the end of 1874 tight half the nations iron furnaces had hang operation The reconstruction period was one that saw a plethora of legislative change, however not all for the better.There were many empty promises directed at the liberated slaves, however liberated is not the countervail term to use. The emancipated slaves saw little to no improvement in their lives, and not only were the reconstruction a failure with regards improving 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 United states.Additionally these intentions derived from a handful of just tending(p) thinkers such as Lincoln, however there were overly many, with great power who were not yet put to accept the equality that was preached to clearly in the result of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th amendment. Therefore as there was such little actual change when reflected against how much legislative change at Washington makes the Reconstruction period a failure as perception, treatment and understanding of a different line of achievement did not improve.