Carol Kinney Student ID 503951 HIS 223-CE July 4, 2014 Reconstruction Essay The Reconstruction Era of the United States refers to the period of time immediately following President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in January of 1863 until the late 1870’s as soon as Rutherford B. Hayes was elected president. The name for this era is in reference to the notion that not only did the Southern Confederate states need rebuilding, restructuring and reorganizing, but the United States as a whole needed to “come to terms with the destruction of slavery and to define the meaning of freedom (America’s Reconstruction, 2003)” and heal from the events of the Civil War. There are many key events of Reconstruction, and it is easiest to view them in chronological order so that each proceeding event can be interpreted by the previous. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, which was intended to free the slaves in the confederate states, it was not until Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution two years later that the abolition of slavery was officially adopted as national law. However, during those two years, “rehearsals for Reconstruction took place in the Union-occupied South (America’s Reconstruction, 2003).” These “rehearsals” occurred on the islands off the coast of South Carolina, and were an experiment of integrating the freed slaves into society through education, land ownership and free work. During this time, the Freedmen’s Bureau was established, allowing African-Americans to be legally married, which was prohibited prior to this.
The next key event during reconstruction was the assassination of President Lincoln, just a few days after the end of the Civil War. Vice President Andrew Johnson took office and immediately presented his plan for reconstruction of the United States, which Congress rejected. Instead, the South adopted Black Codes, and much to the dismay of many northerners, the postCivil War South looked a lot like it had prior to the war. The Black Codes were to Reconstruction, as slave codes were prior to the Thirteenth Amendment, and a way for white supremacy to continue in the South. About the same time, the Ku Klux Klan was created. In 1866, the Fourteenth Amendment was passed by Congress, defining citizenship and rights of the people of the United States, and was later ratified in 1868 to include former slaves. Also in 1866, the Civil Rights Act passed, which also guaranteed “blacks’ equality before the law (America’s Reconstruction, 2003).” Later, the Supreme Court would later declare the Act to be unconstitutional. Between 1866 and 1868, four Reconstruction Acts were passed despite Johnson’s vetoes, which were designed to punish and control the South during the Reconstruction Era. Johnson’s vetoes were evident of his opposition to reconstruction and the “Radical Republicans (America’s Reconstruction, 2003)” ideas of how the South should be dealt with. The Reconstruction Acts were as much as a criticism of Johnson’s presidency, as they were designed to reunite the Union. In 1869, Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which gave blacks the right to vote, but was later ratified in 1870 to “prohibit states from abridging the right to vote because of race (America’s Reconstruction, 2003).” This was key to reconstruction because the result was that African-Americans could not only vote, but could hold political office. Many of the first African-American politicians were former slaves. The 14th Amendment, Civil Rights Act and 15th Amendment would be seen as a “major change in the federal system, establishing the
national government as the arbiter of citizens’ rights, and empowering it to overturn (America’s Reconstruction, 2003)” states’ governmental decisions. As the Reconstruction Era was winding down, due to southern resistance to change and northern boredom with the entire subject of slavery, a few more key events occurred. 1n 1868, president Johnson was the first sitting president to be impeached by the House of Representatives and brought to trial in the Senate, although he was acquitted by one vote. After Johnson left office in 1869, Ulysses S. Grant, an ally to the Radical Republicans and reconstruction, became president. Under Grant’s leadership, reconstruction progressed and many African-Americans were elected to local, state and federal seats. By the time that Rutherford B. Hayes became president, the “Democrats assumed control (America’s Reconstruction, 2003)” of the South once again and “Reconstruction had come to an end. One image that represents the Reconstruction Era is “Burning a Freedman’s Schoolhouse (Harper’s Weekly, 1866).” Despite becoming emancipated from slavery, African-Americans were still deprived of basic rights, including the “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (Declaration of Independence, 1776).” Even after proving themselves to white society by serving in the Union Army, successfully becoming educated and building churches, businesses and banks (c.f. America’s Reconstruction, 2003), Reconstruction failed in so many ways. This sketch depicts how racism still prevailed despite the accomplishments of the Civil War and Reconstruction. After so many had died for freedom’s sake African-American’s were still treated as inferior and sub-human by many, even to the point of being harmed or killed. Even though the Civil War was not originally a war fought to free the slaves (Hummel, J., 2013, “Prologue”), so many had died in order to ensure the rights of all citizens, which included granting slaves freedom and rights. Reconstruction attempted to further this lofty goal, yet as
this sketch shows, failed in so many ways. Jeremiah 17:9 says “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (ESV).” Despite all efforts, persecution and racism still prevailed while many lacked power to stop it or did not care. This sketch portrays this perfect tragic irony of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Another image from the Digital History database that embodies the spirit of Reconstruction is the portrait of Hiram Revels. As “Burning a Freedman’s Schoolhouse” represents the tragic side of this era, Revels’ portrait represents the hopeful side. As one of the first African Americans “to serve in the Senate (America’s Reconstruction, 2003),” Revels provides hope that the nation was working toward the notion that “all men are created equal (Declaration of Independence, 1776)” and “endowed by their” co-creator “with certain unalienable rights.” That Revels, a black man, was elected to the United States Senate was a move in that direction. And although long after the Civil War and the end of the Reconstruction Era, the rights of blacks would continue to be “deprived (American Reconstruction, 2003)” for at least another 100 years, Revels and his contemporaries gave hope that eventually racial equality could be realized. Even though pure racial equality still has not been fully realized in this country, we have shining examples, like Revels, to show us a glimpse of what the Apostle Paul spoke about in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (ESV).”
Cited Sources America’s Reconstruction. (2003). [Graphic representation and database of historical facts and artifacts]. America’s Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War. Retrieved from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhibits/reconstruction.
Burning a Freedman’s Schoolhouse. (26 May 1866). [Scenes in Memphis, Tennessee, during the riot-burning . . . sketched by A.R.W.]. Harper’s Weekly. Digital History database. Retrieved from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhibits/reconstruction/ section2/section2_33b.html. Declaration of Independence. (4 July 1776). [Transcript]. Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html. Hummel, J. (2014). Emancipating slaves, enslaving free men : a history of the American Civil War. Chicago: Open Court. Roark, J. (2012). The American promise : a history of the United States. Boston New York: Bedford/St.Martins.