RECONSTRUCTION ERA

Reconstruction in U.S. History

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Reconstruction in U.S. History

Introduction

Reconstruction era was a momentous yet, crucial period in the US history; it refers to long, complicated, and controversial process after the civil war (1861-1865). It was the most disturbing incident in the American history and the scars have not entirely washed until today. All wars after having participated in the U.S. have taken place far beyond their borders, but this conflict devastated the south and the region subjected to military occupation. Many Southern whites, the threat to their political and social hegemony, they resorted to illegal means to prevent African Americans from achieving equality. The paper aims to the events that occurred following the Civil War in a period known as Reconstruction.

Discussion

In the south, people suffered from immense property damages which hampered the economy such as farms, factories, railroads. Adding to these, economic hardships were supported by destruction of the credit system and confederate currency that was of no use. Hence, reconstruction was aimed to rebuild the economy, establishing states and local governments to resume the norms and a new social setting between white and blacks. In 1962, provisional military governors were appointed for Louisiana, Tennessee, and North Carolina but President Abraham Lincoln (Alleva , 2010). The following year as followed by measures to reestablish governments of the newly occupied states and ensure ten percent of the voting population prescribed oath of commitment.

Civil war brought American into an era of complete chaos and United States was pushed to even more onerous reconstruction. Skepticism prevailed all around with populaces of diverse backgrounds and opinions and it became an impediment with disparate ideas about what to do with the 'new country'. Amendments to the constitution became a pre requisite to ensure parity amongst all men. Lincoln's main aim was to preserve the union by offering amnesty to southerners pledging an oath to the nation. He alleged the congress should readmit the state when ten percent of state's voters had taken the oath.

After Lincoln's assassination (April 1865), Andrew Johnson presided over the intricate process of reconstruction and a detested one. Johnson was not good with political knowledge and abilities; he made a career out of clashing public opinion instead on embracing it. Southern whites caused unrest in the south by providing incitement against Johnson's plan for reconstruction. Radical Republicans has opposed views as that of Johnson, the felt that congress should be responsible for taking the reconstruction policies, mainly due to the majority of Radical Republicans (Guisepi, 2008). The Radical Republicans in congress grudged and opposed presidential plan opposing any provision for social and political economic reconstruction. Consequently, Wade-Davis bill was passed in 1864 to put the south under the military rule and one majority of a states electorate the loyalty oath, readmission would essentially be granted, the bill was banned by the president through pocket veto.

For the first time, all the blacks were freed with the emergence of controversies as to what to do with them. Lincoln proposed the establishment ...