Ordeal by Fire The Civil War and Reconstruction

Ordeal by Fire the Civil War and Reconstruction

Introduction

McPherson's prose is very vivid. His arguments for the inescapable import of slavery to the Civil War are abundant and persuasive. But they are balanced arguments, acknowledging the ambiguities of the issue, as he differentiates pure abolitionists from those who feared slavery's impact on the free-labor, and acknowledges that not all abolitionists particularly wanted the freed slaves to remain in the United States.

America's position as a country established on principles of freedom had been weakened by slavery. When Abraham Lincoln took offices as President on March 4, 1861, the United States was a divided country with slavery as the key issue before the nation. In order to preserve the Union, something had to be done in America. After the Civil War ended, political leaders had competing ideas about how Reconstruction should occur. Issues that had once been fought on the battlefield were being argued in Congress. Laws regarding the treatment of black Americans sparked disagreements between reformers and Southern conservatives. (McPherson, 2000)

By the end of civil war the whole of America, including the South had to be built, and, despite the South's hostile resistance, African-American were slowly and gradually becoming part of this nation. The long awaited citizenship for Blacks was confirmed in 1868, by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave blacks the right to vote.

Although short-lived, the Reconstruction showed the first real attempts of complete freedom for African-Americans. Gains were taking place: Citizenship, Voting Education and Politics.The many reform movements after the civil war shaped American Society and Culture to what it is today. For example, the Progressive movement, and the Civil Rights movements saw many laws passed which are still in effect today.

Discussion

According to the book Braxton Bragg call for reforms primarily came from the workers, farmers, African-Americans and Women. In the late 1800's a group of Americans decided to do something about the decline of moral and ethical values in most Americans. These people called themselves the progressives and started one of the most comprehensive reform movements in the United States to this day. (McPherson, 2000)

Progressivism became so widespread that the end of World War I labeled anyone who didn't agree with Progressive ideals labeled a communist. The Progressives had four major goals that they wished to accomplish. These four goals were to democratize America, to Americanize America, the humanization of capitalism and rationalization of the economy.

The “Old West" was largely a post Civil War phenomenon from roughly 1865-1890. It included the large-scale settlement of 430 million acres of land. More land was settled during the "old west" than in the first 250 years of American history. In essence, the land area occupied by Americans doubled. During this time three "empires" rose and fell: Mining, especially gold and silver; farming; and Cattle. Ten new states enter the United States, and by 1912 the lower 48 are complete. It was also during this time that White Americans defeat Native Americans in the so-called Indian ...