Studies in the Reconstruction Part II: The South in the New Era

The Reconstruction era was a period of significant change in the United States, particularly in the South. After the Civil War, the South was in ruins. The economy was shattered, the social order was upended, and the political landscape was uncertain. Reconstruction was an attempt to rebuild the South and bring it back into the Union.

The African Colony: Studies in the Reconstruction (Part-II)

by Ivan Marchuk

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Language	:	English
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Political Changes

One of the most important changes during Reconstruction was the enfranchisement of African Americans. The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1870, granted African American men the right to vote. This was a major step forward for civil rights, but it also led to a backlash from white Southerners.

White Southerners used a variety of methods to suppress African American voting. They passed poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses. They also used violence and intimidation to keep African Americans from the polls. As a result, African American voter turnout declined sharply in the late 1870s and early 1880s.

Another important political change during Reconstruction was the rise of the Republican Party in the South. The Republican Party was the party of Abraham Lincoln and the Union. After the war, the Republican Party became the dominant party in the South. Republicans controlled the state legislatures and the governorship in most Southern states.

However, the Republican Party was not always popular in the South. Many white Southerners resented the Republican Party's association with African Americans and its support for Reconstruction policies. As a result, the Democratic Party began to make a comeback in the South in the late 1870s and early 1880s.

Economic Changes

The economy of the South was devastated by the Civil War. The war destroyed crops, livestock, and infrastructure. The South's economy was also dependent on slavery, which was abolished after the war. As a result, the South had to find new ways to make a living.

One of the most important economic changes during Reconstruction was the rise of sharecropping. Sharecropping is a system of agriculture in which农民rents land from a landowner and gives the landowner a share of the crop in return. Sharecropping was a common way for freedmen to make a living after the war. However, sharecropping was often exploitative, and many farmers found themselves in debt to their landlords.

Another important economic change during Reconstruction was the growth of industry in the South. The South had always been an agricultural region, but after the war, there was a growing demand for manufactured goods. As a result, new factories and mills were built in the South. This growth of industry helped to create jobs and boost the economy.

Social Changes

The social order of the South was also upended by the Civil War. Slavery was abolished, and freedmen were now free to live their own lives. However, freedmen faced many challenges in the post-war South. They were often discriminated against and denied basic rights. They were also subject to violence and intimidation from white Southerners.

In response to the discrimination and violence, African Americans began to form their own organizations. These organizations, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),worked to protect the rights of African Americans and promote their social and economic advancement.

White Southerners also experienced social changes during Reconstruction. Many white Southerners lost their wealth and status as a result of the war. They also had to adjust to the new reality of a South without slavery.

The Reconstruction era was a time of great change and upheaval in the South. The political, economic, and social order of the region was transformed. While Reconstruction was not always successful, it did lay the foundation for the South's eventual recovery and progress.

The Reconstruction era was a complex and challenging time in American history. It was a time of great change and upheaval, but it was also a time of hope and optimism. The South was rebuilt and brought back into the Union. African Americans made significant gains in their quest for civil rights. And the nation as a whole began to heal the wounds of the Civil War.

The Reconstruction era is still studied today because it offers valuable lessons about the challenges of rebuilding a nation after a civil war. It also provides insights into the ongoing struggle for racial equality in the United States.

Image Credits:

• Library of Congress
• Library of Congress
• Library of Congress

The African Colony: Studies in the Reconstruction (Part-II)

by Ivan Marchuk

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1358 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	20 pages

FREE