I Have History Essay Homework. You Should Answer 5 W Questio
I Have History Essay Homework You Should Answer 5 W Questions From Th
Answer the following questions based on the chapter provided: What were the years of the USA Civil War? Where did General Lee of the CSA surrender to General Grant of the USA in April 1865? What three amendments to the USA Constitution were passed into law during the Reconstruction era? What were the years of the Reconstruction era? What was the purpose of 'Field Order 15'? What famous USA general enacted this new law, and why did it not become as successful as General Sherman would have liked? What role did the church and other religious institutions play in the African-American community during the Reconstruction era? What was the purpose of the 'Freedmen's Bureau'? Who was its first commissioner? After whom is Howard University named? Who was General O.O. Howard? When was the 'Freedmen's Bureau' established? What punishments did Southern white traitors receive for their failed attempt to dismember the USA? How many Southern traitors died as a result of their treasonous attempt to destroy the United States? What was the Crop Lien System? What was a sharecropper? Why did the cities in the South grow rapidly after the Civil War, and what role did industrialization play in this urbanization? Besides the USA, name two locations that abolished slavery during the 19th century. Who became President after Lincoln’s death in April 1865, and why was Andrew Johnson known as 'Tennessee Johnson'? What was Johnson’s childhood like? What was his attitude toward African Americans gaining citizenship? What does 'Presidential Reconstruction' mean, and why did it fail? What were Black Codes? Define 'suffrage'. Why was the Reconstruction era a struggle over Black people's suffrage? Who were the Radical Republicans, and what was their purpose? Name the most important Radical Republican in the House and the Senate. What was the purpose of the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, and was it successful? When was the 14th Amendment passed, and what is its ongoing importance? What was the purpose of the Reconstruction Act of 1867? Why was President Johnson impeached in 1868, and what was the outcome? Who won the presidential election of 1868? Who was president from 1868 to 1876? What was the purpose of the 15th Amendment, and when was it passed? Why are the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments called a 'Great Constitutional Revolution'? Why did women not receive full citizenship rights during Reconstruction? Who was Olympia Brown? What was the Union League, and what role did it play in African Americans’ voting rights? By what year had all Confederate states been readmitted? Name two African Americans who served in Congress during Reconstruction. What was a 'Carpetbagger'? What was a 'Scalawag'? Why were railroads important to Southern industrialization? To which political party did opponents of Reconstruction belong? What was the purpose of the Ku Klux Klan? Define the term and its goals. What happened at Colfax, Louisiana, in 1873, and what were the results? What were the Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871? Who were 'Liberal Republicans', and why did they oppose Radical Republicans? What were the Slaughterhouse Cases of 1873, and what was the Supreme Court's ruling? What was the outcome of 'The United States v. Cruikshank' (1873)? What was the purpose of the Southern 'Redeemers'? List the states that called themselves the 'CSA' from 1861 to 1865. When did the era of Southern Redemption begin? Who won the 1876 presidential election by popular vote and by electoral vote? What was the impact of the 'Bargain of 1877' or the 'Compromise of 1877' on African Americans? Please answer these questions in a comprehensive essay covering approximately four pages, integrating key historical facts and perspectives.
Paper For Above instruction
The American Civil War, a pivotal conflict in United States history, took place between 1861 and 1865. This four-year struggle was primarily fought over issues surrounding states’ rights and slavery. The war began when Southern states, advocating for the continuation of slavery and states' sovereignty, seceded from the Union, leading to a brutal conflict that reshaped the nation. The decisive moment came in April 1865, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the war and solidifying the preservation of the United States.
The Reconstruction era followed, spanning from 1865 to 1877, aimed at rebuilding the South and securing rights for newly freed African Americans. During this period, three transformative amendments to the U.S. Constitution were ratified: the 13th Amendment (1865), abolishing slavery; the 14th Amendment (1868), granting citizenship and equal protection under the law; and the 15th Amendment (1870), prohibiting voter discrimination based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. These amendments sought to redefine American citizenship and civil rights, marking a profound legal shift. The purpose of 'Field Order 15,' issued by General William T. Sherman in 1865, was to allocate land in the Sea Islands and coastal South Carolina to freed slaves, providing them with land to cultivate. Sherman hoped this would facilitate economic independence for freed African Americans; however, President Andrew Johnson later voided much of this order, and its success was limited due to political opposition and economic complexities.
Religious institutions, especially churches, played a critical role in African-American communities during Reconstruction. They provided spiritual support, education, and a platform for political organization and activism. The Freedmen's Bureau, established in 1865, was a federal agency aimed at aiding former slaves and impoverished Southerners. Its first commissioner was O.O. Howard, a Union general and social reformer. The Bureau’s efforts included establishing schools and providing legal assistance to African Americans. Howard University, a prominent historically black university, was named after General Howard, reflecting his legacy. The Bureau faced resistance from Southern whites and lacked resources, which limited its success and lifespan.
Southern white traitors, primarily former Confederates, faced various punishments after the Civil War, but many escaped severe repercussions due to lenient policies and political compromises such as the Amnesty Act of 1872. An estimated thousands of Southerners, however, were killed during the chaos and reprisals of Reconstruction. The economic system that emerged in the post-war South was the Crop Lien system, which tied sharecroppers and tenant farmers to local merchants and landowners through debt, perpetuating economic dependency. Sharecroppers were impoverished farmers who worked land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crops, often trapped in cycles of poverty.
The rapid urbanization of Southern cities post-1865 was driven by industrialization and economic opportunities. Railroads played a crucial role by connecting the South to national markets, stimulating growth. In this period, cities expanded swiftly, with industries such as textiles, iron, and steel emerging. Besides the United States, other countries like Brazil and Cuba also abolished slavery in the 19th century, reflecting a global movement towards emancipation.
President Abraham Lincoln was succeeded by Vice President Andrew Johnson after his assassination in April 1865. Johnson, a Southern Democrat from Tennessee, was known as 'Tennessee Johnson' due to his Tennessee roots. His childhood in the South, combined with his wage of Unionism, influenced his complex stance on Reconstruction and African American rights. Johnson was generally opposed to granting full citizenship and suffrage to African Americans, shaping his lenient policies that favored restoring Southern states quickly, often at the expense of Black civil rights.
'Presidential Reconstruction' referred to Johnson’s approach, which emphasized swift readmission of Southern states with minimal protections for freed slaves, leading to failures in establishing racial equality. Black Codes were laws enacted in Southern states to restrict the rights of freedpeople, ensuring their availability as cheap labor. 'Suffrage' refers to the right to vote, which during Reconstruction became a central issue, especially for African Americans seeking political participation. Reconstruction was fundamentally a struggle over the enfranchisement of Black Americans, confronting white resistance and racial discrimination.
The Radical Republicans in Congress aimed to secure civil rights for freedpeople and restructure Southern politics. Their most prominent leaders included Thaddeus Stevens in the House and Charles Sumner in the Senate. The Civil Rights Bill of 1866 aimed to protect Black Americans from discriminatory state laws, and although initially vetoed by President Johnson, Congress overrode the veto, making it law. The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, establishing citizenship rights and equal protection under the law. It remains a cornerstone of civil rights jurisprudence.
The Reconstruction Act of 1867 divided the South into military districts to enforce new constitutional measures and protect Black voting rights. President Johnson’s impeachment in 1868 resulted from political conflicts over Reconstruction policies, but he was ultimately acquitted by Congress. Ulysses S. Grant won the 1868 presidential election and served from 1869 to 1877. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, aimed to secure voting rights regardless of race or color, completing the Reconstruction amendments—collectively called the 'Great Constitutional Revolution'—which advanced civil rights but faced ongoing resistance.
Women, including leaders like Olympia Brown, did not achieve full citizenship rights during Reconstruction due to societal and political constraints. The Union League was a key organization that mobilized African-American voters during Reconstruction and helped secure political gains. By 1877, all Confederate states had been readmitted to the Union, though often under conditions that limited Black civil rights. African Americans like Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce served in Congress, representing newfound political representation.
A 'Carpetbagger' was a Northerner who moved South after the Civil War seeking economic or political opportunities, often perceived negatively by Southerners. A 'Scalawag' was a Southern white who supported Reconstruction policies, sometimes seen as traitorous. Railroads were vital for economic growth and industrialization in the South, facilitating transport and trade. The opposition to Reconstruction primarily came from Southern Democrats, who aimed to restore white supremacy and undermine Black political rights.
The Ku Klux Klan, formed in 1866, aimed to restore white dominance through violence and intimidation against African Americans and their allies. Its goals included suppression of Black political participation and maintaining racial segregation. The Colfax Massacre in 1873 was a violent confrontation where white supremacists killed dozens of Black Republicans defending a courthouse, leading to increased tensions and federal intervention. The Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871 sought to combat Klan violence and protect African Americans’ voting rights.
Liberal Republicans emerged in the 1870s opposing Radical policies and advocating for civil service reform and less harsh Reconstruction measures. The Slaughterhouse Cases (1873) limited the scope of the 14th Amendment, weakening federal protections. The Supreme Court decision in United States v. Cruikshank (1876) limited federal intervention in racial violence, further enabling white supremacist violence.
The Southern Redeemers, political groups working to end Reconstruction and restore the pre-war social order, aimed to re-establish white supremacy through political and violent means. The Confederate States of America (CSA) consisted of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia from 1861 to 1865. The era of Southern Redemption began after 1877, as white Democrats regained control.
In the 1876 presidential race, Samuel J. Tilden won the popular vote, but Rutherford B. Hayes secured the electoral vote after the contested election, culminating in the 'Compromise of 1877,' which ended Reconstruction. The infamous 'bargain' resulted in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, leading to the disenfranchisement of African Americans and the rise of Jim Crow laws, impacting Black civil rights and political participation for decades thereafter.
References
- Foner, Eric. (2019). Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877. Harper Collins.
- McPherson, James M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
- Woodward, C. Vann. (1955). The Strange Career of Jim Crow. Oxford University Press.
- Blight, David W. (2001). Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory. Harvard University Press.
- Chambers, Henry L. (1982). The Human Farm: Farm Labor and Southern Society. Oxford University Press.
- Gordon, Linda. (2015). Our Lives: sentences and Silences in American History. Oxford University Press.
- Du Bois, W.E.B. (2007). Black Reconstruction in America. Oxford University Press.
- Wilson, Charles Reagan. (2004). The Reconstruction of America. Oxford University Press.
- Litwack, Leon F. (1998). Trouble in Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow. Vintage.
- Foner, Philip S. (2014). Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction. Louisiana State University Press.