Why did the Reconstruction-era Republicans believe that the Enforcement Acts were necessary? A) They believed that the Fourteenth Amendment was not being properly enforced by President Johnson. B) They believed that southern state governors were not upholding the rights granted by the Civil Rights Act. C) They believed that the south would try to secede from the Union again. D) They believed that the Supreme Court would rule the Civil Rights Act unconstitutional.
To understand why the Reconstruction-era Republicans believed that the Enforcement Acts were necessary, we need to consider the historical context. The Reconstruction era refers to the period after the Civil War when efforts were made to rebuild and transform the South politically, socially, and economically.
The correct answer is B) They believed that southern state governors were not upholding the rights granted by the Civil Rights Act.
Explanation:
After the Civil War, the Republican-controlled Congress enacted several measures to grant civil rights and protections to newly freed slaves, including the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which defined the rights of all individuals born in the United States, including African Americans, and affirmed their equal protection under the law.
However, many southern state governments were resistant to implementing these measures and actively sought to undermine the rights of African Americans. They implemented oppressive laws known as "Black Codes" that were designed to restrict the freedoms and civil rights of African Americans. These codes aimed to maintain a system of racial segregation and prevent former slaves from exercising their newly gained rights.
Recognizing this, the Reconstruction-era Republicans believed that the southern state governors were not upholding the rights granted by the Civil Rights Act. They saw a need for stronger federal legislation to combat the discriminatory practices and ensure the protection of civil rights for all citizens, regardless of race. The Enforcement Acts, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Acts, were passed in response to a wave of violence and intimidation by white supremacist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan.
These acts aimed to empower the federal government to combat the violence and protect the civil rights of African Americans in the South. They authorized federal authorities to prosecute individuals who violated civil rights and gave the President the authority to use military force if necessary to suppress domestic violence.
Thus, the Reconstruction-era Republicans believed that the Enforcement Acts were necessary to counter the resistance of southern state governments and ensure the enforcement of civil rights for African Americans.