Reconstruction Period: 1865-1877
What defined the Reconstruction period?
What was the challenge provided by the Radical Republicans?
Andrew Johnson’s impeachment
13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution
Black Codes, Sharecropping and post-slavery life
The Reconstruction period refers to the time after the American Civil War, from 1865 to 1877, when the United States sought to rebuild and reintegrate the Southern states that had seceded from the Union.
One defining aspect of the Reconstruction period was the effort to address the issue of emancipated slaves and ensure their rights and equality. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution were passed during this period. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, while the 14th Amendment granted equal protection under the law to all citizens, including former slaves. The 15th Amendment granted African American men the right to vote.
The Radical Republicans, who were a faction of the Republican Party, advocated for a more progressive and radical approach to Reconstruction. They believed in granting full civil and political rights to freed slaves. Their challenge was to push for these policies and ensure that the Southern states complied with the new amendments and implemented policies that protected the rights of African Americans.
Andrew Johnson, who became the President after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, faced impeachment during the Reconstruction period. The Radical Republicans were not pleased with Johnson's approach to Reconstruction, which they saw as lenient and not supportive of equal rights for African Americans. The impeachment proceedings against Johnson ultimately failed, but it highlighted the tension and divisions within the country during this time.
Black Codes were laws implemented in the Southern states during Reconstruction to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans. These codes aimed to maintain a system similar to slavery by limiting African Americans' movement, job opportunities, and civil rights. Sharecropping emerged as the predominant economic system in the South after slavery ended. It was a labor arrangement where former slaves and landowners entered into a contract to work the land in exchange for a share of the crop produced. Despite the promise of freedom, many African Americans continued to face challenges and discrimination in their post-slavery lives.