America's Post-Civil War Growing Pains - Essay Example

During this major era of the US history, the major events that lead to the turning of the entire society were the emancipation of slavery and the passing of two amendments i.e., thirteenth and fourteenth. The Civil War provided the African Americans freedom from their masters by outlawing slavery within the country. They now had more control over their own lives. Many wanted to buy land so they could continue on with the planting life. This freedom allowed blacks to control their own lives in their own ways.

They were used to cultivate lands and hence started to buy land of their own to continue their cultivation life. Yet following the Emancipation Proclamation, war of two more years, served by African American groups, and the crush of the Confederacy, people were even unwary to address the question of complete citizenship for its freshly released black population (Guelzo, 2006). The passing of the 14th and 15th amendment was prominent. The fourteenth amendment assured all citizens that they can experience the “due process” in case if any of their constitutional rights are breeched.

So due to this, an individual was provided the right to explain his/ her part of the tale before the formation of a decision. The fifteenth amendment allowed voting rights to every male citizen irrespective of their color, race or former condition of slavery. Thus the black males were able to vote and be a part of the electoral process to elect the government of their choice. The affect of the above mentioned turning points on the present America is that nowadays there is no discrimination in the whites and non whites within America and the biggest example of the level of equality is the Victory of President Obama who himself is non white.

The cultural change is that today inter marriages among the two are common. The economy booms due to efforts from all corners of society and the overall society has developed the concept of equal rights for all humans. These Reconstruction Period amendments constituted the rights that, thru extensive proceedings, extended to rulings of the Supreme Court initiating in the early 20th century that outlawed state laws based on discrimination. The Civil Rights Movement proved to be a second reconstruction as it headed to civil rights laws in the year 1964 and 1965.

These laws enforced and protected complete civic rights of Afro-Americans. The reconstruction period might have been different if President Lincoln had not been assassinated because he would not have let the radicals to gain position within the government. Moreover the regain of white rule on the South at the end would not have resulted in depriving the non-whites from their civil rights that were formerly provided by amending the constitution (Rife, 2002). The rapid industrialization and urbanization resulted in the development of more jobs and the freed slaves were now ready to be used for the work in industrial processes.

Overall the economy boomed and the average man life enhanced due to increased employment and more available products. After the passing of the amendments to ensure the civil rights of non-whites various attempts were made from the law enforcing agencies to continue the discrimination. The Southern Democratic force to continue blacks in their "previous status"