The Era of Reconstruction in American History and Its Aftermath - Essay Example

The Era of Reconstruction in American History and Its Aftermath Part 1 In the post civil conflict period, the constitution went through three modifications. The amendments have been some of the most crucial augmentations to the constitution to the inventive Bill of Rights. The improvements were the 13th, 14th and 15th amendment. Their implementation took place in progression. Slavery was squashed from occurring wherever in the United States by the 13th amendment at the civil war onset. The state had unbridled liberty to exercise power without limits thanks to the original constitution. It is this unlimited discretion of power use that was streamlined by the 13th amendment. The 13th amendment thus gave the core natural right, that of liberty a constitutional quintessence. There arose the need for the constitutional safeguard against retrogressive laws such as the Black codes and so the 14th amendment came about. There were several clauses in this amendment, but there were five very sensitive clauses in the amendment. There was a clause that prescribed what qualified individuals to citizenship (Democracy Reborn: The Fourteenth Amendment and the Fight for Equal Rights in Post-Civil War America 204). Another section gave protection touching on the abridgment of the exemption of the American citizens. Another clause forbade the state from denying anybody their property, freedom or life outside the confines of the suitable process of the law. The state was imposed a duty of ensuring everybody was equally protected by the law, and the equity of protection is not denied to whomever. The Congress was thus through a clause in the amendment granted the powers of putting into effect the amendment (Democracy Reborn: The Fourteenth Amendment and the Fight for Equal Rights in Post-Civil War America 206) Charles Sumner Senator Charles Sumner had a profound dedication to antislavery efforts and universal civil liberties issues. He was actively involved in efforts that opposed slavery exploits. Sumner’s campaigns against slavery especially against the Southerners saw a fellow Congressional Representative Preston Brooks assault him on the floor of the house. He perceived the civil war as a necessary activity aimed at abolishing slavery and consistently prodded the commander-in-chief at the time Abraham Lincoln into sponsoring legislation for freeing the people ensnared in slavery. Others among his demands concerning slavery were to demand granting of civil, constitutional rights to the slaves and enlistment of the slaves into the army of the Union. Sumner claimed austere conditions for readmitting into the union, the associate states. Consistently through the period of reconstruction, Sumner fronted for a predominant role-play of the Senate in the reconstruction process. In his view, reconstruction was an indispensable chance for creating civil rights for the blacks. The senator insisted on granting of right for polling to each black male. To the time of his death, Sumner unsuccessfully fought for repealing of all the prejudiced through federal legislation. Even though Sumner had a strong drive coupled with determination towards that causes he agitated for, especially for the antislavery cause, he had a destructive personality. His demeanor of the unbending personality and a sanctimonious character stirred up emotions and led to conflicts between him and others like presidents, friends and family. His believed in himself so much that other sides to any argument were obscured to him (Democracy Reborn: The Fourteenth Amendment and the Fight for Equal Rights in Post-Civil War America 200). Part 2 There was victory attributable to the union civil strife of 1865. Slaves attained liberty, attributable to this triumph. In the efforts to rebuild the south in the period of reconstruction, there came up new sets of challenges. Under President Andrew Johnson’s watch in the years, 1865 and 1866, southern legislators ratified limiting codes to prescribe how the former slaves and other Americans of African descent could conduct themselves. This move saw collective outrage emanating from the North, which saw unpopular support for those sets of laws. For this reason, there was a radical uprising of a drastic Republican Party Republican wing. During this time of reconstruction, the blacks that were newly empowered and enabled to participate actively in the polls, for the initial time in the history of America had a voice in the administration. Several attained seats equally in the Southern administration and in the American Congress (Verdugo 146). However, in a period less than a decade, several reactionary uprisings upshot perpetrating violence aimed at reversing the radical changes. A strong force behind this vice was the Ku Klux Klan whose violent activities in the South reinstated white supremacy. Violence especially involving whites against blacks in employment related disputes characterized interactions between individuals. The Ku Klux Klan among the several vigilante groupings was mostly used in the promotion of political ambitions by intimidating the blacks and the former Confederate soldiers predominantly used it. The whites mistreated blacks especially through violence that involved criminal lynching and mob attacks frequently. The motivations of these harassments were aiming to economically incapacitating blacks who seemed independent or prosperous. The lynching and mob activities were meant to send chilling messages to the black populace to make them move away especially from Kentucky. There was institutionalization of isolation more than ever in the schooling system. There were schools that were predominantly allowable to white students only as segregation was supported by the courts of law for purportedly minimizing prejudices of racism. In the post civil strife period, majority of Americans established in Oklahoma because, there were many employment chances in the oil sector. The settlements here gave rise to the Greenwood community, and several businesses flourished around this place with excellent schools. White racially prejudiced individuals motivated by deceitfulness, covetousness and inequity, burnt down the community (Hoffer 194). The blacks in particular males were subjected to stereotypes. The stereotypes branded the black males as simple minded and docile and were nothing but lazy non-starters who were only waiting for directions to offer service to their masters. This ideology originated and flourished throughout the era of slavery. Black codes were reintroduced to inhibit and regulate the unrestricted migration of African Americans to the Midwest. The codes were relentless and brutal and were aimed at re-imposing the past old societal structures. There were legislations passed in the legislature for restricting the civil liberties of the liberated earlier slaves. The absolute civil rights of the emancipated blacks were eradicated. The codes were extremely restrictive and had striking semblances with the former laws one of them being compelled labor and punishment for varying offenses (Verdugo 249). Part 3 My personal thoughts on the struggles of blacks before and after the civil strife period are far-reaching. I think that currently the most of whites ride on the success of free labor offered by the blacks. Most of them thrive on the privileges of inherited wealth created through forced labor on blacks, and most of them would not have been as successful were it not for the transgression meted to blacks in the slavery period. For this reason, as racism still prevails and blacks derided by whites for allegedly being lazy and unproductive, the success of the whites is largely attributable to the black forced laborers. The after effects of the slavery made sure that blacks, until the present time have to work extra hard almost twice as hard to make it that the whites people need to do. I loathe racism and racists, but every day I live a self-aware life, and this gives me the impetus for working hard. Self-help was a component of my family struggle. My family members had to work extra hard to turn around and overcome the negative effects associated with the racial profiling and slavery. Their distinctive work earned their honorable places in the society overshadowing the oppression to seamless productivity. I am grateful because we live in a democratic country with progressive developments especially in the political space. Democracy has ensured many liberties to unprecedented levels even to the historically downtrodden societal members like the blacks. Freedom to me is the total autonomy of participating is self-developing activities and uplifting the destitute devoid of unjust limiting legislations. Further, it is the creation of a suitable environment free of any actual or implied prejudice, with equal opportunities for development. Some quotes that express my beliefs are: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Thomas Jefferson. “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds!” Bob Marley “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” George Washington. Works Cited "Democracy Reborn: The Fourteenth Amendment and the Fight for Equal Rights in Post-Civil War America." Publishers Weekly2006: 150. Literature Resource Center. Web. 8 Feb. 2015. Hoffer, Williamjames Hull. "The Constitution And The Sectional Conflict: North V. South: A Legal History Of The Caning Of Charles Sumner." Rutgers Law Journal 43.(2013): Verdugo, Richard R. "The Making Of The African American Population: The Economic Status Of The Ex-Slave And Freedmen Population In Post-Civil War America, 1860-1920." Ethnicity And Race In A Changing World: A Review Journal 1 (2014): 17.Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Feb. 2015. Read More