Reconstruction

Reconstruction was a tumultuous time in American history. American made both great strides in progress and were hindered in many ways. The American was facing two very powerful force trying to guide her direction. You had democrats who wanted to restore the old south and republicans who saw a new more equal future for America.

The great strides in progress include the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments which gave equal status to Black American. Black people turned their new found freedom into fresh opportunity. They got an education through new established public schools. The schools not only helped black children but poorer white children too. Those schools did not only teach children but also adults. Slaves were not afford this opportunity but they were able to see their oppressors kids grow and saw him become illiterate. Education was the gateway to growth for the black community.

Black folks also became self-reliant buying land, working in trades, and becoming politicians. They would have extensive farms and would take advantage of union protection to establish themselves. South Carolina one of the most racist states that held a large portion of slaves became a seat of power for the new politicians. South Carolina had a tremendous turn in its power structure. All of the power black people gained terrified the old Confederates and old south aristocracy. 

Fear of black power gave rise to the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan participated in the harassment, assault, black mail, battery, murder, and rape in order to suppress black people. They would terrorized black politicians and land owners especially under the cover of darkness. The issues were so pervasive that the federal government passed the Enforcement Act which allowed for suspension of Habeas Corpus and use of Federal soldiers to stop violent threats especially if involved in violating the 14th amendment. It caused fear through much of Klan but did not suppress them forever because enforcement in 1970 under Grant and Hayes. 

The north quickly grew tired of propping up the south and began to spend less and less money on the Southern States; this allowed the old south to use new devices to return to power. The Klan returns along with white domination of politics. They would intimidate black voters at the polls in order to prevent them from voting.

Another factor that led to the return of the old south was turning poor white people against poor black people. Most people in the south were poor and uneducated. This was beginning to turn around but was still true for many people. The southern elite convinced the poor white people that because black people were more successful they were taking possible success from the poor white people. What the southern democrats did is a predominant factor in why racism is still alive to this day because of the concept of competition between racial groups.

It is clear the Reconstruction era was complex and nuanced. The two opposing forces butted against one another until gridlock occurred and the country moved on.