Radical Recontruction free essay sample

They also acknowledged the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. Reconstruction also finally settled the states rights vs.. Federalism debate that had been an issue since the sass. The Radical Republicans tried to help the freedmen by controlling congress, and passing acts and amendments, such as amendments 13, 14, and 15. Which abolished slavery, gave citizenship, and allowed voting to all former slaves. There was also the civil right act of 1 865 which provides equality for all citizens of the United States. Therefore everyone is subject to the same punishments. These laws were made, but were not all followed. Though all of these laws were passed to protect the freedmen, the south found ways to go around them, creating the Black Codes and Vigilante groups. The Black Codes were designed to restrict freed blacks activity and ensure their availability as a labor force. It placed severe restrictions on the freedman s status as a free laborer, his right to own real estate, and his right to testify in court. We will write a custom essay sample on Radical Recontruction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most freedmen ended up becoming sharecroppers, which was a form of slavery because they almost never had a chance to be free, because they were constantly in debt. They would get some land from the landowners, and pay them back by giving them a share of their crops, but because the prices of cotton and other crops decreased by a large amount, they would rarely make enough to pay back their debt, and live a substantial life. This was technically not a form of slavery, but it might as well have been, because they were trapped until they could pay off their debt, and that seldom happened.Not only was the working life difficult, but the social life was as well. Many vigilante groups such as the Klux Klux Klan were formed. They would attack mostly blacks, but also carpetbaggers and scalawags. They made it their agenda to prevent the blacks from voting, and would kill just to make that happen. The Enforcement Act of 1871 was eventually made to prevent this, but the racism and torture towards the freedmen did not end. In the end, freedmen had to fight for their civil rights on their own because the northern whites lost their interest in the Reconstruction by mid- 1 offs.Therefore, the Reconstruction ended with many goal unaccomplished. In conclusion, the Radical Reconstruction had a large impact on the lives of the freed slaves and the south. It brought the south back into the union, and many laws were made to protect the slaves. Though laws were made, not all were followed, and the south found ways to go around them by creating the Black Codes, vigilante groups, and sharecropping. All of which limited the rights of the freedmen. Therefore, the Radical Reconstruction was not as effective, because the failures outweigh the success.