How Does The Reconstruction Period Affect Southern Life?

After the defeat of the Confederate States of America by the Union in the Civil War of 1865 the United States of America entered the Reconstruction period. America entered the Reconstruction period in hopes to help rebuild the South after the Civil War. As Republicans entered the reconstruction period they began to write terms on which the South could join the Union once again. They also began to describe the rights of the freed slaves. The Reconstruction period established many challenges that the freed slaves had to endure but it also helped to give millions of slaves their freedom and freed slaves began to get more rights. Many Southerners did not agree with this and it led to some conflicts. There were many changes in the Southern lifestyle due to Reconstruction.
The first plans of Reconstruction were those of President Abraham Lincoln. However he was not able to put those plans into action after he was assassinated days after giving a speech where he included slaves who had enlisted in the military and those slaves who were free should obtain the right to be able to vote. After the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln the plans of reconstruction

fell into the hand of his successor, President Andrew Johnson. President Andrew Johnson announced his plans towards the end of May 1865. These plans helped to represent his strong beliefs in states rights. President Andrew Johnson believed that the Southern states should have still been able to govern themselves. In President Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction plan the Southern states would have been given the power to rebuild themselves as long as the paid off their war debt, swore their loyalty to the Union and oblige to the abolishment of slavery.
Many Northerners rejected President Andrew Johnson's political policies for the Reconstruction and the Reconstruction of the South was soon taken over by the Congress. Shortly after the congress to hold of the Reconstruction of the South they pass the Reconstruction Act of 1867. This act required all Southern States to uphold the 14th Amendment of the United States of America before they were able to rejoin the Union. The 14th Amendment provided equal protection of the law to everyone and helped to expand what was considered citizenship. Later the 15th Amendment of the United States was approved by the Congress. The 15th Amendment guaranteed a person's right to vote and that one should not be not allowed to vote based on their race, color, or previous conditions of servitude. Although there was violence throughout the Radical Reconstruction era and after it was still seen as some of the most progressive years in the United States history.
The Reconstruction period helped to free roughly four million slaves.

Along with freeing slaves it helped to establish laws and Amendments that helped to protect freed slaves and their rights. It was beneficial in establishing the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment which broadened the definition of citizenship and helped to provide equal protection of the laws to everyone, and the 15th amendment which established that anyone no matter their race, color, or previous conditions of servitude. All three of these Amendments benefitted freed slaves. In conclusion, although freed slaves were faced with many challenges during the reconstruction period, it also helped to open up a new life for freed slaves in which they were considered citizens, able to vote, and were protected under the

law.