Reconstruction Dbq

In 1861, previous failed compromises regarding the spread of slavery to new states and territories indicated failure. This controversy over slavery ultimately resulted in war. The Civil War began in 1861 when the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina, shortly after President Lincoln’s inauguration. The Union won the war when General Lee surrendered to General Grant. The Confederacy collapsed and the abolishment of slavery took place (Gallagher). The Reconstruction Era overlapped and followed the war. On September 22, 1862, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation stating that he, “orders and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated states, and part of states, are, and henceforward shall be free…”

(“Transcript of Emancipation Proclamation (1863)”). This proposal would go into effect on January 1, 1863. During Reconstruction, African Americans were able to gain their rights back. The policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for blacks. However, many Southerners were against these changes and wanted to restore white supremacy. The post-Civil War Reconstruction in the 1800s created a conflict between the government and white supremacists as both had opposing ideas in terms of giving rights to African Americans. This encouraged the creation of organizations like the Ku Klux Klan, which fought to reverse policies of Radical Reconstruction and resulted in many lives taken. The conflict was handled with a compromise as the government established the Enforcement Acts in an attempt to suppress the increased violence and to protect African American rights.
The Radical Republicans wanted to enforce harsher policies than the Reconstruction before the Civil War. These people supported the establishment and protection of the civil and voting rights of African Americans (“Effects of the Ku Klux Klan”). Meanwhile, the ex-Confederates seized power in the South and most argued that southern Reconstruction governments were illegitimate authorities. These people staged a massive insurgency to take back the South. The Southern Democrats were highly against providing African Americans the rights that they deserve. Nathan Bedford Forrest, a slave trader and Mississippi planter, was determined to uphold white supremacy and this altered the course of Reconstruction (“Nathan Bedford Forrest”). The idea of white supremacy spread greatly and Southern whites created organizations, like the Ku Klux Klan, whose goals were to maintain white ascendancy and alter the policies of Reconstruction. The new laws included voting rights and an opportunity for African Americans to actively participate in the political process. The groups used violence in an effort to intimidate blacks and Republicans who attempted to win political power. The Ku Klux Klan was the most violent among the groups and was well known as those who “...paid late night visits to black homes, admonishing the terrified occupants to behave themselves and threatening more visits if they didn’t…” (“The Ku Klux Klan: A History of Racism”). The group saw the Reconstruction as an interference as they were just beginning to restore their power. The KKK claims that the laws of Reconstruction decreases their control and believes that actions must take place in order to assert their dominance. Similar organizations joined in to voice their struggle such as the Knights of the White Camelia and the White Brotherhood (History.com Staff). Soon, the violence inflicted on African Americans will create chaos and result in many lives killed. The government will finally try to take action and handle the conflict, but the ideas of racism will continue to be apparent.
With the spread of violence, many abused people like Maria Carter finally spoke out in an attempt to fight for themselves. Determined to end Klan brutality, the Congress “provoked Congressional hearings into the situation in the former Confederacy…” (United States, Congress). Maria Carter is an example of one of the many individuals who experienced such violence. She witnessed Ku Klux Klan violence at her house when the group was looking for their neighbors. The Klan struck into her home and violently interrogated Carter and her husband. After the beatings, she saw her neighbors enduring such awful whippings. During the hearing she states that, “...they beat him powerfully. She said they made her put her arms around his neck and then they whipped them both together. I saw where they struck her head with a pistol and bumped her head against the house…” (United States, Congress). It is clear that the Southern whites were unwilling to lose control of African Americans and they attempted to rule the South through violence. The terrorist organization was part of the violent white reaction of Reconstruction. Over time, brutality continued to increase and it became difficult to stop it. With the spread of violence, white supremacist ideas were instilled in many people. At this point, it seemed as if the African Americans were starting to lose their hope of gaining their rights back.
Eventually, Maria Carter and others who participated in these hearings persuaded the government to pass a series of acts to satisfy the demands and lessen the brutality.

These laws, known as the Enforcement Acts, were criminal codes which protected African American rights in terms of voting, holding a position in office, receiving equal protection of laws. Enforcement Act of May 1870 prohibited groups of people from banding together with the intention of violating citizens’ constitutional rights. The Senate passed two more acts, also known as the Ku Klux Klan acts, aimed to enforce the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1866. The Second Force Act, approved in February 1871, empowered federal judges and United States marshals to supervise local polling places. The act also placed administration of national elections under the control of the government. Eventually, the Third Force Act became law in April 1871 and it allowed the president to authorize armed forces to combat those who cause violence due to racist ideas. The new laws weakened the Ku Klux Klan and the violence declined in the South. This showed that the government was finally willing to take action and changed the expectations of African Americans when they felt hopeless. The series of acts temporarily puts an end to the brutality, but the end of Reconstruction allowed for a return of deprivation of rights for African Americans (“Landmark

Legislation…”).
The KKK appeared in waves, in the 1870s and 1920s.

Various incarnations continued to appear since. The constant appearance of the Klan shows that the idea of white supremacy has not really gone away and racism continues to be a struggle in the United States. In fact, a greater number of KKK organizations exist today than at any other point in the group’s leading history. According to Southern Poverty Law Center, there are a total number of 130 KKK groups in 2016. Now, KKK groups have managed to target Jews, immigrants, and primarily African Americans. This is relevant in furthering the claim that describes the progression of the United States as a country full of opposing ideas. Although the government took action in order to lessen the violence due to racist ideas, these ideologies never really diminished and continues to exist to this day. In a newspaper article written by Harrison Jacobs, he talks about a certain book titled, “White Pride,” which are a series of photos that documented the different Klan organizations in fourteen states across the country. Photojournalist Anthony Karen spent many years gathering many photos of Ku Klux Klan members and how these people go about in their daily lives. The collection of photos prove that people still believe in the idea that one race should be considered as superior than

others.
Despite the establishment of the Enforcement Acts, brutality towards African Americans continue to this day. A recent event in Charlottesville proves that there is still a continuous struggle with fighting racism and the idea of white supremacy continues to spread. An article, written by Park, states that the event happened when white nationalists, neo-Confederates and alt-rights activists marched towards the statue of General Robert E. Lee protesting that it should continue to stand because it represents the man who supported slavery. Lee was the legendary general of the Confederate Army and considered as a revered figure in the American South.