Was Reconstruction A Success Or A Failure

The American history has had many memorable moments over the time period from 1870 to 1920 which has helped develop the way America is today. Each time period holds many life changing events and discoveries in them. We, as Americans, learn from past events and work together to make this country a better and safer home. Starting in the 1865 to 1877 the Reconstruction began in the South following after the American Civil War. This alteration in the south was not welcomed by the Southerners, which resulted in many problems throughout this process. Even though Republicans were trying to help by restoring the region; the Southerners felt attacked and controlled during the Reconstruction because many characteristics of society and politics were

wanted to be changed by Republicans. The development of the women’s reform movement began in 1848 and lasted until 1920. This movement was primarily focused on making the political, economic, and social status of women equal to that of men. Women were tired of not being able to speak up and wanted a voice in public. The reform was successful in the end despite the challenges faced to obtain their right’s equal to men. Starting from 1865 to 1919 the American history holds a violent period known as the Labor movement. This movement was initiated by strikers because of wage cuts and the depersonalization of workers. Workers wanted an end to inhuman behaviors from employers by rioting and causing a financial depression in the nation. Throughout the strikes the government regained control and the public approved of the governments strong hold. The last historical trend in the US history from 1870 to 1920 was the Progressive Movement. This movement occurred between 1890 – 1920 began as a social movement and developed into a political movement. This era was a major push for changing society in America. Despite the changes made of many ills of society; the movement was a rejection of Social Darwinism, a position that was taken by many wealthy powerful figures. These reforms, as well as reformers, defined history for America in the late 1800’s and helped make U.S. a better country during that time period.
When Reconstruction began in 1865, Civil War in America was drawing close to an end. The resulting outcome of this reform has been labeled both a success and a failure. It consisted of many leaders, accomplishments, and goals to put back the pieces of America. During this time Abraham Lincoln was the president who began planning how to restore the physical, economical, social, and political state of the country. The Republicans in the federal government felt responsible for restoring the ruins of four years of war and two hundred years of racism in America. Restoration included public infrastructure, private property, medical care, and housing, all while the economy was in shambles. This Reconstruction was not welcomed by Southerners because the Republicans wanted to change many characteristics of Southern society and politics.
The Reconstruction has been labeled as a success and a failure.

Lincoln’s original goal was to hold the nation together through the Civil War and Reconstruction and in this his goal was a success. The South was politically and economically non-existent and desperately searching a way to get back in. The Confederacy was destroyed and every state in America that was seceded was readmitted to the Union. Slavery was outlawed by the federal government with the 13th Amendment in 1865. This became a great concern to powerful political leaders in the future. This concern emerged ideas of their own plans of Reconstruction. The president at the time, Abraham Lincoln, presented his own version of Reconstruction. His plan stated that a certain criteria had to be met for a confederate state if the state wished to return to the Union. Before Lincoln was able to test out his plan, he was assassinated in 1865. After his death the Republicans, such as Thaddeus Stevens, stood up providing is version of Reconstruction. “Thaddeus Stevens served as one of the leading radical Republicans in Congress during the Civil War and Reconstruction…Stevens supported a ‘hard’ Reconstruction of the South that would erase the gross inequalities in wealth created by slavery, but his plan plans for land redistribution were not supported by more moderate members of his party” (Schaller 161). Dividing land across South and giving 40 acres to each adult freed-man was not sought by the fellow citizens. The

vice president Andrew Johnson became president but was impeached right after because his Reconstruction plan mirrored the former president’s plan. The federal government also defined citizenship and all Americans were protected under the 14th Amendment. The federal legislation helped get African Americans participating equally in the government, economy, and society. After this, African American men were able to run for every level of government, including governors and senators. All of the states in the South drafted new constitutions and approved the Reconstruction Amendments. The African Americans were able to participate in new local and state governments. This worked out equal rights and rebuild services in the country.
Despite the many achievements, the Reconstruction has also been a failure in America with the tremendous challenge faced from white resistance. In the early years of Reconstruction, the government had some inexperienced leaders who were motivated by the corruption and selfishness. The Southern white people were uncooperative with the new government and legislation passed by African Americans in office. A group, known as the Ku Klux Klan, developed against white supremacy, black voters, or white people who supported the African Americans. There was some industrialization in the region but used sharecropping as a legal means to ensure African Americans would work the land that white people owned. Overtime, the former Confederates earn their right to vote again, the public office was stormed with ‘Redeemers’. These were white Southern Democrats who to change most of the social and economic reforms of the south and undo Reconstruction. A voting was passed to restrict black people from voting and suppress their rights. The Supreme Court supported that the 14th and 15th Amendment only applied at the federal level. Eventually many Reconstruction programs were eliminated and changed in 1874.
Women in America expressed an interest in obtaining the right to vote, because they had the right to vote like any other human being, either it be white, black, man, or woman.

The Women’s Rights Movement began in 1848 and ended successfully in 1920. For nearly 70 years, this grew to be a large movement initially emphasizing on goals on securing the franchise for women. This event changed the way society viewed woman’s roles. At the time married women were not able to sue in court, lost their property rights and were not allowed to own a business. This situation led to the 19th Amendment in 1920, which allowed American women the right to vote. The main woman behind this movement was Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who organized gatherings for women to speak up. In 1869, Stanton created the National Woman Suffrage Association, which focused on changing federal law and opposed the 15th Amendment. Lucy Stone formed the American Woman Suffrage Association, which rejected Stanton’s Association and aimed for a national reform effort at the state level. These two Association movements struggled to maintain power and strength. Neither group gained board support from women or persuaded politicians to give rights to women. Even though the movement’s groups had managerial problems and lack of coordination, this did not eliminate its success. In 1869, Wyoming was the first state to grant women voting rights in the country. Before 1910, four additional states agreed and allowed women to vote.

Finally in 1920, after the struggles and challenges women faced, the state legislature granted women the right to vote.
Starting from 1865, another movement originated known as the Labor Movement, and came to an end in 1919. This movement was initiated by strikers who did not approve of wage cuts, new inventions of machinery, and depersonalization of workers. The first strikes began in 1892 at a steel company in Pennsylvania, known as the Homestead Strike. The unions were managing strikes that led to disorder and riots and in order to bring back peace the government had to take action to gain power again. This riots and chaos formed because the public was angered by how careless the union acted on the violence. Some strikes lasted for as long as four days, like the Baltimore Railroad Strike, and cost many lives. During this Labor movement workers and business owners fought to find common ground to stop these riots.
Last but not least, the Progressive Movement was an effort to cure the American society that was badly ill from the industrial growth. During this period, great cities and businesses developed, but not all citizens shared the same new wealth or optimism. These efforts to improve America were not something new in the late 1800’s. First Reform Era occurred before the Civil War tried to reform working conditions and better the treatment of mentally ill people. The Second Reform Era began in 1865 and lasted until the United States entered World War I. Progressive Movement is part of the second reform period which aided in improving lot of hurt within society. This movement was of course against Social Darwinism that powerful and rich people followed and lived by. The Progressive Movement was also rejected by the church because it was forcing unwanted change. The goals were to include more people in the political process, to have the government solve social problems and establish fair grounds in economy, and to remove corruption from government by controlling employers and political machines. Among the Progressives, successes were many, with creating the Interstate Commerce Act and the Sherman Antitrust Act. In 1912 the Progressive Party formed with Theodore Roosevelt being the leader. When President Taft was in office, Roosevelt was unhappy with Taft in office and tried running for president. When Roosevelt was declined, he formed his own party in protest against Taft. Some progressive Republicans from the office slit off to join Roosevelt and created a campaign expressing what they believed was right. “The Party of Common people…The Party which will stop Child Labor and the abuses of our factory system. The Party which declares women are human beings and should have equal rights with men. The Party which demands a ‘Square Deal’ for all, may they be poor or rich…If Abraham Lincoln were alive today, he would be with the Progressive Party”(Schaller 218). Through this campaign, known as the Bull Moose, people wanted voters to know the truth and what the Progressive Party stood for. The people, part of the movement, were never on the same mind and differed over how to deal with the ills of the country. Progressive reforms ended in 1920.