life of Americans during the reconstruction period
Reconstruction era is the period that followed the American Civil war, and it mainly focused on reintegrating the southern states from the confederacy along with the freed slaves into the united states. The era witnessed various changes in the political life of America since it contributed to constitutional amendments that altered the federal system and the definition of American citizenship. This essay offers a discussion on the life of Americans during the reconstruction period and the legislations used to promote the social and political rights for the former slaves.
The reconstruction period granted African Americans the freedom to participate in the activities of the government. For instance, the black Americans in the south acquired the liberty of allying with the whites to bring the Republican party to power. The life of the Black Americans during the era, therefore, entailed freedom of participation in the political power of America. Moreover, they enjoyed equal rights to slavery together with the right to vote. The situation of the African Americans improved after emancipation because they were no longer subjected to harsh slavery. Also, through political participation, they were able to present their grievances through their representative, and this consequently helped in improving their situation.
The legislations used by the Republicans to promote and protect the social and political entitlements of the former slaves entails the civil rights act and the bill of right. The civil rights act played a crucial role in promoting the social and political rights of the blacks since it helped in overseeing the transition from slavery to freedom of the blacks. The statute acknowledges all the citizens born in the USA to be national citizens who should enjoy equality before the law. It further stated that every citizen has equal rights regardless of color or origin. Civil rights act encouraged the participation of African Americans in politics and voting since it granted the blacks the right to vote and form an alliance with whites to form political parties.
Moreover, the civil rights act advocated for equal treatment of the former slaves by ensuring that they receive fair treatment. Advocating for the rights of the slaves eventually made the Republicans promote the social rights of the former slaves. Similarly, the bill of rights stipulated all the rights of American citizens. The Republicans utilized various sections of the bill of right to promote the social and political entitlement of the former slaves. The legislations were effective because they ultimately helped in safeguarding the social and political rights of the black. For example, the Civil rights act considerably enabled the granting of equal rights to the former slaves. Enjoyment of equal rights, in turn, protected the former slaves from the harsh treatment and discrimination associated with slavery.
In conclusion, the reconstruction period is the era that preceded the civil war of America. It aimed at uniting the southern states to the united states of America. The African Americans witnessed improvement in their situation during the reconstruction era since they were granted voting rights. Moreover, the Republicans used the bill of rights and civil rights act to foster the social and political entitlements of the former slaves. The statutes effectively helped the Republicans to promote and secure the rights of the former slavers because legislations led to the protection of the rights of the slaves.