Reconstruction in America after the Civil War

Reconstruction in America after the Civil War

Reconstruction in the United States refers to the period after the civil war that spanned between 1863 and 1877. The turbulent period was an effort to redress the inequities of slavery and the related political, social, and economic challenges. During this era, the federation focused on readmission of the eleven Southern States to the union. The reunion process involved an enactment of strict laws to curb slavery in thecountry. The political and legislative events during the period allowed Blacks to influence administrative policies. However, the process of making the intended transformation experienced challenges due to different ideologies and the adverse effects of the civil war. Although the reconstruction was a crucial period to the United States, a comparison between the restoration of the North and South and the reformation of social order reveals eminent economic and political setbacks that hindered the achievement of the core goals.

Reconstruction of the North and South reveals that the United States had a deal with massive loss of property. The enormous death of livestock deprived the yeomen the ability to earn a living after the war.[1] Yeomen relied on free-ranging of hogs and cattle as the primary source of livelihood. The unexpected loss of animals posed a significant financial burden to the Southern states. The transformation initiative in this region involved rebuilding farms and repairing bridges.[2] This statement implies that the local administrations had to channel adequate amounts of money towards the building of new structures. From a critical point of view, the process was strenuous since the governments had overspent in the war. The Northern States experienced massive destruction of property and underlying structure that formed the foundation of their economy.[3] The case reveals that the region, just like the Southern States, struggled to rebuild new buildings and communication networks. The scarcity of resources worsened the situation in the two administrative areas. Thus, the reconstruction of the Northern and Southern States experienced significant economic challenges.

Similarly, social reconstruction in the United States was a challenging process for the federation. Dr. Richard D. Arnold described the revolution of the social fabric of the country as a demanding task.[4] The nation had experienced an entire overthrow of all the foundations of the society during the civil war. The upheaval had swept away the social order that the citizens had built for several decades, which causes psychological challenges. For instance, Southerner planters emerged from a civil war with a devastated social class.[5] Their physical, economic, and emotional states deteriorated. Most of the wealthy young men lost their lives defending the confederacy of the Southern States. The White settlers faced more setbacks as the Blacks sought to infuse meaning into their independence.[6] In this case, the attempt by the plantation owners to revive agriculture failed due to a lack of slaves. Besides, the deteriorating economy undermined the process of re-establishing the ancient societal structure in the South. Thus, the restoration of social order in the United States faced significanteconomic challenges.

Reconstruction of the North and South experienced unmatched political challenges. Andrews Johnson was a stubborn and radical politician who lacked the competence to handle the situation that faced the federation.[7]The statement implies that the United States lacked effective leadership to address most issues affecting the North and South amicably. This situation escalated efforts to establish new legislation to create a new nation. The reconstruction laws were a product that enjoyed broad support from the Congress and the North.[8]This statement shows that the Southerners were left out the political agenda to reorganize the nation. The differences in the partisan issues between the two regions affected the success of the reconstruction process.The army of Freedmen’s Bureau collaborated with the former slave owners to undermine the aspirations of the Blacks to gain their freedom.[9] This case shows that the Southerners had political ideas that differed from those of the Northerners. The situation made the process of reunion challenging and less effective. Thus, reconstruction in the North and South faced significant political setbacks.

In the same way, the reconstruction of the social order experienced similar challenges. Racism and social class constituted a powerful barrier to the proposed change after the civil war.[10] Most of the Southerners intended to return to their previous order, where they assumed the dominant positions. Their beliefs that Blacks lacked competence in addressing their issues posed a significant setback to the advocated changes. Some reformists Whites from the Southern colonies found it hard to accomplish their goal of uniting with Blacks and Republicans from the North.[11]The case implies that those who pushed for a new society with all people equal before the law struggled to achieve their core objectives. From a critical point of view, differences in partisan ideologies reduced the rate at which the United States would make the intended societal norms.For example, the carpetbaggers from the North joined together with the corrupt Whites from the South and ignorant freedmen to promote corruption.[12]These groups engaged in actions that opposed the morals promoted by their political rivals. Besides, they conspired to undermine the planned social changes in the United States. Thus, social reformation in the United States faced significant political challenges.

In conclusion,reconstruction was a necessary period for the United States since it advocated for significant transformations. After the civil war, the federation embarked on reuniting the Southern States that had seceded. The primary goal was to re-establish the destroyed economic and social structure in the United States. The comparison between the restoration of the North and South and the reformation of social order reveals significant challenges.The civil war had destroyed property and amenities in the region. Both the South and the North faced economic challenges as they lacked adequate funds to reestablish the demolished properties. Similar problems hindered the intended social transformations. Political setbacks delayed the achievement of the core transformation of social goals. Groups with opposing partisan ideologies focused on frustrating their rivals in the revolution agenda. These challenges may have hindered the federal administration from achieving the deliberatedobjectives.

Bibliography

Foner, Eric. Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863 – 1877. New York: History Book Club, 2005.

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[1]Eric Foner, Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863 – 1877 (New York: History Book Club, 2005), 128.

[2]Foner, “Reconstruction,” 128.

[3] Foner, 124.

[4] Foner, 128.

[5] Foner, 129.

[6] Foner, 129.

[7] Foner, xx.

[8] Foner, xx.

[9] Foner, xi.

[10] Foner, 125.

[11] Foner, 125.

[12] Foner, xvii.