Presidential Reconstruction Johnson example essay topic

During the Civil War both the north and the south had separate goals and ideas for winning the war. The South used slaves because they provided a cheap source of labor and because slaves knew their place on the social chain. On the other hand the North had their own reasons for war. The North wanted to preserve the union and of course demolish slavery.

Differences over slavery led to what is known as the Civil War. Southerners joined together to reform the Confederate States of America because they were concerned that the federal government would act against slavery. President Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy wanted Southern Independence. Immediately following the Civil War was the reconstruction, which lasted from 1865-1877. President Abraham Lincoln announced his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction on December 8, 1863. This proclamation stated that the union and confederacy would be reunited.

Although the North was fighting to free the slaves the Proclamation did not offer the slaves any rights. Because of this flaw the Radical Republicans in congress, who wanted reconstructed states to guarantee African Americans equal rights, aborted Lincoln's plans for reconstruction. Andrew Johnson, a former slaveholder, was Abraham Lincoln's successor. After President Lincoln was killed, the destiny of the Union was up to President Johnson. Johnson blamed individual southerners instead of entire states for leading the South to secession. Johnson was determined to gain support from the South.

During the Presidential Reconstruction Johnson granted amnesty and pardon, including restoration of property rights, except slaves, to all confederates who pledged loyal to the union and support for emancipation. Johnson granted about 100 pardons a day totaling around 90% of those who applied. At the end of the Presidential Reconstruction Johnson was still in power and the same people in the South were also in power. During Congressional Reconstruction radical and moderate Republicans took control of Reconstruction early in 1867. Congress passed their first Reconstruction act which divided the South into five military districts which were subjected to martial law. The southern states were required to call new constitutional conventions elected by universal manhood suffrage.

Also the Tenure of Office Act was passed to limit President Johnson's power. From 1870-1872 he Klu Klux Klan fought an ongoing terrorist campaign against Reconstruction governments and local leaders. The Klansmen employed violence to intimidate African Americans and white republicans. The Klu Klux Klan Act of April 1871 made the violent infraction of civil and political rights a federal crime punishable by the national government.

Throughout the years of 1870-1871 Congress passed the Enforcement Acts which were three acts designed to counter racial terrorism. These acts provided for federal supervision of voting, and authorized the President to send the army and to suspend the writ of habeas corpus in districts declared to be in a state of insurrection. During the election of 1976 the two running candidates were republican Rutherford B. Hayes, and democrat Samuel J. Tilden. Republicans charged Tilden with disloyalty during the war, income tax evasion, and close relations with powerful railroad interest. On Election Day Tilden received more of the popular votes, but republicans refused to give up. The republicans challenged the Electoral College and Hayes won with a total of 165 electoral votes vs. Tilden with 184 electoral votes.

The North is said to have won the Civil War at Appomattox when Lee surrendered to Grant. But it is said to believe that the South holds the real victory over the Civil War. Just because the word slavery was abolished does not mean that the slaves were, nor did the battle end. The battle continued on and things were worse before they were better.

And as for the Union, it did not come together until the year 1964. There are four main parts to the study of Social Darwinism all of which seemingly go hand in hand with our American history. The rules of Social Darwinism are as stated: 1.) that government governs best which governs least, 2.) that sanctity of private property, 3.) wealth is a sign of divine favor, and 4.) "survival of the fittest" is a law of nature. Trade Unionism is the acceptance of capital system, with workers organizing to bargain and conflict with business as equals for limited economic goals rather than remaking society. This ties in with rule one - the government governs best which governs least. Instead of the workers turning to the government to help them, they turn Desai to their own employers instead of going through government to remake the way society works.

Rule two states - that sanctity of private property. If this is true, then the Indians did not get the fair share of this idea. The Indians caused no harm to anyone but white man still could not leave well enough alone. White man came in and used their weapons to wipe out the Indian tribes.

There were a few other reasons why most of the Indians died out, but that was one of the more significant reasons. The Indians owned their land fair and square but white man did not care, they wanted the land all to themselves. Money is a store of value. Some people have enough money to get dressed up and wear expensive gowns and go to glamorous balls six days a week for six weeks and not care at all about the poor. Rule three states - wealth is a sign of divine favor.

This leads people to believe that they are 'the chosen ones' and God wanted them to be rich and that is why they are. Unfortunately not everyone is so lucky. As rule 4 states - "survival of the fittest" is a law of nature. The miners in the west had to use techniques such as panning and placer mining to look for gold. Some days they were lucky, other days they barely found enough gold to feed themselves for one day. Social Darwinism ties into everyday life, not just American history.

Many of these examples were from the period from Grant through Harrison II. These examples are only from a brief period of time. As we study history more in depth and in later years, more and more coincidences of Social Darwinism will surely surface.