Discussion

Reconstruction: America After the Civil War Episode 1 What specific roles did Black people play in the struggle for their liberation during the Civil War?

During the Civil War black people joined the union army, by sometimes even disobeying their

master’s order. By joining the army, they provided a huge fighting power.

What did the Reconstruction achieve?

The Reconstruction achieved restoring the US as a unified nation and provided equal and protected rights to former slaves. What was the Freedmen’s Bureau?

The Freedmen´s Bureau provided food, shelter, clothing, medical services, and land to displaces Southerners and newly freed African Americans. Why did the Reconstruction fall short?

The Reconstruction fall short because of many different factors: being the unpreparedness of the

Union to undertake a political reconstruction, the resistance and unwillingness to prolong a

military occupation of the South, deaths and removals of Radical Republican leadership, revival

of the Northern Democrats, and shortsighted decisions of the federal courts.

What was the Civil Rights act of 1866 and why was it necessary?

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 provided protection of newly freed African American from revengeful southerners by declaring all persons born in the United States to be citizens. By this it protected the African Americans rights as free Americans, like jobs, children, property, and marry. What challenges did Black people face after the Civil War?

Former slaves’ owners, violent revolts, limited rights, uncertainty about rights, no property, no

right for families, exploitation from whites, clarification of their rights

After the Civil War black people faced

What were the Reconstruction Amendments? (list them)

Reconstruction included: 13th Amendment: Which abolishes slavery in the United States. 14th amendment: Which provides the rights of a free US citizen for everyone forever. 15th Amendment: Which clearly states that everyone is a US citizen born on American ground, regardless of race and religion. …which extended civil and legal protections to former enslaved people. What is one thing new you learned from the video (other than what has been asked in previous prompts)?

The first thing that surprised me was the time it took to provide equal rights for everyone and abolish slavery. In school it was thought like that immediately after the civil war

when the union won everyone had equal rights. So, to learn that it took a longer time and many attempts and corrections in the constitution surprised me. Secondly, as an outsider I was never taught that at the beginning the goals and views of Republican and the Democratic Party was reversed from today. It is interesting to see how parties can change their values over time and support opposites. W.E.B. Du Bois’ Black Reconstruction Chapter 14 (pp. 580-636) How did Du Bois describe politics and government in the U.S. after the Civil War?

After the Civil War the politics and the government were still mainly lead by wealthy, land

owning, white males, which feared, because of the abolishment of slavery, that they will lose

their property and wealth. So, to ensure their own personal wealth these white males tried to put

up a political system that ensured that both freed African Americans and white members of the

working class do not have the right to vote and therefore a voice in the government.

According to Du Bois, who took control of the economy?

To ensure their wealth, these rich, land-owning whites took control over the American economy

by suppressing the freed African American and white working class. To do so they ensured to

keep them uneducated and poor.

In the beginning of the chapter Du Bois tells us that “abolition-slavery failed, because it did not have the proper “leadership” among the Black working-class to advance it against the resistance of southern elites. What kind of economic and political system does Du Bois suggest that Black workers could have created?

In the beginning of the chapter Du Bois suggests that Black workers could have created a huge

and important contribution to the economy and political system, through education, well paid

work, their own land, and rising in the society structure. Through involving Black workers in

society, the American economy and political system could have been even stronger through the

additional money spending working force.

Read the excerpt on pp. 91-92 starting with the paragraph: “If we include in ‘morals’...” and ending on pp. 92 with the paragraph ending with “...democracy in America for all men. What’s your interpretation of what Du Bois is saying?

In this paragraph Du Bois talks about how the abolishment of slavery and the reaction of the white former slaver owners effected Southern society and economy. Through the freedom of the Black the South gained a potentially strong new working force that could be trained and educated and could contribute greatly to the Southern economy. However, because of ignorance and fear many wealthy Southerners ensured that these new working forces and even the white working class would be held under their control, by not allowing them to vote and have a voice in the government, by keeping them uneducated, and by refusing to give them own land and property. He basically says that through their fear of losing their wealth and property to the African Americans and white working class the rich white Southerners put the South economically and in regards of society into a huge disadvantage.

Read pp. 630-636 closely. What is Du Bois’ conclusion about Reconstruction and Abolitionist-democracy?

In this part of the chapter DuBois concludes that even after Reconstruction and Abolitionist-

democracy, the “freed” slaves were only called free, as their still had to face many struggles and

threats due to the fear and ignorance of the former slave owners. They weren’t officially slaves

anymore, however through laws and regulations they were still treated as if they still were as the

wealthy white elite did not allow former slaves to surpass them or come even close to their social

rank. In the eyes of most the freed slaves were still slaves. 11 days ago

RE: Post 6 C O L L A P S E

Hi Caroline, Great post! I also found it interesting to learn that the civil war didn't really create equal rights or abolish slavery, and how much longer it really took for those things to really happen. I feel similarly that in school we were taught that after the civil war things just changed super fast. Thanks, Keren 10 days ago

RE: Post 6 C O L L A P S E

Dear,

Thank you for sharing. I definitely enjoyed this weeks video and readings. I was able to relearn in more depth about the reconstruction era and why it is important to remember today. I was really glad that I was able to relearn about the 13, 14 and 15 amendments. I believe that these amendments help root and start the black community on their fight to having their freedoms and rights and finally having a voice in government.

Best Regards,