Compare And Contrast The Yellow-Reconstruction Viewpoints: Joint Committee Vs. Andrew Johnson

The American Civil War has become a point of controversy and argument when discussing key events in shaping America. The arguments that arise when discussing the war tend to focus on whether the Confederate was constitutionally justified in seceding, or whether the North had the right to prevent the secession. However, when discussing the America Civil War and the idea of separation, it is important to be mindful that separation did not simply end at the state level. Letters written by Jesse Rolston, Jr. and Jedediah Hotchkiss portray two significantly different attitudes toward the war, despite the fact that the writers both fought for the Confederate States and give accounts of the same battle, one of which ended in the Confederate’s favor. When examining the documents, both writers express different viewpoints on life on and off the battlefield. This significant difference represents a division amongst the Confederate army.

Dew takes great care in weaving the evidence to support the thoughts he is presenting with the actual explanation of the evidence. Apostles of Disunion was a very easily read book that was entertaining and educational. I was pleased to find that Dew placed all of the speeches in an Appendix for the reader to read and make his or her own judgements based on the information provided. Dew presented a conclusion to his thesis concisely and adequately. I found it interesting that while South Carolina was the first to actually secede from the Union, it was Mississippi and Alabama that first sent our Commissioners to spread the thoughts of secession. That was a fact that was good for stimulating my own internal musings about the time period and the desire for secession the Southern states had. I found it

In “Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War,” Charles B. Dew analyzes the public letters and speeches of white, southern commissioners in order to prove that the Civil War was fought over slavery. By analyzing the public letters and speeches of the commissioners, Dew offers a compelling argument proving that slavery along with the ideology of white supremacy were primary causes of the Civil War. Dew is not only the Ephraim Williams Professor of American History at Williams College, but he is also a successful author who has received various awards including the Elloit Rudwick Prize and the Fletcher Pratt Award. In fact, two of Dew’s books, Tredegar Iron Works and Apostles of Disunion and Ironmaker to the Confederacy: Joseph R. Anderson, received the Fletcher Pratt Award for the best nonfiction book regarding the American Civil War. In his analysis, Dew argues that the fear of eliminating slavery along with the fear of racial equality were both crucial factors regarding the outbreak of the Civil War. By tracing the speeches and public letters of state-appointed commissioners, Dew effectively argues that the white, southern commissioners led the southern states into a Civil War in order to preserve the institution of slavery as well as the ideology of white supremacy.

Just as Northerners saw flaws in the Constitution, Southerners viewed it not to be perfect as well. President James Buchanan, a northern man with southern sympathies clarified, “As sovereign states, they and they alone, are responsible before God and the world for the slavery existing among them” (Document G). However, In Doc B, an anonymous writer defends the state’s rights that the constitution should protect slavery where it exists. The union will fall apart unless these rights are protected.

“In a government where sectional interests and feelings may come into conflict, the sole security for permanence and peace is to be found in a Constitution whose provisions are inviolable” (Document B). But, what if the answer is not found in the Constitution? At this time there was an increasing sectional conflict between the North and the South. The problems arose mainly from the issue of slavery, and came largely after the Mexican war. Although the issue of slavery had never been fully resolved, it became a very heated subject during the 1850’s. The Constitution never took a clear stand on the issue, and the people began to see it more as source of sectional discord and tension and they ultimately began to see it as a

On the other hand, some historians suggest that Lyndon B Johnson was insignificant in improving Civil Rights for African Americans during his presidency due to the Vietnam War. For example, “Johnson’s insistence on American involvement in Vietnam… placed a large strain on the economy” (source 3). This suggests that Johnson’s intentions regarding Vietnam overshadowed the commitment to Civil Rights. This has the potential to be prioritised over improving Civil Rights for African-Americans and less time and money to be put

Congress and Johnson at this point vetoed and overwrote said vetoes. It was made clear that Congress had to take matters in their own hands. Aside of blocking the admission for Southern representatives and senators, congress also held a public hearing and listened about the mistreatment of blacks and responded with the Civil Rights Act. All this lead to the support of congress and later, dominated two-thirds of seats in both houses and control of northern state governments.

The reconstruction era was a time that then affected America in positive facets and negative aspects as well, and still affects America today. Thanks to the reconstruction era, there are several implementations that geared the world on the path in which it is today. Had it not been for some of the laws that were set in place African Americans may have not had many of the opportunities that were presented during the reconstruction period, therefore the years of oppression and cruelty might still be present.

The Battle of the Appomattox Court House may have brought a conclusion to the Civil War, but after the war, the questions of freedom, treatment of Confederate soldiers, how states should readmitted to the Union, and repairs in the South remained. The foremost question that both white southerners, white northerners, and African Americans faced was what did freedom mean: for white southerners, it meant freedom from the perceived tyrannical rule of the North; for white northerners, it started and stopped with emancipation with the exception of the Radicals and some Moderates; and for African Americans, many saw it as having the same political rights as whites with some even wanting a redistribution of the land. They also faced the question of freedom for a certain group of individuals: those who supported the Confederacy. Northern whites debated whether these individuals should receive general amnesty as in the Lincoln plan, a pardon in the plan proposed by President Johnson, or exclusion from Congress without a ⅔ approval in the Fourteenth Amendment. Then, they faced the questions of how states should be readmitted to the Union with some - like Lincoln - hoping for a speedy resolution while others, especially radical Republicans, wanting vindication; these different policies could be seen in the 10% Plan, which focused on bringing a expedient conclusion to the conflict, and Johnson’s

In “Reconstruction Revisited”, Eric Foner reexamines the political, social, and economic experiences of black and white Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War. With the help of many historian works, Foner gives equal representation to both sides of the Reconstruction argument.

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ), was one of the most memorable as well as divided politicians in US history. With a humble past of teaching at segregated schools for 3 years, he had all the heart of someone to end slavery. But upon becoming a Senator, this seemed to change. During his Senate years, time and time again showed his dislike for Civil Rights. When President, he was a whirlwind of a worker to push this bill through. What changed, what didn’t, along with what drove him to do this.

The second document the speech to Georgia from Mississippi Secession Commissioner charges the North with disregard for the constitution based on Article 1 sec 2&9, Article 4 section 2 and therefore being hostile and an enemy to the South. They further charge the Black Republican rule, of breaking and overturning the Constitution of the United States. These charges are based on the North’s

As a country, America has gone though many political changes throughout its lifetime. Leaders have come and gone, and all of them have had their own objectives and plans for the future. As history has taken its course, though, almost all of these “revolutionary movements” have come to an end. One such movement was Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a violent period that defined the defeated South’s status in the Union and the meaning of freedom for ex-slaves. Though, like many things in life, it did come to an end, and the resulting outcome has been labeled both a success and a failure.

America was in disarray following the events of the Civil War. Southern economy was in shambles while congress was struggling to find a middle ground between the radical republicans and Lincoln’s lenient policies. Many Southerners faced the aftermath of uprooting their society and their way of life while thousands of newly freed slaves struggled to find a way to support themselves. The country needed a strong leader, however on the 14th of April, 1865 President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in the Ford Theatre in Washington (Farmer). Without the man that had once held the nation together, the country now faced an enormous obstacle; reconstructing American economics, politics and social life.

Something that President Johnson did to start the period of Reconstruction was to pardon all Confederates soldiers if they plead loyalty and alliance to the Union. No one was held accountable for what happened, one man was murder. Also he demanded that the states in the south abolish slavery and change their constitution in order to be accepted into the United States. Those were Andrew Johnson terms for Reconstructions. Not very efficient because it leaves all these defeated soldiers, filled with anger and violence in the streets. Then Congress tried to pass the Civil Rights bill and the 14th amendment which