Reconstruction By Eric Foner Analysis

The American South was arguable formed in the formative years of the Civil War. What happened during and after this monumental event would shape the region for years to follow. The period after, or Reconstruction as it is sometimes called was a period of renewal and restoration. In this week’s text, Eric Foner a professor from Columbia University presents us with a monograph about focused on the aftermath of the Civil War. This monograph is entitled A Short History of Reconstruction. This book in my opinion covers all aspects that one needs to know about the period in a straightforward, concise manner.

Eric Foner’s A Short History of Reconstruction begins with a short historiography overviewing how historians views of reconstruction has changed. He does this by introducing the first understanding of reconstruction, and then moves to different schools of thought that progressed through time until the latest interpretation today.

In his essay, Eric Foner argues that Reconstruction influenced much of our modern day ideology and, while not perfectly effective, still made great social changes in postwar America. He states that it led to greater powers of the central government, more rights for African-­Americans—before, as per the Dred Scott Decision, they had not been considered American citizens and therefore had not had the rights pertaining to all citizens of the United States—and ultimately helped to establish the social and political systems that exist in America today by questioning the powers of the government, who citizenship should be extended to, and the true meanings of freedom and equality. After reading this, my perception of Reconstruction has been both

In this seminal work by historian Kenneth M. Stampp, The Era of Reconstruction, 1865-1877 argues that the era known as Reconstruction, the years from 1865-1877 the succeeded the end of the Civil War, had positive effects. Challenging the Dunning School, which stipulated that the era of Reconstruction was an utter failure due to the fanaticism of Radical Republicans like Thaddeus Stevens, Stampp argues that despite its eventual failure and demise due to the Radical Republicans failing to give freedman property or land Reconstruction was by no means as sinister as historians of the past have depicted the era. Relying on an impressive amount of secondary literature as well as primary sources, Kenneth Stampp’s The Era of Reconstruction stands a landmark study for how it takes a revisionist standpoint in challenging the notion that Reconstruction was filled with gloom and despair.

The Reconstruction time period, 1865 through 1877, was a complex time for America. The southern part of the nation was in need of governmental, economical, and social repair after losing the Civil War. Radical Republicans, Democrats, and newly freed African Americans all were influential in the age of Reconstruction. Historians have struggled to put into words exactly what Reconstruction incorporates and precisely what the motives of the different groups of people were. Renowned American historian, Eric Foner, is a professor at Columbia University. He has written many books concerning the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. Eric Foner’s Reconstruction theory

Barney, William L. The Civil War and Reconstruction: A Student Companion. Oxford University Press 2003. Pgs

The Reconstruction of the United States was an experiment in interracial democracy. The Civil War victory by the North brought to a close the establishment of slavery but, in turn, opened Pandora's box. The questions and answers pertaining to economical, political, and social equality for freedmen had yet to be addressed on a practical level. The Southern states, still bitter from defeat and economic stresses, strongly rejected the societal transformations thrust upon them. The Northern states' focal point remained on the necessary political powers by which to enact constitutional amendments, therefore empowering the federal government with the capabilities to enforce the principles of equal rights. On paper, slavery was abolished, but in reality, African-Americans were once again enslaved on a ship without the security or knowledge of what the next port held for them. The Civil War had not truly ended. It was still active under the guise of Reconstruction, but now coats and flags of many colors existed, and battles were merely fought on alternate battlefields. A war of ideas lacking in substantial practicality resulted in repetitious battles being won and loss. The motivating forces that set Reconstruction into motion were for the most part the North's quest for unification among states', and the emancipation of slaves. However, the primary objective of Reconstruction was to grant political, economical, and social opportunities for the freedmen. The

The Columbian University journalism professor Nicholas Lemann’s aim of writing this book is to look at the brutal campaign of fraud and violence during the mid-1870s that ultimately led to the restoration of conservative, white governments in some southern states. The author focuses on the reconstruction of Mississippi. He stirs memories of the murderous Southern resistance and to civil rights movements 90 years later. Lemann writes at an era when neo-Confederate sympathies have cropped up again in southern politics, and amid several reports of the suppression of the minority voting throughout the country. Mr. Lemann presents the last battle of the Civil War.

The American Civil War claimed the lives of over 700,000 people. The war was fought from 1861-1865. The results of the war were described as; a union victory, abolishment of slavery, territorial integrity preserved and the destruction and dissolution of the Confederate States. The twelve years that followed were called the Reconstruction Era, 1865-1877. The purpose of the Reconstruction Era was to restore National Unity, strengthen the government, and guarantee rights to freed slaves. The reality of reconstruction though was; violence (260,000 dead), newly freed slaves suffered the most, and Lincoln's hopes of trust and rededication to peace were lost when he was assassinated on April 15th, 1865. It is these realities of the Reconstruction Era and beyond that this paper will address and how those realities affected the newly freed slaves. Life in post-bellum America for African - Americans was violent and filled with fear because of white supremacy, lynching, and the brutal mutilations of blacks.

During the post-civil war era, America, specifically the south, was undergoing a period of reconstruction. The general goal of reconstruction was to successfully readmit the former Confederacy back into the Union as smoothly as possible, as well as enacting specific safeguards of freedmen’s liberties. The social and constitutional developments in America between 1860 and 1877 were very minor. The lack of change between pre and post civil war status could hardly be considered a revolution.

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.

D.G.: Good evening. My name is Dan Gorman. Like many of you, I didn’t learn much about Reconstruction in high school. I had a wonderful teacher who did much to show the nuances of American history, such as the effects of states’ rights and slavery on the Civil War. Still, my teacher, along with the A.P. exam, the state curriculum, and our textbooks, moved quickly past Reconstruction. I assumed that, aside from the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments and some Ku Klux Klan violence, there wasn’t much else to the story, that

The process of Reconstruction ending was aggravated by the mishap of President Andrew Johnson but formally took place during the presidential election between (Democrat) Sam Tilden, and (Republican) Ruth B. Haynes. When Johnson filled in as president for late former President Abraham Lincoln, he deceived all the southerners by making them think that he had intentions of carrying out the same plans to “achieve restoration quickly”, as Abraham had originally yearned to do. Instead, Johnson passed black codes in which were “intended to reduce African Americans as close to slavery as possible.” Not only did southerners attest the ideals and motives of Johnson, but Congress as well did not agree with his ideas either. Once Congress passed the

Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln’s successor, fought with Congress over Reconstruction policies. Johnson imagined a lenient and rapid “restoration” of the South to the Union rather than the fundamental “reconstruction” that Republican congressmen favored (Norton, 14 intro). The president and Republican congressional leadership disagreed and by the time it was all over, Congress impeached the president, enfranchised freedmen, and gave them a role in reconstructing the South (Norton, 14 intro). The nation then also adopted the 14th and 15th Amendments ensuring equal protection of citizenship, law, and universal manhood suffrage.

During reconstruction the United States was divided on social issues, presidential campaigns were won and loss on these issues during this period. The struggle for development of African Americans and how they initiated change in political, economic, educational, and social conditions to shape their future and that of the United States. (Dixon, 2000) The South’s attempts to recover from the Civil war included determining what to do with newly freed slaves and finding labor to replace them. The task of elevating the Negro from slave to citizen was the most enormous one which had ever confronted the country. Local governments implemented mechanisms of discrimination to combat citizenship