The Reconstruction Era in the United States

The Time of Reconstruction

The time following the civil war of rebuilding the United States is called Reconstruction. It was witnessed to be a period of a lot of pain and several questions. The reconstruction took place in many faces hence was still considered as war. Under, Radical Reconstruction, the moderate Republican joined with the Radicals in overturning the Johnson’s Civil Rights Act veto after they were appalled at his racism. Hence, it was marked as the first piece of legislation to be overturned in history. Later, there was a turn by the Congress to amend the constitution.

Lincoln’s 10% Plan

Moreover, there was Lincoln’s 10% Plan. The plan gave a specification on the readmission of the southern state into the union once swearing of ten percent of the voters to Oath of Allegiance could take place to its union. Election of delegates by the voters could take place for the drafting of the revised state constitution and new state governments to be established. Except for the government officials and high ranking Confederate army officers, all the southerners had a guarantee of a full pardon.

Constitutional Amendments for African-American Rights

There were three constitutional amendments that aimed at altering the African-American rights. Firstly, there was The Thirteenth Amendment that abolished the slave trade in all the territories and states. Then The Fourteenth Amendment that was ratified in the year 1868 granted citizenship to every individual who was born and naturalized in the united states. That included individuals who were involved in the slave trade. The amendment guaranteed all citizens equal protection of laws. Whereas the Fifteenth Amendment gave an opportunity to the voting of African-American males. Hence, for the readmission of the southern states to the Union, there needed to be ratification of the amendments.

The Civil Rights Acts of 1886

Lastly, the Congress passed The Civil Rights Acts of 1886, on 9TH April 1886 over the veto of President Andrew Johnson. The act stated that every individual that was born in the U.S regardless of color or race was a full citizen.

Work Cited

Coulter, E. Merton. The South During Reconstruction, 1865--1877: A History of the South. LSU     Press, 1947.

Current, Richard Nelson, ed. Reconstruction, 1865-1877. Vol. 114. Prentice-Hall, 1965.