Context
After the surrender of the Confederate forces and the end of the American Civil War, the divided United States quickly needed to reunite. Congress was poorly prepared for the challenges it faced as it struggled to create a just society for its newly freed black population and allow the states that had only recently waged war against them to reunite. After the Civil War, the new, previously enslaved population faced an uphill battle, with many in America who strongly opposed emancipation and integration (Holloway 2018).
However, thousands of Americans arose to support the new rights afforded to the previously enslaved. This support led to the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution. The Reconstruction era brought with it the complete abolition of slavery in America. However, the amendment allowed slavery as a form of punishment, defined the rights of citizenship, and gave African Americans the right to vote (Holloway 2018). Nevertheless, despite the achievements of the time, America created an inclusive and protective society for all its citizens.
Major Trends of the Reconstruction Era
The first noteworthy trend in the Reconstruction era is the abolition of slavery. Accordingly, the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and ratifying the 13th Amendment in 1865 indicated the end of permitted slavery in the United States (Guelzo 2018). It is essential to note that this legalized political decision is one of the most critical milestones in history. This is because the abolition of slavery not only made it possible to practice democratic principles but also to establish a new economic order (Guelzo 2018). Accordingly, the state’s social structure changed, and a new social and economic order based on liberal principles began to take shape.
Despite the abolition of slavery, the Reconstruction period was marked by such highs as the Black Codes and racial discrimination. Southern states gradually introduced laws that restricted the rights of formerly enslaved people and turned them into legally enslaved people (Guelzo 2018). The primary purpose of these codes was the attempt of people who played a leading role in the southern states to keep the bull race in the lead. They also tried to preserve the existing social order and economic development to ensure the white population’s welfare.
The second trend in the Reconstruction period is the introduction of reconstruction amendments. The central government realized that slavery was gradually reviving in the southern states with the help of the Black Codes (Guelzo2018). Therefore, they decided to protect the civil rights of people in 1868 and ratified the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Thus, it was a significant moment because it explained the issue of citizenship. Accordingly, all people born in the United States or naturalized were considered US citizens and had equal protection under the law.
Later, the 15th Amendment was introduced, which regulated the right to vote based on skin color and race (Guelzo 2018). This showed that in response to the Black Codes, laws were created that granted more and more rights to black Americans. The third trend during Reconstruction was the development of the Ku Klux Klan and White Supremacist Groups. These supporters of the ruling white race were most opposed to Reconstruction. These people took active steps to intimidate African Americans and infringe on their social and political rights.
The Significance of the Major Trends and Their Relationship to the Black Codes
The main trends of the Reconstruction era played a crucial role in shaping the historical context in which the Black Codes were implemented. Their connection was essential to the antebellum period’s modern legal order and social structure. This is because the abolition of slavery was an important event that provoked the emergence of the Black Codes and the struggle over them (Foner 2019). The abolition of slavery provided freedom and rights to millions of people living in the South and gave impetus to the change in the economic structure of the state.
However, this significant change also caused anxiety and resentment among white Southerners who sought to maintain their dominance over African Americans. As a result, the Black Codes were created by people who opposed the abolition of slavery and wanted to continue the exploitation of African Americans (Foner 2019). Even during the Reconstruction period, they created conditions where African Americans could not access education or medicine. Therefore, during Reconstruction, the Black Codes prevented people of color from developing economically and socially.
The following vital point is the introduction of amendments to Reconstruction; in particular, the 14th Amendment was created to eradicate the Black Codes. It was introduced to ensure everyone had equal civil and political rights, regardless of skin color. Accordingly, the Black Codes were considered inconsistent with the Constitution (Foner 2019). However, the Reconstruction period experienced the rise of various movements that supported the Black Codes. Supporters of the idea that African Americans should remain enslaved people tried to suppress any manifestations of the rights and freedoms of the black population.
Thesis
Thus, it is essential to argue for the importance of these trends and establish their connections to the creation of the Black Codes and the outcome of Reconstruction and its enduring impact on the flow of American history.
References
Holloway, Vanessa. 2018. Black Rights in the Reconstruction Era. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
Guelzo, Allen. 2018. Reconstruction: A Concise History. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Foner, Eric. 2019. The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution. New York: WW Norton & Company.
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