Reconstruction refers to the attempts by the American leadership to re-establish the peace and unity that existed in America before the civil war. The reconstruction process ended in 1877 when the two sides decided to compromise their positions for the sake of unity.
Major laws and social reconstruction included the Emancipation Proclamation, the Homestead Act and three amendments to the constitution. The Homestead Act allowed all American citizens who had not fought against the union to own land in any part of the country. Only people above 21 years were eligible to own land. Many blacks submitted claims for the land and close to 1000 of them got ownership certificates.
The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential declaration that Lincoln made in 1863. He used his power to give freedom to all slaves. He also announced that the freed slaves were eligible for government jobs. This proclamation aimed at freeing 3 million slaves in eleven southern states. It also officially freed 20, 000 slaves in regions where slavery had already ended.
The 13th amendment was the first amendment during the reconstruction period. It abolished slavery and forced labor. The senate and the House of Representatives passed and adopted it by the end of 1865.
The 14th amendment recognized ex-slaves as citizens of America. It also encouraged the confederates to allow male African-Americans vote in the general elections. In addition, it blocked all the representatives of the South from being members of Congress.
The 15th amendment was also very important in the reconstruction process. Congress ratified it in 1870. It prohibited both the national and state governments from denying any citizen the right to vote because of color or history.
The success of the reconstruction included the abolition of slavery in 1865, allowing ex-slaves to vote, giving citizenship to the former slaves and allowing ex-slaves to get education. It also helped improve the economic status of former slaves. Its failures included denying black women the right to vote and a short-lived black suffrage.
The reconstruction fostered integration in America. Electing a black president could not have been possible in the 19th century. However, some conservatives still consider blacks as inferior while others still treat them as slaves.
The Birth of a Nation presents the wrong picture of America. It depicts blacks as barbarians and discourages inter-racial marriages. The marriage between the two white families symbolizes the rebirth of America. The marriage implies that African-Americans did not participate in that re-birth.
John Gast’s painting represents a myth among Americans that America will continue expanding westwards. The picture shows people moving westwards. The first group of people is a family of simple Indians. White prospectors follow closely, and farmers and settlers are the last to arrive.
This movement represents the acquisition of land by the government of America. America has been acquiring land through military actions, buying and mutual agreements with other countries. It acquired states such as Alaska, Oregon, Texas and East Florida among others. Most of these places are on the west of the original thirteen states that Jefferson declared independent from the British.
The west in the picture is almost similar to the real west. The image shows the history of the US from the 1400s to date. Unsophisticated Indians were the original inhabitants of the US. Prospectors such as Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci found the Indians in America. Settlers followed them later with their technology. America is the world’s biggest center of technological innovations. The image clearly describes all these occurrences. It portrays the new west as a place with the most sophisticated technology.
The manifest destiny ideology might lead to further expansion of America both geographically and in terms of influence. Geographically, America may extend its borders to include Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. Crossing the seas to Asia or Africa may be difficult. However, its influence over Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia may grow in the future. America has supported these continents for a very long time. It has helped end wars, poverty and economic problems everywhere in the world.