Essay On Reconstruction

Reconstruction, in the US history, is the period (1865-77) immediately after the American civil war. It was during this period that the undoing of slavery to all other sectors of the American economy was put into perspective. 11 states had also been readmitted to the union despite the fact that they had earlier receded. This period saw the dignity of black people restored to some extent, and this was greatly fastened by radical republicans. Those who support an interracial democracy have been shown to applaud this period almost in its entirety. As such, this can be taken to be one of the strong points of the period; especially given the fact that it promoted an all-inclusive system. By extension, the blacks felt more dignified that they would now undertake projects for the benefit of the nation. However, not all rights were granted to black people. Nonetheless, this period, essentially, led to economic growth and development as more manpower was available, to mention the least.
Secondly, the U.S. emerged as a unified nation. This played the strategic role of ensuring that other developed nations increased faith in the nation. The impact this had cannot be overemphasized at any one point in time. Other nations of the world were now more interested in having the U.S as business partners as a source of finished goods and a market for their raw materials. Essentially, all these factors added together are what made the US what it is today. It would have been impossible for the country survive to achieve the status it enjoys today without the reconstruction period, and citizens can only thank their predecessors for making the right decisions.
On the other hand, it was as a result of this period that the sharecropping system resulted. Here, blacks were tied to land owned by the whites. It was almost impossible for a black person to own land. Their economic power was greatly diminished making them form civil unions. Instead of directing their energy towards developing the nation, they spent hours upon hours deliberating on how they would improve their conditions. Their grievances were shared by black the world over; a wrong signal to the world.
Additionally, the Ku Klux Klan emerged. This group greatly terrorised the residents and made both the north and south undesirable. They targeted black Americans with very racist tendencies. What bothered was the speed with which the black Americans were rising. This group was afraid of change and they preferred having black people as slaves and labourers. The most common form of attack was putting their houses on fire. These acts went a long way in discouraging the blacks though they kept soaring higher.
In conclusion, the reconstruction period came with its fair share of successes and failures. The USA was now a united nation from what had earlier been perceived as a “broken” nation and education as well as freedom was greatly improved, which led to a major awakening among the residents. This period also saw increased political activity where the democracy acquired a refurbished (and more accommodative) look. On the other hand, industrialization was almost stilled given the arising of issues such as sharecropping and the tenant system. Corruption and black codes also became the order of the day; yet they are totally degrading and also stalled the economy. This period is one of the most defining moments for the US and it all depends on what side one views the entire period.