Effects of the war on African Americans

Achievements of Reconstruction

Reconstruction Plans

SOL 1.9f

Life on the battlefield and on the home front was extremely harsh.  Many died from disease and exposure.
What hardships were experienced during the Civil War?
How did the Civil War change the lives of soldiers, women, and slaves?

General effects of the war

• Families and friends were often pitted against one another.
• Southern troops became increasingly younger and more poorly equipped and clothed.
• Much of the South was devastated at the end of the war (e.g., burning of Atlanta and Richmond).
• Disease was a major killer.
• Clara Barton, a Civil War nurse, created the American Red Cross.
• Combat was brutal and often man-to-man.
• Women were left to run businesses in the North and farms and plantations in the South.

• The collapse of the confederacy made Confederate money worthless.

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Effects of the war on African Americans

• African Americans fought in both the Confederate and Union armies
• The Confederacy often used slaves as naval crew members and soldiers.
• The Union moved to enlist African American sailors early in the war.
• African American soldiers were paid less than white soldiers.
• African American soldiers were discriminated against and served in segregated units under the command of white officers.
• Robert Smalls, a sailor and later a Union naval captain, was highly honored for his feats of bravery and heroism.  He became a Congressman after the Civil War.

Great, The War Is Over...Now What Happens?
Timeline

Did any good come from Reconstruction?
Yes, there were some achievements that came from this dark period in our history.  The slaves were freed, and  there was hope that Reconstruction would bring on change. Public schools systems were founded in southern states. Blacks  were elected to public office. The Freedman's Bureau was established. But the real failure was the inability to guarantee civil rights for the freed slaves. Even with the passage of the 14th and 15th Amendment, racist southerners could take control of state governments  and create laws that discriminated against blacks.  The new state governments imposed Jim Crow--a system of racial segregation which for years to come would prevent black Americans from equality.

SOL 1.10a
Basic provisions of the Amendments

• 13^th Amendment: Bans slavery in the United States and any of its territories
• 14^th Amendment: Grants citizenship to all persons born in the United States and guarantees them equal protection under the law.
• 15^th Amendment: Ensures all citizens the right to vote regardless of race or color or previous condition of servitude.
• These three amendments guarantee equal protection under the law for all citizens.

SOL 1.10b
The reconstruction policies were harsh and created problems in the South. Reconstruction attempted to give meaning to the freedom that the former slaves had achieved.
What were the Reconstruction policies for the South?

Reconstruction Policies and problems

• Southern military leaders could not hold office
• Southerners resented northern “carpetbaggers,” who took advantage of the South during Reconstruction.
• African Americans held public office.
• African Americans gained equal rights as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which authorized the use of federal troops for its enforcement.
• Northern soldiers supervised the South

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