RCWR - Document Analysis - Reconstruction (Lesson)
Document Analysis - Reconstruction
The period following the Civil War was known as Reconstruction and it was a difficult process. Much of the South lay in ruins.
The economy was in shambles. Southern society was undergoing a radical transformation, as millions of formerly enslaved people were now free.
Some white northerners felt that the Union should be reunited quickly without placing too many demands on the former Confederate states.
Others felt that there must be some punishment and reparations for the war and that the only way to see real change was to ensure it by the force of law and military might.
Leading the charge for this view were the Radical Republicans who eventually would gain control of the Reconstruction process and place the South under military rule, dividing the South into 5 districts that were placed under the command of a United States military commander.
Examine these 5 documents and answer the questions that follow. You can also download a pdf copy of the documents here.
Links to an external site.
Questions
- What does Representative Stevens propose to change the fabric of Southern society?
- What was the mission of the troops sent to the former Confederate states during Radical Reconstruction? Why would this be necessary?
- What does President Johnson compare Radical (Military) Reconstruction to?
- "Carpetbaggers" refers to Northerners who moved south after the Civil War. Why were they viewed negatively by many white Southerners?
- What was the Freedmen's Bureau and what did it do?
Answer the questions on your own paper or word processing document.
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