The Era Of Reconstruction During The Civil War - 1275 Words

The Era of Reconstruction started in 1855. After the Civil war ended the South was left in shambles. Southern states were left in economic and politic distress and faced renewed social issues. The objective of Reconstruction in the South was to restore the South economically, award freed African Americans the rights to be equal citizens in the eyes of the law, and repair the breakage in the Union. Though the people worked to restore the South they were unable to get over the differences and realities needed to become whole again. The South was left in ruins after the war. Homes and families were displaced, Railroads and industry were damaged, farms once full of cotton and tobacco were stripped down to nothing. In aspirations that it†¦show more content†¦Without anywhere to go, freedmen returned to the lands and became a part of a system of labor called â€Å"sharecropping†. Freedmen were never able to make enough to support themselves and fell further into debt. Not t o mention the major drop in prices of major cash crops that once fueled the South s economy. Though the whole idea was to entrust freedmen with their independence and allow the ability to build wealth, but the freedmen were practically remaining slaves but to the land rather than the landowners. Even those who migrated to cities in order to leave the plantations were unable to create a standard life. Many freedmen in the city were unable to get substantial wages and lived a hard life. In an interview with a black labor it is explained, â€Å"He admitted to a journalist in 1870 that he had difficulties making ends meet on $1.50 a day† (457). It was common that laborers working in factories or as maids/laundresses could barely afford to live. Reconstruction was to help these people and help the economy but it never quite succeeded. In the same case, though given the so called â€Å"freedoms† and â€Å"rights† freedmen struggled to achieve what was promised. Though the goals of reconstruction were somewhat reached, the ideas of equality were not completely fulfilled. In order to help the freedmen the Freedmen’s Bureau was created. The agency did strive to help with schools and education, but it lacked in some departments. The bureau just did not have the personnel or