Reconstruction refers to an era after the Civil War where changes were undergone in the south and north with an aim of restoring the union. During warfare time, railroads and factories were damaged.
President Andrew Johnson made an announcement concerning his Reconstruction plans at the end of May 1865. His plans entailed his strong unionism and confidence in the rights of each state. According to Johnson, the southern states had maintained their stand of governing themselves. This implied that the federal government did not have the mandate to determine their right to vote. During John’s presidential reconstruction, he ordered that allconfiscatedland to be reverted to their owners.A part from settling war debt, and being required to maintain the end of slavery, the southern state governments were freed to rebuild themselves.
Black codes refer to restrictive laws that were implemented to restricted activities done by freed blacks. The laws further ensured that freed blacks were available for labor force because slavery had been abolished. For example, most states required blacks to sign annual labor contracts; if they refused, they were at risk of being fined or arrested as vagrants or forced into voluntary labor.
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was established by Confederate army experts. The members of KKK demanded that blacks must vote Democrat or not vote at all. They met defiance with whipping, beatings, and at times murder. They also chased black farmers from their land and destroyed their houses.
In conclusion, reconstruction served as a period of freeing the southerners. On the other hand, there was no great improvement in the social and economic status of the blacks.