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Midterm Essay

Introduction

The American Reconstruction Era was a period of radical change following the Civil

War. This period, from 1865 to 1877, saw the United States attempt to reunite a nation

shattered by war. New forms of labor organizations evolved throughout this era, and

Americans fought for freedom. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which guaranteed

Black Americans citizenship and the ability to vote, and the first steps toward universal

suffrage for women, were ratified during Reconstruction. On 1 January 1863, President

Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, on the other hand. It declared that

“all enslaved people in states rebellion against the federal government will be thenceforward,

and eternally free"(Lincoln 1). This was a historic moment for African-Americans, who had

been enslaved in the United States for generations.

Main Points

The Emancipation Proclamation was a direct response to the Civil War, which had

been raging for two years at the time of the document's release. The Civil War was fought for

a variety of reasons, but the issue of slavery was central to the conflict. The Emancipation

Proclamation was an attempt to weaken the Confederacy by "liberating" the enslaved people

and denying them the labor they provided to the South. The Emancipation Proclamation
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declared that Black Americans would be granted equal access to the armed forces and "other

locations". Many Black Americans were previously refused citizenship until this historic

document was released. Amendments enacted during Reconstruction owed much to the

Proclamation's framework. After the American Civil War, the country went through a period

of enormous upheaval known as the Reconstruction Period. The nation was in shambles as

the Union and Confederate troops fought it out. In spite of the fact that African Americans

had won their freedom from slavery, they frequently discovered that the "Black Codes" often

restricted their newfound freedom (Foner 456). The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments

were ratified during the Reconstruction Period and guaranteed Black Americans full

citizenship and the ability to vote. Throughout Reconstruction, women battled for

independence and respect, winning fundamental rights for the first time, including the right to

vote (Foner 461).

Historical Context

The Emancipation Proclamation was shaped by the social context of the period it was

produced in. At the time of the document's writing, many northerners had grown weary of the

war and were beginning to retreat from Reconstruction. This caused some to doubt the

Proclamation's effectiveness in liberating African Americans, as President Johnson saw that

Black Americans had "no role to play in Reconstruction" "(Lincoln 2) In addition, the

Proclamation was limited in scope, as it only applied to states in rebellion against the United

States and did not apply to the border states remaining in the Union. Despite these

limitations, the Proclamation was an important step forward in granting African Americans

freedom and equality under the law. On the other hand, the context of the American

Reconstruction Era is the period of Reconstruction in the United States following the Civil

War. It was a time of great social and political upheaval as Americans attempted to rebuild a
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nation shattered by the war (Foner 460). People were beginning to redefine freedom, and

African Americans and women were striving to gain equal rights and freedoms.

American Values Today

The Reconstruction Era of the United States greatly impacted American values today.

The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments granted African Americans citizenship and the

right to vote, which are core American values today. Women's fight for freedom during the

Reconstruction Era also had a lasting impact, as women today can vote and are protected by

the law. Nonetheless, the Emancipation Proclamation's concepts have not aged. The

declaration established that Black Americans had the same fundamental rights as whites and

laid the groundwork for subsequent civil rights laws. These protections remain in place today,

and the document is a tangible symbol of the far-reaching changes that have taken place in

the United States since the Reconstruction era. The document also serves as a timely

reminder that equality and freedom are fundamental and must be defended vigorously.

Conclusion

Immediately after the end of the Civil War, the United States entered a period known

as the Reconstruction Period, which brought about significant changes in the country's social

and political fabric. This period saw the efforts of Black Americans to forge a new concept of

freedom and the passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Throughout the

Reconstruction Period, female activists battled for equal rights and freedoms, including

economic and political empowerment and the opportunity to vote. In contrast, the

Emancipation Proclamation was a radical proclamation formed by the social environment of

the time it was issued, namely the Civil War. In addition to laying the groundwork for the

Reconstruction amendments, the Proclamation guaranteed Black Americans the right to vote

and citizenship. The concepts presented in the paper remain relevant even now. They remind
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us of how far we have come since the Reconstruction era and how critical it is to preserve our

gains regarding freedom and equality.

Works Cited

Foner, Eric. “The American Reconstruction Era." Reviews in American History 10.4 (2017):

456-461. Give me liberty an American history (Eric Foner) (z-lib.org).pdf

Lincoln, A. (1863). The Emancipation Proclamation, January 1. National Archives and

Records Administration (NAR). 1-5.