History Mid Term - in What Ways Was Reconstruction Both a Success and a Failure?

Mid-Term

1. In what ways was Reconstruction both a success and a failure?

Reconstruction was a success in the sense that it restored the United States as a unified nation. The former Confederate states had drafted new constitutions, acknowledged the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments by 1877. It freed slaves, to an extent.

"If I cannot do as a white man, I am not fee" (GML, 587) Henry Adams, an emancipated slave in Louisiana, told his former master. Radical Republican legislation failed to protect former slaves from white persecution. In Mississippi, a law called the Black Codes was passed that gave limits to freed people. These laws gave blacks certain rights, such as legalized marriage, ownership of property and limited access to the courts. However the law denied them the right to testify against whites, serve on juries or in state militias, or vote. Also, the Black Codes prohibited freed people to intermarry with whites, and carry firearms. The Black Codes declared that those who failed to sign yearly labor contracts could be arrested and hired out to white landowners.

Democrats in the South felt they had "redeemed" the white South from corruption, misgovernment and northern black control, thus calling themselves the redeemers. Violence broke out where Reconstruction governments survived. In 1875, white rifle clubs in Mississippi drilled in public and openly assaulted and murdered Republicans. Adelbert Ames appealed to the federal government for help, President Grant responded that the northern public was "tired out" (GML 620) by southern problems. As white northerners lost in interest in Reconstruction by 1870's, blacks were left to fight for civil rights on their, with little economic power. When Reconstruction ended, it left many of its goals unaccomplished.

2. To what extent was the Gilded Age a period of class warfare?

The Gilded Age was the period from the end of the Civil War to the turn of the Century. Many things changed during the second industrial revolution. With the rise of big businesses and increasing number of immigrants, tensions arose between different social classes.

Native born Americans didn't like immigrants because; the immigrants would come in and take their jobs. Many nativists joined the American Protective Association set immigration restrictions. In 1882 Nativists Unions pressed Congress to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act, completely banning Chinese immigration to the United States. Congress did pass the act, and it remained in place until 1943.

1877 Railroad workers went on strike, protesting a pay cut. The Great Railroad Strike was the workingman fighting against the wealthy corporations. The militia tried to force them back to work. Twenty people were shot and killed in the Great Railroad Strike, the workers responded by burning the city's railroad yards, destroying millions of dollars in property. Corporations didn't like unions because; unions would gather skilled and unskilled workers together to go on strikes, paralyzing production.

The Government would usually side with the corporations during strikes, sending in troops to get the striking workers back in the workplace so production can continue. Many lawmakers would support bills aiding companies that they invested money in or, had stock in. With government support, big corporation obtained political power.

During the Gilded Age classes clashed between the working class and the rich corporations, and native born Americans and immigrants.

3. Who were the Populists and the Progressives? In what ways were they and their reform agendas similar and different?

The Populist Party also known as the "peoples party" was formed by the Farmers' Alliance, in response to falling agricultural prices and growing economic dependency in rural areas. At the party's Omaha Convention in 1892, the Populist Party adopted the Populist Platform, a document of American Reform. The documents key points were; Direct election of senators, graduated income tax, the right to unionize, women's suffrage, and public ownership of railroads. Williams Jennings Brian is regarded as the icon of the Populist Party. Williams Jennings Brian is known for his "cross of gold" speech. Mary Elizabeth lease became a prominent organizer, campaigner and strategist for the Populist Party.

Progressives were social reformers, dedicated to solving problems that were created by an expanding urban and industrial world. These social reformers wanted governmental action in solving problems in American life, including education, public health, the economy, the environment, labor transportation, and politics. The progressives were often middle class professionals including many women, and they were well-educated individuals. Protestants were a large number of progressives, and felt they had to do something about societies downfall. One problem progressives set out to solve was alcohol, they believed it promoted violence and prostitution.

Both Populists and Progressives sought out to reform America, but they differed in their key points. Progressives were social reformers, trying to solve problems of American life. The Populists wanted public ownership of railroads, whereas the Progressives wanted Government regulation of railroads.

4. To what extent were the Progressives successful in enacting their reform agenda and in transforming American politics, society, and culture?

Progressive muckrakers were reporters who would stir up and reveal the truth. Upton Sinclair is famous for revealing the disgusting conditions of meat and food packing plants. He wrote The Jungle and that lead to the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. The Pure Food and Drug Act followed the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie, 1900, traced a hopeful young woman's descent into prostitution in Chicago's harsh urban environment. The hopes of Dreiser's novel were to show the pitfall of American women who would turn to prostitution for means to live.

In politics, progressives sought out to take power away from large corporations. Hazen Pingree, mayor of Detroit from 1889 to 1897, battled business interests that had dominated city government, forcing gas and telephone companies to lower their rates. Abraham Ruef secured passage of the Public Utilities Act, strong railroad-regulations, as well as laws banning child labor or limiting the working hours of women (GML 750). Progressives hoped to reenergize democracy by giving political power back to the people. The progressives drafted the 17th amendment to the U.S constitution,