The U.S Post the Civil War

Yahya Benmakhlouf

U.S History

Dr. Goldberg

16 February 2018

The U.S post the Civil War

        Today, America has progressed and has improved to be one of the most powerful countries in the world due its numeral historical activities. One of the most famous events that has occured in our history was the American Civil War. But the Civil War has affected our country in many ways, it left our country divided not only by property lines and borders but by beliefs. Not just religious beliefs but moral beliefs. It left the north and south side trying to figure out what America was going to be. The period after the end of the Civil War was known as the reconstruction and progressive era. The reconstruction would decide how the south side and north side would figure out a way how to deal with each other. The south consisted of millions of african american slaves, and there had to be a way to deal with all of them in order for the south to rejoin the union. Also, many political figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, have a huge impact using capitalist beliefs to restore order at home after the Civil War.

        The United State’s reconstruction era was a chaotic time, as the nation struggled on how to build the south and transform the millions of newly freed blacks from slavery into a free-labor society. Former president Abraham Lincoln established what is called the freedmen's bureau. The reason to this establishment was to provide practical assistance to the million of former slaves in the south as they had just  made their transition from slaves into freed african americans. To simply put it, the bureau was to aid these freed people to gain land ownership, enfranchise them and to help them establish institutions that would be beneficial to them. One of the primary errands of the Freedmen's Bureau turned out to be scary as it worked in locales desolated by war and the intense rivalry of dreams that were clashing in the after war southern culture, one white and one black. As there appeared to be an assumed prepared acknowledgment to the liberation demonstration in the south, this contrasted however as Southern whites expected that with this new request it would incorporate full social and political uniformity for the blacks. With a specific end goal to dispose of racial oppression over the blacks and ensure their interests, the agency set up official workplaces in each southern state, despite the fact that there was an absence of sufficient labor or money related assets for such a tremendous endeavor. Of course the bureau had to work hard to persuade southern states to recognize racial equality in their own particular legal procedures. The Freedmen’s Bureau had to also inform the freedmen and even women to sign labor contracts with planters or be evicted from the land they had occupied. Eric Foner describes how the freed slave were given these contracts; “ Thus, by 1866, the bureau found itself with no alternative but to encourage virtually all freedmen to sign annual contracts to work on the plantations. Its hopes for long-term black advancement and Southern economic prosperity now came to focus exclusively on the labor contract itself. By voluntarily signing and adhering to contracts, both planters and freedmen would develop the habits of a free labor economy and come to understand their fundamental harmony of interests. Agents found themselves required to perform a nearly impossible balancing act. Disabusing blacks of the idea that they would soon obtain land from the government, and threatening to arrest those who refused to sign a contract or leave the plantations, agents simultaneously insisted on blacks’ right to bargain freely for employment and attempted to secure more advantageous contracts than had prevailed in 1865” (Foner, pg. 74, 75). The bureau expected hard work from the freedmen and refrained them from vice activities to get the job done.

        When it comes to the progressive era, one of America’s biggest leaders. Theodore Roosevelt played a huge part in aiding our country to return to its finest after it struck poverty among the population. The country Theodore Roosevelt acquired upon President McKinley's passing in 1901 was a lively and effective element. The Spanish-American War of 1898 liberated Cuba from Spanish control and furthermore picked up the United States a realm—the domains of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippine Islands. Theodore Roosevelt was instrumental in managing the country toward investment in the contention. His direct in the war prompted his decision as legislative leader of New York and after that as VP. Theodore Roosevelt's inheritance is based upon his commitments in both outside and household undertakings. In 1901, his consideration was settled solidly on local issues. Under the authority of Theodore Roosevelt,  and numerous other political and business leaders, the country started to get it together. By 1916 many national, state and neighborhood laws had started to make the urban areas cleaner and more beneficial, the work environment more secure, and agents more cautious  of their laborers and clients. Dynamic change additionally touched private establishments, for example, colleges, healing centers, and even churched In spite of the fact that legislative issues remained an unpleasant and-tumble sport, steps were taken to clean up the political procedure, particularly at the state and nearby level, and four protected alterations propelled dynamic causes. Because of Roosevelt, rich businessmen have discovered that with all these clean environments, workers would be more content to work under their names. At that time, production of steel and oil were increasing rapidly and the U.S started to get back on terms. Roosevelt demanded much from his nation; he wanted them to be powerful so that as a nation, the U.S would succeed. “ Roosevelt began by demanding manliness in both the American nation and American men. Slothful men who lacked the “desire and power” to strive in the world were despicable and unmanly. “ We do not admire the man of timid peace. We admire the man who embodies victorious effort”.” (Bederman, pg. 193). I believe that Theodore not only wanted hi smen to fight but he wanted them to work as a nation so that the U.S can succeed as a whole.  The progressive era, however, did not see the end of all social problems.