American Society- Post Civil War

6 Pages 1469 Words

As the Civil War came to an end, the country still remained divided. Due to racial concerns four main issues were brought about. The people of America had separate positions and attitudes on race, dealing with the ideas of reconstruction, business relations, immigration, and American nationalism and expansionism.
During the period of reconstruction, the American society did not identify with or acknowledge the fact that even though the North had won on the battlefield, there was the issue of absolute restoration of the states to be addressed. The addition of the Southern states to the Union would not end the nationwide conflict of race. The attitude of the Southerners, were that they did not have the desire to become part of the Union. The idea of abolishing slavery brought about numerous questions that the South had for the Union.
How would they be able to rebuild their economy without the usage of slavery? This caused disorder and frustration within the Southern society. The South’s economic existence was established exclusively on the exploitation of slave labor and now that it had been abolished, the idea of economic downfall was conveyed. This prediction of the Southerners defeat, economically, helped bring about the development of white supremacy groups. These groups wanted to help maintain the once lived lifestyle of the South. The abolishment of slavery was a threat to their culture and the endorsement of hatred toward the newly Freed Men was instituted.
Not only did the North have the expectation of the Southern states to join the Union, but they also wanted to bring to an end to slavery. They did in fact achieve a victory over the South, but now they needed to implement the new found policy of slavery abolishment. The Northerners did however; understand that they would in some way have to ‘force’ the South to except the Freed Men into their society and culture.
The North did this by the passing the Mili...