Essay --

Tiffany Rivera Prior to 1860 there was great sectionalism in the United States between the northern and southern states. The Southern states and Northern states were always in competition for power. Various compromises were proposed by the opposing sides but eventually failed. The Civil War, election of President Lincoln and Reconstruction Era caused great change in the US. Constitutional developments such as the Emancipation Proclamation, three civil rights bills, and the Reconstruction Era impacted the lives on freedmen. Social developments such as the Freedmen's Bureau, the Black Codes, and the Ku Klux Klan were also revolutionary especially to the lives of the freedmen. One may say the election of President Lincoln was revolutionary. When the southern states realized their insignificance in terms of political power compared to the northern states, the southern states seceded from the union. South Carolina believed they had the constitutional right to secede from the Union because it was not stated in the Constitution it was illegal to do so and should be left to state power. (Doc A) The southern states also feared that if the North gained enough power they would abolish slavery completely. The fear of the northern states becoming too powerful and failure of compromise between the northern and southern states had led to the Civil War. An outcome of this conflict would be the Emancipation Proclamation, 13th-15th Amendments, and the abolition of slavery in the South. This angered southerners since it endangered their Agrarian economy through the use of slavery. Another outcome would be President Lincoln adding an amendment which made it illegal for a ny state to secede from the Union, helping preserve the Union of the nation af... ...articipation in government politically. (Doc. G) This was due to the passing of the three civil rights bills. During the Reconstruction Era, blacks were also offered education, which increased opportunity for the blacks. Some whites from the south disliked the Klu Klux Klan Act and felt that it gave the federal government too much power. (Doc H) The Force Acts were however essential during this time. Thomas Nast shows that the Klu Klux Klan was endangering the lives of the former slaves. (Doc I) All of these events greatly impacted the lives of the freedmen of the nation. This also affected the nation as a whole in terms of rights and power and in many ways strengthened the federal government. During the years 1860-1877, many constitutional and social developments were revolutionary. This changed the nation as a whole including the lives of the freedmen and whites.