Each One Teach One Reflection

 The Reconstruction era each one teach one taught me a lot about the evolution of America. The first thing that I learned is that President Andrew Johnson was a supported of slavery in the north. He was impeached in the house but not in the senate. Surprisingly he grew up with what could be labeled as a superiority complex, adding to his attitude of aggression and personality.

Johnson planned to begin reconstruction era in the south to continue slavery effectively. He wanted the white man by himself have dominance over the south. Reconstruction completed itself 8 months after it started and allowed confederates to enter congress, leaving a large dent in African American hope to impose themselves in the U.S government.

The next topic presented was the Lincoln assassination and the effect that it had on this era. John Wilkes Booth was the man who would go all the way with this plan. He was an actor and confederate who loathed the anti slavery and reconstruction ideas, and killed the current president on April 14th, 1865.

He then fled out of the theatre and started one of the largest man hunts in the history of the nation. Booth broke his leg escaping and made it all the way to Maryland. He was caught by the police at Surrats house where he was taken under jurisdiction of the government. Lincoln lost his life and the American community lost a true friend.

A further discussion topic in the reconstruction era was the Freedman's Bureau. This event helped African Americans all across the nation support themselves and gain popularity in a time of need. Established by congress in 1865 in helped former slaves and poor whites all across the south recover after the destructive civil war.

The Compromise of 1877 helped America choose its new leader and President. Essentially it was a mutual agreement between Democrats and allies of the Republican Rutherford Hayes, marking the end of the reconstruction era. It gave the Democratic Party of slavery the power to regain political dominance in southern state government.

Ultimately the reconstruction came to an end in 1877 and had mixed results in America. Radical Republican Legislation failed to uphold and protect former slaves from white persecution, and these issues continued in the south even after this era came to a close. Black codes and racist laws were implemented to keep the peace, however the African community found its way into government positions after years of perseverance and hardship, helping the make America the true land of the free.