A Short History Of Reconstruction: America’s Failure Of A Revolution

The American Civil War, and the events that followed is a substantial period in America. The Civil War would have the most effect on the lives of millions, most importantly in Foner’s claim, African American slaves. Foner’s book offers an in-depth analysis of American history during the Reconstruction era, and how it failed for blacks. Foner gives a deeper insight on how emancipation of African Americans was a very slow process, and the small but essential contributions made by thousands of blacks during the Civil War. Foner discusses the Southern changes of social, and political status in the events after the Civil War for African Americans. “Reconstruction at it’s idealistic effort to construct a Democratic... Anticipated the findings of modern scholarship” (Foner xii). Foner contributed points about the Southern yeomen that have suffered from the failure of industrial development when the war was over. 

The yeomen struggled with their plantations due to the harsh tax policy that blanketed the South. But they still wished to have state funded schools and federal debt be lifted. However, people started to change their minds fairly quickly when crops continued to fail, and taxes were still high. Yeomen were starting to get consumed with debt, so they then supported having a strong central government. Foner provides his findings about how the industrial development failed, causing the South to spiral backwards. “Military devastation... awakened its political self- consciousness” (Foner 8). Other major parts of Foner’s book highlighted Andrew Johnson’s reconstruction, and African Americans slowly gained their rightful independence and freedom. The Union Army was still in control of areas within the South. While still wanting to insert governmental organizations, and following reconstruction ideas presented by the Democratic President, Andrew Johnson. Johnson’s plans did not offer protection to former slaves, nor helped them as former president Abraham Lincon wished to do. At the time congress was primarily Republican, the angry Republicans had many conflicts over the lack of change for black rights. They wished to impeach Johnson, then turn over the power of reconstruction into congress's hands. “The roots of the impeachment of Andrew Johnson lay not only in the increasingly hostile relations between himself and congress, but of the Republican Restriction party” (Foner 143). 

Since Congress took over reconstruction, they created the Freedmen's Bureau. This benefited Southern blacks by offering some type of aid. African Americans reconnected with families, became their own organization, and some got an education. However, one thing they didn't gain was property. Landowners would not sell their land to former slaves simply because they needed the crop, and needed the blacks to harvest it for them. “We do not ask that the ignorant and degraded... rural blacks raised, once again, the demand for land” (Foner 128). Eric Foner claimed that blacks could have gotten better treatment amongst society if people approached reconstruction in a different way. Reconstruction didn't do much to benefit African Americans. It may have made them free citizens, but were they ever free if they consistantly went through discrimination, while having people find loopholes to still exclue them from society? Foner discusses good points about the treatment of blacks during the Reconstruction Era, and was convincing in his claims. The only time African Americans felt like they were at home, was when they were in the military. “For the first time in American History, large numbers of blacks were treated as equals” (Foner 4). Matter of fact it was the military where many blacks learned to read and write, which before was strictly prohibited. Violence had occurred during reconstruction as well, “I saw a white man whipping a colored man just the same as they did before the war” (Foner 52). Even though the war was over, African Americans felt like it was just the beginning. “Blacks understood that they lived in the midst of enemies to our race” (Foner 77). 

There were even laws set to restrict African Americans to do certain things, these were called Black Codes. They worked with low wages, in debt, and overall having a lack of freedom. Foner also makes other points to support his claim, and says that “Only one-third of the delegates born as slaves had gained their freedom before 1860” (Foner 137). The Reconstruction Era was during the time The Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress. That ended slavery amungst the nation. Foner outlines major points during this time, but claims that if different actions were put in place, things would have been very different in terms of racial descrimination amongst society. Eric Foner makes excellent points on how the Reconstruction Era was not a success during this period, and how it failed to have an expanding mark on the nation for African Americans. This is an overall good read, and highlights excellent points that not many people talk about today. A man named James A. Garfield has said, “Is it the bare privilege of not being changed?... if this is all, then freedom is a bitter mockery, a cruel delusion.” (Foner 30). This book makes an impact on how people view events that followed immediately after the Civil War at a deeper perspective.