Dissertation Writers: Why were African Americans unable to secure equal rights during Reconstruction?
Identify the legislation passed by the Radical Republicans in Congress in the 1860s that protected the rights of African Americans. Include in your analysis whether or not the legislation’s objectives were met?
Why were African Americans unable to secure equal rights during Reconstruction?
A. The Political Contest over Reconstruction
1. When Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, he maintained Lincoln’s lenient policies toward former Confederates. Radical Republicans were angered by the fact that Johnson quickly restored civil governments in Confederate states, granted amnesty to former Confederates, and displayed no concern for protecting the civil rights of freedpeople.
