Reference no: EM133875893

Question

Reconstruction tried to address equal rights for African Americans through two major developments. First, the 14th Amendment (1868) was a game-changer - it basically said 'hey, everyone born here is a citizen' which meant formerly enslaved people couldn't be denied basic rights anymore. It was supposed to be this shield of 'equal protection' for Black Americans. Then the 15th Amendment (1870) came along and said states couldn't block someone from voting just because of their race or because they used to be enslaved. These weren't just fancy words on paper - they were real constitutional muscle trying to force America to live up to its talk about equality. For political representation, Reconstruction saw some real progress. The most direct approach was allowing Black men to vote and hold office. By 1870, something pretty remarkable had happened - over 1,500 Black Americans were actually holding political offices across the South. Like, making laws and representing communities! And the Freedmen's Bureau was out there setting up schools and creating economic opportunities that gave Black communities some actual political clout for the first time ever. However, the resistance was fierce. White Southerners created Black Codes that restricted freedoms through.