Reconstruction Failure Essay Example
Reconstruction was the time period after the Civil War, were rebuilding and equality was goal. The rebuilding part was a success while equality in the lives of blacks and whites were not. The failure of reconstruction to bring social and economic equality of opportunity for formers slaves were because of Anti-black violence groups, scandals in the government, and economic turmoil's. The most prominent founded social club for Confederate veterans formed an organization or group called The Ku Klux Klan or KKK, which started in Tennessee. The goal of the KKK was to restore white superiority and to turn the Republicans who had established the Reconstruction governments out of power. Their methods were mainly to keep blacks from using their political power which includes voting rights. The KKK was not the only organization with the same goals in mind. The KK and other secret groups killed thousands of men, women and children; they also burned down schools, churches and property's not only of blacks but whites who tried to help them. Due to scandals plagued in Grant administration attention was took away from circumstances in the South. Grant often choice friends and associates as appointees which frequently turned out to be dishonest. During 1872 long-simmering scandals took place on with a construction company that had ripped off large profits from a government railroad contract. A group angered by all the scandals, the Liberal Republican party set out to drive out Grant for the next election. Although the Liberal Republicans did not win the White House, they did weaken the Radicals hold over the Republican Party. On account of continued sandals in Grants administrations he did not seek reelection in 1876. With all that was going on the panic of 1873 happened. As a consequence of the panic of 1873 the nations largest dealer in government securities went bankrupt, smaller banks closed, the stock market temporarily collapsed, and 89 railroads went broke and