In What Ways and to What Extent Did Constitutional and Social Developments Between 1860 and 1877 Amounts to a Revolution?

In what ways and to what extent did constitutional and social developments between 1860 and 1877 amounts to a revolution?

From the start of the American Civil War, going all the way through to the end of the period known as Reconstruction, America experienced a revolution. There were many constitutional developments, as well as social developments, that changed the landscape, both politically and socially, within this country. Some of the constitutional developments include the secession of 1860, passing of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, the Emancipation Proclamation, civil rights act of 1875, and Reconstruction. While some of the social issues were the freedman's bureau, the Black codes and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. All of these factors contributed to revolution in this country.

Before the outbreak of war there was much tension between the states, more specifically between northern states and southern states. The primary reason for the tension had to do with the future spread of slavery. Northern states wanted to reduce the spread of slavery and contain it to the states where it already existed while the southern states wanted to allow slavery in new states. A solution was reached with the Missouri compromise, which prohibited slavery in the Louisiana territory north of a specific parallel line and later on with the compromise of 1850, which came about after the Mexican-American war. All these compromises were an attempt to ease tensions and hostilities between slave and non-slave states, however, they were just delaying the inevitable. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president. The major issue was the spread of slavery into new states. Lincoln can’t do anything about existing slave states so his goal was to prevent slavery from expanding into new states. South Carolina's declaration of causes of secession (Document A) was the start of the secessionist movement. Before he could even take office, 11 states in the South seceded from the union with South Carolina taking the lead. These 11 states formed the Confederacy States of America with Jefferson Davis being named its president. In Lincoln's Inauguration speech he states that he will not remove slavery from the southern states and will not allow the southern states to secede from the union. Unfortunately, a civil war is ever closer on the horizon.

Several constitutional and political developments during this time also change the landscape drastically. The first was a President Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation speech in which he declared that all slaves within the Confederate states were considered free. The U.S. Army considered the slaves contraband of war. All slaves owned by the Confederate states were seized by the US Army and they were allowed to enlist to fight against the Confederacy. President Lincoln’s goal of Emancipation Proclamation eventually came to fruition with the passing of the 13th

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