AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Negative Political Reconstruction (Day 153/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about Negative Political Reconstruction as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

“This is a White Man’s Government,” Britannica

As Reconstruction wore on, pushback to civil rights gains for African Americans was realized as Southern white Democrats ascended to power.

Amnesty Oath, The Portal to Texas History

The Amnesty Act, passed by Congress in 1872, removed the final restrictions on ex-Confederates and allowed for Democrats to retake control of Southern governments.

“Compromise with the South,” Smithsonian

These Southern white Democrats became known as the “Redeemers” as they tried to “redeem” the South from the policies enacted by Radical Republicans and reestablish white supremacy. They sought to reverse the civil rights gains of African Americans.

Texas Black Codes, Texas State Historical Association

Many states enacted Black Codes to restrict the rights and freedoms of newly emancipated African Americans. These laws regulated labor, social interactions, and African American civil liberties to ensure the continuation of a pre-war racial hierarchy.

Despite several positive legislative acts during Reconstruction, over time former Confederates and Southern white Democrats regained political control and restricted civil rights for African Americans.

Join me tomorrow as I explain White Supremacy and the Ku Klux Klan in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!