The radical reconstruction were further steps after the conclusion of the civil war to attain true equality for African Americans. Radical reconstruction was a lobby by the radical republicans who insisted that, like the whites, African Americans be entitled to the same rights and opportunities. The main forces behind the reconstruction included revenge, the transition of the freedmen, and political demands; making it a radical process.
There was a burning desire among radical republicans to punish the south for cultivating the civil war. After the sweeping elections of 1866, radicals, who gained almost complete control over policymaking, were on a revenge mission (Randall & Donald, 2016). By actively supporting and promoting the idea of ending slavery, they viewed the Southerners as pro-slavery and a crusade in support of the institution of slavery. Through their dedicated efforts, they managed to harshly treat the South by passing a series of Reconstruction Acts.
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The concern for the freedmen was a significant factor behind radical reconstruction. According to Randall and Donald (2016), prominent radicals like Wade, Butler, Greeley, Douglass, and more believed the government was responsible for transitioning the lives of freedmen to freedom. For them, freeing slavery was not enough: They demanded that the ex-slaves be entitled to citizenship. Additionally, a primary political concern of the reconstruction was to have the Republican Party as a ruling political entity throughout the United States.
The radical reconstruction was, as the name suggests, radical on multiple levels evidenced by its many achievements. Among its achievements include the ratification of the 13 th Amendment, passing of reconstruction acts, and impeachment of Andrew Johnson and the subsequent trial among others: It was a necessary effort to making the United States a better place for African Americans.
References
Randall, J. G., & Donald, D. (2016). The civil war and reconstruction . Pickle Partners Publishing.
