As the century approaches its end, and advancing to the twentieth century takes place, reflection of the most important issues within American society that were solved since the end of the Civil War are vital to be made available for the public. Additionally, the most important issues remaining unsolved since said event, is a critical part of being able to even publish the news. The topic of solved issues since involves things like the Reconstruction Amendments, this adding the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, ultimately dealing with the issues of slaves, and their quality of life after the Civil War. Also, it’s key to include the reconstruction and reuniting of the North and South. Issues unsolved, and some continuing to be dealt with like Women’s Rights, or more appropriate to the current times, Women’s Suffrage.
Solved issues like amending the Constitution with the Reconstruction Amendments, meant ridding of slavery, banning involuntary servitude. The only exception to this is in the form of punishment for crime. This came in the form of the thirteenth Amendment in 1865. Next, the inclusion of the fourteenth amendment in 1868 added into the Constitution the definition of a citizen, being anyone born in the United States. This Amendment can be explained better through the example of the Dred Scott V. Sandford Case in 1857, where our Supreme Court ruled that African American’s were ineligible for citizenship, ultimately overturning this ruling. On a side note, this amendment also ensured any debt from the Civil be the responsibility of the then South. The final Amendment of the Reconstruction Amendments is the fifteenth. This amendment detailed specifically that the United Sates Government was prohibited from denying United States citizens the right to vote based on race, color, or past servitude. The fifteenth being introduced in 1870, would altogether make up the Reconstruction Amendments that were added to the Constitution to ensure equality for at the time the recently emancipated slaves. Also, during this period of time, the reinstating and reuniting, or in other words, Reconstruction itself during 1865 through 1877 of the south. Doing so with the north, coming together as one United States, the readmitting of the southern states into the Union. Following President Lincolns assassination in 1865, Johnson gave the south a clear path for readmission into the Union, also pardoning many southern officials, in turn reinstating citizenship. The physical rebuilding took place in the South, and manufacturing was finally a booming industry for parts of the south. Paired with issues on the freed slaves and the Reconstruction Amendments, in the long run involving how to integrate these emancipated slaves, mixed with changing laws was textbook example of solved issues since the Civil War.
One of the most important unsolved issues within our American society post-Civil War, is a continued battle to this day, which is Women’s Rights, or better termed, Women’s Suffrage. While the Reconstruction Amendments were planned to be passed, women were fighting their fights for rights, alongside the rights of African Americans. Up until even after the Reconstruction Amendments, only white men had the right to vote. Based on this, women had high hopes in the Reconstruction Amendments including a sixteenth amendment for women’s rights. This Amendment remained out of those, and this long-term battle remained. The American Equal Rights Association questioned support of the fifteenth Amendment, meanwhile women’s suffrage had been avoided entirely. Throughout this time, and continued to the current year of 1899, there has been many establish women’s rights associations, including the National Women Suffrage Association (NWSA), founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1869. Additionally, Susan B. Anthony following this event had casted a ballot for Ulysses S. Grant, which initially lead to her own, and other women’s arrest for voting. In 1878, Congress is presented with a Women Suffrage Amendment, and in 1887 the first vote is taken in the Senate and defeated.
In all, the conclusion of both these solved and unsolved issues in American Society, also being amongst some of the most important, only touch upon what has happened inside this nation the last century. As descriptive and detailed as possible, this published article can only tell so much of the nation’s change, and eventually tell of what may arrive in the future.
