Thomas Baron
-Were put in place during 1870 – 1875.
What: During the reconstruction period the argument of whether or not black people should have equal rights was hotly debated across America. The Ku Klux Klan was a radical white supremacist group that terrorized blacks during their fight for equal rights. The Force Acts were also known as the Ku Klux Klan Acts. They were a series of four acts passed by the Republican Reconstruction party that enforced the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, gave federal protection for black suffrage, and allowed for the use of the army against the Ku Klux Klan. Also, the acts gave the federal authorities permission to penalize anyone interfering with black’s voting registration, office holding, or jury duty. The Force Acts called for the elections to have federal supervisors to make sure that the black’s voting rights were being met.
Significance: The Force Acts took a terrible toll on the Ku Klux Klan. Since Klan members broke the Force Acts most often, they were the ones that had to feel the wrath of the Federal Government. The Force Acts put a significant dent in the Klan’s attempts to stunt black equality. Also, the Force Acts gave America’s black population a new opportunity to express their opinions, and to become more of an essential piece of American politics. The black population now did not have to live in as much fear of the Ku Klux Klan. The Force Acts ended any hopes for the south to return to their ways of slavery. Nine South Carolina counties were placed on martial law. There were 5,000 indictments, and 1,250 convictions given in the South. However, the acts were so harsh that the Supreme Court eventually decided to declare the acts unconstitutional.
Force Acts Primary Source: http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/254580?terms=force+acts+1870
Force Acts Secondary Sources: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/213111/Force-Acts http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=40886
(Used in ID)
Also used textbook.
FORCE ACTS 1870
Thomas Baron-Were put in place during 1870 – 1875.
What: During the reconstruction period the argument of whether or not black people should have equal rights was hotly debated across America. The Ku Klux Klan was a radical white supremacist group that terrorized blacks during their fight for equal rights. The Force Acts were also known as the Ku Klux Klan Acts. They were a series of four acts passed by the Republican Reconstruction party that enforced the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, gave federal protection for black suffrage, and allowed for the use of the army against the Ku Klux Klan. Also, the acts gave the federal authorities permission to penalize anyone interfering with black’s voting registration, office holding, or jury duty. The Force Acts called for the elections to have federal supervisors to make sure that the black’s voting rights were being met.
Significance: The Force Acts took a terrible toll on the Ku Klux Klan. Since Klan members broke the Force Acts most often, they were the ones that had to feel the wrath of the Federal Government. The Force Acts put a significant dent in the Klan’s attempts to stunt black equality. Also, the Force Acts gave America’s black population a new opportunity to express their opinions, and to become more of an essential piece of American politics. The black population now did not have to live in as much fear of the Ku Klux Klan. The Force Acts ended any hopes for the south to return to their ways of slavery. Nine South Carolina counties were placed on martial law. There were 5,000 indictments, and 1,250 convictions given in the South. However, the acts were so harsh that the Supreme Court eventually decided to declare the acts unconstitutional.
Force Acts Primary Source:
http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/254580?terms=force+acts+1870
Force Acts Secondary Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/213111/Force-Acts
http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=40886
(Used in ID)
Also used textbook.