EOTO and Mock Trial Reflection

During these presentations through the Plessy v. Ferguson Mock Trial and the EOTO, I learned quite a bit about different topics from the Reconstruction Era. The Reconstruction Era is categorized as the period that took place right after the Civil War. A variety of legislation was in the process of being put into place, including the abolishment of slavery, so this was a very monumental period in time.

A topic that stood out to me specifically was the Civil Rights Act of 1866. This was the first federal law defining citizenship and affirming all citizens they are equally protected. At the time, the focus was primarily on African Americans who were coming free from enslavement to be entitled to citizenship thereafter. It helped further guarantee economic rights to all citizens, saying they could sue, inherit, purchase, sell, or own property. Further, the Civil Rights Case of 1875 helped to seal that by protecting all citizens and their legal rights, regardless of race. It also led to equal accommodations and equal access to public places, something that had been fought for for quite some time.

Much clarity and insight was provided about some legislation being put into place at the time. This included, but was not limited to, the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. In 1895, the 13th amendment was ratified and enacted the abolishment of slavery. It was the first true amendment passed within the Reconstruction Era. The 14th amendment, which was ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all United States citizens, including African Americans which was paramount for this time. Shortly after, in 1870, the 15th amendment was ratified, granting voting rights to African American men.

All of the presentations proved to be very informative, but these were just some of the major takeaways I had. The Reconstruction Era, post Civil War, was extremely important in our nation's history. It is evident that it created a channel for many of the nation’s people and promoted equality. Though there was still some work to do, this period was a strong catalyst towards a united nation.