Answer: The Reconstruction Acts, passed by the U.S. Congress in July 1867, aimed to rebuild and reorganize the Southern states that had seceded from the Union during the Civil War. The Acts accomplished several things:
- Divided the Southern states into five military districts: The Acts divided the former Confederacy into five military districts, each under the command of a Union general. The districts were created to enforce law and order, protect the civil rights of African Americans, and oversee the registration of voters.
- Required states to ratify the 14th Amendment: The Acts required Southern states to ratify the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to African Americans.
- Required new state constitutions: The Acts required Southern states to create new state constitutions that provided for universal male suffrage, regardless of race or color.
- Required voter registration: The Acts required Southern states to register all eligible voters, including African Americans, and to hold elections for new state governments.
- Increased federal authority in the South: The Acts increased federal authority in the South by granting the military commanders in each district the power to remove public officials who were deemed disloyal to the Union or who obstructed Reconstruction efforts.
Overall, the Reconstruction Acts aimed to promote the rights and interests of African Americans and to rebuild the Southern states in a way that would prevent the re-establishment of the Confederacy and protect the Union.