Humpty Dumpty Reconstruction

Introduction:

The Reconstruction Era in America's history is an important time because the nation was trying to put itself back together after the tragic and devastating Civil War. Families had been ripped apart as they fought for different views and rights. The Confederate States that had seceded needed to be brought back into the United States. To prevent future secessions, the rebel states needed to have a consequence. Heated debates of the time were over how severe should the consequences be for the "Rebel" States. Cities and farmland, especially in the South, had been completely destroyed. The casualties from this war were greater than all of America's other wars combined. Four million former slaves were now proclaimed to be free. Hard feelings, distrust, and hatred were the dominant emotions of the time. In the nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty, we hear that he had a great fall. This can be equated to America's Civil War. We are also told that "all the king's men could not put Humpty Dumpty back together again." This is pretty much what happened with Reconstruction as you soon discover in this lesson.