Expansion Of Government Power :: essays research papers

Expansion of Goern handst Power During the Civil War and reconstructionContrary to what I believed in the past, the United States federal administration bear and expanded their power and authority during the years of the Civil war on with the period of Reconstruction. Through affiances and monitored elections, they exercised this power during the Civil War. Then, as Reconstruction began, they initiated other methods of increasing their authority over the citizens. Military was placed in gray states, by the federal government, in rear to keep control over the rebellious people. Not only that, but, the idea of putting the federal government in charge of Reconstruction and rebuilding an sinless nation gave them an frightful amount of power. Finally, the creation of the 14th and 15th Amendment were two more salient achievements on the part of the government. In the month of April of 1862, the government issued the first draft of the Civil War. Throughout the war, they put ou t drafts because so many men were needed to fight. Citizens were expected to obey these orders, and as the war progressed, it was harder and harder for men to avert fighting for their country. Towards the end, the government began forcing almost every able man to enlist in the army. Men of ages 17-50 were drafted in the South (20-45 in the North) bodies were needed. And the government make sure that they got what they needed. Along with drafts, the federal government also monitored elections in order to control who the people were voting for. Ballots only contained advisedidates which were appropriate according to the government, and sundry(a) colored slips were associated with the different nominees. Everyone could see what color slip everyone else was property, and people holding slips that they werent supposed to were later caught and punished. The power of the federal government can also be seen during Lincolns presidency at the prison term of the Civil War. He swayed the en tire purpose of the war to something far by from what had been the initial purpose. From fighting for the preservation of the Union, Northerners readily began to accept that the abolition of thralldom was the cause of the war for them, not the Union. Lincoln and his power made this happen.As Reconstruction began, our government was given the full responsibility of rebuilding and revising many areas of our nation. That is some incredibly power having the authority to change an entire country to what they thought was correct.