The Black Codes
American Imperialism Activity
Define
The Black Codes were laws that were designed to restrict the freedoms of African American. The Black Codes would try to limit African Americans to working in a labor based economy with low pay.
Detail
- Cause: The were many reasons why the Black Codes came about. One of the main reasons was that white farmers encountered a labor shortage after the war, and so they needed to try and keep the freed slaves from working in other areas other than farming. So basically the Black Codes were created to keep the freed slaves in an almost slave environment.
- Characteristic: Republicans passed the Civil Rights Act (1866) in order to protect freed slaves from the Black Codes, but then KKK undermined the working of this act.
- Significance: This was one of the most Racist acts that America has done like Slavery and segregation. Today we learn from our mistakes and try to no repeat mistakes that we did in the past like the Black Codes.