This all started when Abraham Lincoln became the 16th President of the United States. Slavery had already been going on, and Lincoln wanted it to end. He thought slavery was not right.

President Lincoln started on a reconstruction plan to reunite the North and the South. His plan took away slavery in the South with the 13th amendment. The 13th amendment freed all slaves. His plan also had the South swear an oath of allegiance to the North.

We're Free!!!

After the 13th amendment was passes the Freedman's Bureau was put in place to help the former slaves and the poor white men with the aftermath of the Civil War.

Andrew Johnson had other plans. Johnson became president after Lincoln's assassination. He had opposing views with Lincoln and he did not want to get rid of slavery in the South.

The Black Codes happened after the 13th amendment was put in place. They limited the rights of the African Americans in the South and forced them to work for low wages. The North was against the Black Codes, but President Andrew Johnson didn't do anything about them.