S8 Ep1089: Robert Cwiklik, guest author, explains that following the 1866 massacres, Congress passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867, imposin

The John Batchelor Show · Jul 5, 2026 · 13m

Robert Cwiklik, guest author, explains that following the 1866 massacres, Congress passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867, imposing military rule and requiring new state constitutions that enfranchised Black men. This era saw the rise of "carpetbaggers"—Northern Republicans who moved south and were elected by newly empowered Black voters—and the implementation of progressive policies like public education. Despite these gains, tensions escalated as white Southerners resented the resulting higher land taxes and political displacement. Ulysses S. Grant emerged as a unifying Republicanfigure, but…