Freedman’s Bureau and Sharecropping

    The Freedman’s Bureau was an organization formed by radical Republicans that wanted a change in society- that change being no slavery. The Republicans knew however that slaves would need strong rights with little to no loopholes if freedom was going to happen. Enter the Freedman’s Bureau, an association that would protect these rights. The name was perfectly fitting of course, FREED MAN.  Missionaries who where a part of this group started their own black schools with northern school teachers. Other things that started were black colleges (some are still around today), and black church congregations. This is important because during slavery, blacks could not go to church without a white man present. The slave masters worried that slaves would schedule a rebellion at church because that was an easy place to meet and everyone would be there. It was kind of like school in the sense that you always have to have a teacher or adult present. White men would also assign the lessons the preacher would preach. They usually revolved around obedience. This was because masters thought that a lesson about following the rules would rub off on the slaves (making them follow the rules and not rebel against the white people). 

    While the idea of equality for blacks was growing in cities and government, many African Americans where still out at farms. A plethora of those people were sharecroppers. Sharecroppers were farmers that didn’t make too much of a profit, and lived on a farm not owned by them. Sharecroppers often paid rent with half of the crop they grew (the other half was taken home with them). They didn’t have many belongings at home, and didn’t live in very nice houses because they didn’t have many chances to earn money.

*Typical Sharecropper’s house*

*A Sharecropper*

*Freedmen’s School*

Sources

*http://www.glogster.com/danceginadance/sharecroppers-in-reconstruction/g-6lf4vmnl4rip851vqh87na0 
*http://therearenosunglasses.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/ 
*http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-civilwar/4439