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American democracy has a lineage of
written records that we can trace to show the development of our nation, and
how each document builds on those before it to make our foundation of freedom
stronger. In this video, documents conceived in the years when America was
trying to heal the wounds of the Civil War and prosper are examined. Educators from noted American universities
share their insights on:
Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868)
-- This second Fort Laramie Treaty
(the first was 1851) was made between the U. S. government and different
bands of the Sioux Indian Nation and the Arapahoes. The treaty assigned
them land and concessions from the government.
The Civil Rights Act of 1875
(1875) -- This act prohibited businesses that serve the public, such as
hotels and transportation facilities, from discriminating against
African-Americans. Southern Democrats opposed the act.
The Compromise of 1877 (1877)
-- In exchange for Democrats accepting Rutherford B. Hayes as president,
Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South.
Reconstruction governments, set up following the Civil War, weakened and
fell.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) -- Many Americans saw immigrants as a threat to employment because of
their willingness to work cheaply. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act,
which denied citizenship to the Chinese and prohibited immigration of Chinese
laborers.
Dawes General Allotment Act (1887) -- This act theoretically gave
Native American families 160 acres of land for farming. Many Indians,
however, were cheated out of their allotments.
The Interstate Commerce Act (1887) -- To protect farmers, this
act prohibited railroads from giving secret rebates, or refunds, to large
shippers and from charging more for short hauls than long hauls over the same
route. The act created the Interstate Commerce Commission.
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