Helpful response

Write a 250 words response to the student, make sure to include all these in the response. How you agree with them and explain why by adding more details. Your view of the articles and refer to the students writing. State your positive opinion based on the articles.

Brandon Hughey

February 16 2017

History 109

The Ku Klux Klan and The Buffalo Harvest by Frank H. Mayer both played an important role in the process of Reconstruction. The Ku Klux Klan or the KKK was founded in 1866 and was an organization designed to combat white and black republican leaders. The KKK wished to reverse radical reconstruction in order to regain white supremacy. The Buffalo Harvest was written by Frank H. Mayer and tells a story of a 22 year old man who hunts buffalos for a living. But is symbolic in that should the buffalo be killed or should they live. This story has a strong symbolic meaning that is relatable to the Ku Klux Klan and could strongly relate to the influence of reconstruction.

The Ku Klux Klan played an important role in the failure of reconstruction of the United States because it shows how white southerners of The United States once used a terrorist organization to establish white supremacy. Through the use of lynching and torture they manipulated others to reach their goal. This Terrorist organization shows how reconstruction needed to be taken a step further. Although Congress could enact laws that could confront the Ku Klux Klan such as the Enforcement Act of 1871 it would not stop what they believed in as a whole. So through the passment of these acts the Ku Klux Klan helped further reconstruction in a sense. Although the African American community was freed from slavery and had their reconstruction amendments, they were still under the influence of a white America. The Civil Rights Act passed in 1875 allowed for any person no matter of race or color access to public accommodations. This was a big step in the freedom of African Americans and towards a successful reconstruction.

The Buffalo Harvest by Frank H. Mayer tells of a young man who hunted buffalos for a living. He could sell buffalo hides for up to three dollars a buffalo hide, and on some good hunting days hiscrew and him could catch up to 198 hides. Although Frank was making great money hunting buffalos he was also defying what indians believed in and killed hundreds to thousand of sacred animals for their hide. This story is similar to that of the Ku Klux Klan in that people would kill others for what they believed in. The Indians are symbolic of the african american community in that they fight for what they believe in, and Frank and his hunting crew are symbolic of the KKK. Frank was lucky to have the odds on his side when hunting for buffalo. They had better weapons than the indians and the government was backing them up. Although the government was backing them up it did not mean what they were doing was right.