The first victory for the Radicals was the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1866. One of the main obstacles the Radicals came across was the opposition by Andrew Jackson. Jackson immediately vetoed the Civil Rights Act as soon as he could. But the Radicals held most of the power in Congress and

Along with the South, Andrew Johnson resented the actions of the Radicals. In response to the newly passed Tenure of Office Act passed in 1867 (which required Senate approval for the removal of a government official), Johnson fired Edwin Stanton (a friend of the Radicals) without Senate’s approval. The showdown between Johnson and the Radicals heated up. Led by Stevens and Sumner, Johnson was the first president to be impeached. Johnson was tried for "high crimes and misdemeanors." Johnson was one vote from being removed from office when the Senate voted.

The Radical Reconstruction led to many changes in the South and equality for Blacks. This was probably the most significant time period for Blacks and their struggles for equality. These were the first steps toward equality and would eventually lead to the civil rights movement later in history. This was a very important period in history and has made the U.S. what it is today.

Because Blacks were the majority of the South, Whites feared they were going to take over the political system in the South. Many Southern Whites who felt threatened, turned to illegal means stop Blacks from getting equality. Violence against Blacks became more and more popular. Led by the Ku Klux Klan and other organizations, Whites killed and beat Blacks throughout the South. The KKK even would wait by voting booths and beat Blacks if they did not vote the way they wanted the Blacks to. This led to the passage of the Enforcement Act in 1870. This Act severely punished those who attempted to take away the rights of black freedmen.

In 1870 another Civil Rights

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