Reconstruction – South after the War  Many cities were destroyed.  Countryside had been devastated.  African Americans – now free

Property Loss  After – farms could only harvest half of what they did in  Many farms suffered neglect.  1/5 of the South’s population died in the war.  Plantations suffered from lack of work  Railroad lines were destroyed.

Challenges for African Americans  4 million A.A’s – had no money or education.  South’s economy – no jobs.  Plantations could not afford the work.  Needed a labor system that: 1. replace slavery 2. put people to work 3. make south productive again

How to treat the south  Needed to answer many legal and political questions.  What place would A.A’s have in politics in the south and north?  What was the status of the Confederate states?  Should the south be forgiven?

Wartime Reconstruction Era (1865 – 1877)  March 1865 – Freedmen’s Bureau  Provide help to many black and white southerners uprooted by the fighting  North disagreed on how the south should be treated.

Reconstruction Experiments  Union army would capture a plantation.  Would hire free A.A’s t work the plantation.  This way A.A.’s could make money and save to buy land.  Lincoln’s Loyalty Oath – signed contract to work for a year.  Planter would give housing, pay, and food.  Pay was low – A.A.’s could not leave the farm after contract was over.

Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan  1862 – military governors to rule parts of the south that were in union hands.  Offered forgiveness to all southerners who pledge loyalty to the Union  Support the Emancipation Proclamation  When 10% of state’s voters had taken oath a new state gov. would be put in place.  The new gov. would ban slavery  This procedure of recognize seceded states was called the Ten Percent Plan.

Opposition to Lincoln’s Plan  Congress debate – who will control Reconstruction  Admitting states to the Union was a Congress power.  Lincoln supporters – Confed left illegally – Congress does not have to admit them in.  Charles Sumner – south gave up their status as a state when they left.  They were conquered territories and congress would decide to their admission.

Opposition  Some thought 10% Plan was too easy  Allowing 10% of the people to form a new government violated nation principles.  Congress would not allow reps from states that Lincoln’s plan allowed in to take their seats.  Congress plans for reconstruction:  Wade-Davis Bill: majority of a state’s white male citizens to pledge loyalty before elections could be held.  Lincoln thought that his would make it tougher for the south and would make the south even more committed to the war.  Killed the bill with a pocket veto –prevent a bill passed in the last 10 days of a legislative session from becoming a law by ignoring it.

Lincoln’s Assassination  John Wilkes Booth – shot Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in  Wanted to kidnap the president and exchange him for prisoners.  Others wanted to kill Sec. of State and V.P. Andrew Johnson  This would create chaos in gov and help confed win the war.  Many southerners feared what would happen to them because of the death of Lincoln.  Andrew Johnson was a southerner that sided with the Union – now he’s president!

Johnson and Congress differ over reconstruction  Johnson was a Democrat – held no ill will towards the south.  He hated the wealthy planter class  Always supported states rights  He was not going to give Congress control over affairs of rebel states.

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan  Took office when Congress was not in session.  Important to have plan before they meet in Dec.  Restored rights of white southerners who took an oath of loyalty to the U.S.  Southerners that owned more than 20,000 dollars worth of land would have to apply for a pardon.  This would allow the punishment of the planter class directly to the president.  Did not set a percentage of loyal voters  Had to call a convention to repeal secession, amend the state constitution to ban slavery  And refuse to pay the debts of the Confed. gov

Concerns  Many Republicans were troubled by this plan.  No provisions for giving freedmen a role in the south’s gov.  Once a state was accepted could hold own elections.  Johnson told Congress in Dec. that every state had met his demands except TX and these states are back in the Union.  This would start a battle for control of Reconstruction.