Reconstruction

Main Idea: *Reconstruction was the period of time following the Civil War from 1865 to 1877. *Reconstruction tried to give meaning to the freedom that former slaves had gained. *Reconstruction policies were harsh and created problems in the South.

There were three major goals of Reconstruction. A. The former Confederate states had to be brought back into the Union. The southern states left the Union and formed their own government. To re-enter the Union, southern states had to throw out the new governments they created at the beginning of the Civil War. They had to rewrite their state constitutions to give African Americans citizenship, and African American men the right to vote.

I. There were three major goals of Reconstruction. B I. There were three major goals of Reconstruction. B. The freedmen (freed slaves) needed protection and help. Slaves were free, but what now? Many freed slaves had little or no money and were not educated (it was against the law in many southern states to teach slaves to read or write). Where would they go? What would they do for work? Although former slaves were overjoyed to gain their freedom, they still needed help. Several groups that did not want African Americans to gain rights began using threats and violence in an attempt to control freed slaves. African Americans needed protection from these groups.

I. There were three major goals of Reconstruction. C I. There were three major goals of Reconstruction. C. Damaged cities, farms and factories of the South had to be rebuilt. Most of the fighting during the Civil War took place in the southern states. The fighting damaged cities, farms and factories. The South needed help rebuilding.

II. Several leaders emerged to help lead America through Reconstruction. A. President Abraham Lincoln wanted reconciliation (forgiveness), not punishment, of the South. 1. Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, leaving Vice President Andrew Johnson as President. Lincoln realized that punishing the South would not achieve anything. Forgiveness needed to take place so the country could heal.

II. Several leaders emerged to help lead America through Reconstruction. B. Robert E. Lee urged the South to reconcile and reunite as Americans. Robert E. Lee was a brilliant southern General during the Civil War. He was admired by northerners and southerners for his success on the battle field, but even more so for his honor and integrity. Some southerners did not believe the South should surrender. Lee convinced many that the fighting must stop and peaceful relationships must be rebuilt. Following the war he became the President of Washington College, which later became Washington and Lee, in his honor.

II. Several leaders emerged to help lead America through Reconstruction. C. Frederick Douglass fought for civil rights, such as voting rights for African Americans. Douglass escaped slavery and became a gifted writer and speaker that fought for civil rights. He traveled the country giving speeches and writing articles that would inspire many to follow him in his quest for equal treatment of all human beings.

III. Some Reconstruction policies were helpful, others were harsh and created problems. A. Freedmen’s Bureau – government agency set up to help freed slaves. The Freedmen’s Bureau was established to help former slaves start new lives. The organization provided clothing, food, shelter and education.

III. Some Reconstruction policies were helpful, others were harsh and created problems. B. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 authorized the use of federal troops to enforce equal rights for former slaves. The government realized that some areas in the South were trying to limit or prevent, African Americans from enjoying the rights given by the federal government. In response, the government sent federal soldiers to the South to supervise and enforce the laws, and try to ensure African Americans could enjoy their new freedoms.

III. Some Reconstruction policies were helpful, others were harsh and created problems. C. Federal troops (northern soldiers) were sent in to control and supervise the South. Although African Americans gained new rights, some in the South tried to prevent these new laws from being successful. Imagine you are asked by your teacher to spit out your gum because it is against school rules to chew gum. You do, and that is the end of it. No big deal right? You may think, “if that is the only punishment I will keep trying to chew gum.” Now imagine you are caught chewing gum in class, and dozens of soldiers come running into class with weapons ready, yelling “spit out the gum!” I bet you and your classmates would be less likely to chew gum in the future following the soldier example! The soldiers helped ensure people in the South followed the new laws.

III. Some Reconstruction policies were helpful, others were harsh and created problems. D. African Americans in the South could be elected to public office.

III. Some Reconstruction policies were helpful, others were harsh and created problems. E. Former Confederate military leaders could not hold public office. Public Office

III. Some Reconstruction policies were helpful, others were harsh and created problems. F. Carpetbaggers – northerners who came to the South to take advantage of the conditions. Carpetbaggers (the name comes from the fact that several carried bags made of carpeting) were people from the North that traveled to the South to profit from the poor economic conditions of the area. They opened businesses and bought land at cheap prices. Southerners resented the carpetbaggers for taking advantage of the South during this difficult time.

IV. Reconstruction Amendments were added to the Constitution, giving African Americans more rights. A. The 13th Amendment ended slavery in the U.S. and its territories.

IV. Reconstruction Amendments were added to the Constitution, giving African Americans more rights. B. The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to all persons born in the United States and equal protection of the law to all citizens.

IV. Reconstruction Amendments were added to the Constitution, giving African Americans more rights. C. The 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote.

V. Reconstruction officially ended with the removal of federal troops in 1877. A. The removal of federal troops left African Americans without protection for their rights. Most whites in the South were happy to see the federal troops leave. African Americans, however, were not so happy.

V. Reconstruction officially ended with the removal of federal troops in 1877. B. Hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan used violence and discrimination to influence African Americans. In many cases, hate groups would threaten or carry out acts of violence against African Americans to deter them from taking advantage of their new rights.

VI. Following Reconstruction segregation and Jim Crow laws became common in the South. A. Jim Crow laws were state or community laws that required segregated railroad cars, school, etc. 1. This led to unequal opportunities in housing, work, education, and government.

VI. Following Reconstruction segregation and Jim Crow laws became common in the South. B. Plessy v. Ferguson – a Supreme Court case in 1896 that established “separate but equal”. The court ruled it was okay to separate people based on race, as long as both groups had access to equal facilities. In most cases however, African Americans did not have access to facilities equal to what whites had.