The Reconstructed Nation Restoring the Union

Key Question What social, political, and economic changes occurred as the nation sought to rebuild after the Civil War?

13th Amendment - 1865 Abolished slavery in US

Plans of reconstruction Lincoln’s Plan Oaths of loyalty Pardons Recognize state governments New constitutions abolishing slavery Andrew Johnson’s Plan Follow Lincoln Met with opposition Radical Republicans Johnson too soft

“high crimes and misdemeanors”

Why did Congress impeach President Johnson? Violation of the Tenure of Office Act “Public considerations of high character constrain me to say that your resignation as Secretary of War will be accepted." 

14th Amendment - 1868 All native-born or naturalized people are citizens Forbade laws that “abridged privileges” “deprived life, liberty, or property without due process” “equal protection of the laws” Limited rights of former Confederate officers & government officials

“equal protection under the law”

Radical Reconstruction South ÷ 5 military districts Grant African American males right to vote Ratify 14th Amendment

Five Military Districts in South

State Governments Scalawags Carpetbaggers

Freedmen

President Ulysses S. Grant 1868 election Union war hero Scandal & corruption

William “Boss” Tweed Tammany Hall

15th Amendment - 1870 Voting for African American males

Solid South Strong Democratic base Increased power at national level Republican party strong in North & Midwest

Election of 1876 Democrats Samuel Tilden Won popular votes Republicans Rutherford B. Hayes Electoral votes contested

That’s right, Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes Sound familiar? Special commission to count votes Republican majority Who got the votes? That’s right, Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes

Compromise of 1877 Withdraw federal troops from South Name a southerner to cabinet Support federal spending to rebuild South

What affect would this Compromise have on political power? Weakened North Restored power to many in South

White Control Black Codes Secret Societies Poll Taxes Literacy Tests Grandfather Clauses Jim Crow Laws

Black Codes These laws imposed severe restrictions on freed slaves voting sit on juries testify against white men carry weapons in public places work in certain occupations.

Secret Societies

Poll Taxes “Do you know I've never voted in my life, never been able to exercise my right as a citizen because of the poll tax?” - Mr. Trout to interviewer from Federal Writer’s Project, 1936-1940

24th Amendment – 1964 elimination of poll taxes “…reaffirmed the simple but unbreakable theme of this Republic. Nothing is so valuable as liberty, and nothing is so necessary to liberty as the freedom to vote without bans or barriers…There can be no one too poor to vote.” - President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964

Literacy Tests Proof of ability to read & write Disenfranchisement – deprive of right and/or privilege How could this be effective to disenfranchise former slaves?

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Eliminated literacy tests

Grandfather Clauses Son or grandson of man eligible to vote in 1866 or 1867 without paying poll tax or passing literacy test Who did this exclude? How? Declared unconstitutional in 1915 – Why?

Jim Crow

Supreme Court Civil Rights Cases Plessy v. Ferguson 13th Amendment abolished slavery but did not prohibit discrimination 14th Amendment prohibited discrimination by government but not individuals Plessy v. Ferguson Segregation is legal – “equal but separate”

Plessy overturned Brown v. Board

African American Booker T. Washington Put political ambition aside Economic security through vocational skills W.E.B. Du Bois Demand social & political equality Advanced liberal arts education