PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 1876 AND THE GREAT COMPROMISE OF 1877 HOW CONGRESS CAN INFLUENCE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

ARTICLE 2: EXECUTIVE BRANCH Congress role in election process When there is a vacancy in the presidency or a potential tie, which house decides on the president? When there is a vacancy in the vice presidency, which house decides on the vice president? Illustration of how this works.

BACKGROUND TO ELECTION OF 1876 Civil War Results President Lincoln Assassination Reconstruction President Johnson Impeachment President Grant’s Administration corruption with finances and railroads

CIVIL WAR After Civil War, federal troops occupied many areas in the South Republican controlled Reconstruction governments in many states South slow in rebuilding Rise of Ku Klux Klan in which thousands were violently killed, particularly newly freed African Americans Goals of Klan: Destroy Republican Party Throw out Reconstruction Governments Aid planter class Prevent African Americans from exercising their political rights

GRANT ADMINISTRATION Corruption and lack of confidence weakened Republican Party Scandal over finances, railroads Grant’s appointees to the cabinet were considered dishonest Vice president, private secretary and Secretary of War destroyed Republican unity Harder to impose Reconstruction Plans

PANIC Depression and dispute over currency Financiers wanted to get rid of paper money issued during the Civil War and back currency by gold Farmers and manufacturers wanted more paper money, cheaper and helped pay off debts Took until 1879 for economy to improve

DESIRE FOR UNITY Reconciliation Reconstruction was failing in many areas Violence escalated in South African Americans denied civil and political rights

Ending Reconstruction African Americans Unity of nation Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida still controlled by Republican Reconstruction Government South still economically deprived ELECTION CONCERNS

Both wanted to end Reconstruction Hayes was Civil War hero Middle of the road Republican Tilden Democrat Governor of New York Believed in Reform of Reconstruction policies RUTHERFORD HAYES AND SAMUEL TILDEN

Needed 185 Electoral Votes to win in 1876 Tilden had won the popular vote 4,300,000 Hayes 4,036,000 Outcome depended on Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida Republican Reconstruction governments ELECTION RESULTS

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION January 1877 Congress formed Electoral Commission 8 Republicans 7 Democrats Democrats accused Republicans of constantly reminding voters of Hayes’ Civil War experience “waving the bloody shirt” Commission came up with Compromise in order for Rutherford Hayes to become president

Northern Republicans promised Southern Democrats: one cabinet post Federal patronage Subsidiaries for improvements in South Withdrawal of Federal troops from Louisiana and South Carolina Southern Democrats supported Hayes as president COMPROMISE OF 1877

RESULTS OF ELECTION OF PRESIDENT RUTHERFORD B. HAYES Election brought unity of the nation after Civil War and Reconstruction Hayes’ strict enforcement of law, holding other officials responsible Selected cabinet based on experience and merit: one was an ex-Confederate and another was a liberal Hayes not interested in politics, planned to serve one term Supported rebuilding of South and removal of federal troops Wanted a new Republican Party to take hold in the south with support from businessmen and conservatives “Solid South” remained primarily Democratic until recent times

Hayes becomes president by winning electoral vote 185 to 184 Tilden accepted results Died 1886 with $6 million fortune $2 million given to start the New York City Public Library RESULT OF COMPROMISE OF 1877

RIGHTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS Hayes pledged rights of Negroes in South Supported restoration of honest local self- government Many laws put into place limiting civil and political rights of African Americans Rights of African Americans reminded unresolved Amendments 13, 14 and 15 stayed in the Constitution These amendments would be used for support in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s

ELECTION OF 2000 Republican Presidential nominee Governor George W. Bush (TX) VP nominee Senator Richard Cheney (WY)

ELECTION 2000 Democrat Presidential nominee Vice President Al Gore VP nominee Senator Joe Lieberman (CT)

With your partner answer the questions given to you Group Discussion after small group work GROUP ACTIVITY/EXIT SLIP: WORKSHEET PROJECT

RESOURCES Whitehouse.gov u.s.history.com