Chapter 2, Lesson 4 The End of Slavery Mr. Julian’s 5th Grade Class

Essential Question What were some of the challenges the country faced in the years following the Civil War?

Places Washington, D.C.

People Andrew Johnson Hiram R. Revels Blanche K. Bruce

Vocabulary Assassination Reconstruction Thirteenth Amendment Black codes Freedman’s Bureau Fourteenth Amendment Fifteenth Amendment

Vocabulary Impeachment Jim Crow laws Segregation sharecropping

A New President After being shot, President Lincoln died the next morning April 15, 1865 in Washington, D.C. He was assassinated by a southerner, John Wilkes Booth. Vice President Andrew Johnson became the president.

A New President President Johnson tried to carry out Lincoln's plan of Reconstruction. One of the first steps was to end slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment, which took place on December 18, 1865.

A New President Johnson made a plan for the southern states to return to the Union. By the end of 1865, Johnson felt reconstruction was over. His plan allowed Black Codes which denied African Americans many rights and freedoms.

A New President Many in congress were unhappy with Johnson’s plan and they felt he went to easy on the south. Congress developed their own plan of reconstruction.

Reconstruction Under Congress Congress sent troops into the South to establish order and to enforce laws. Southern states, in order to return to the Union, had to write new state constitutions giving African American men the right to vote.

Reconstruction Under Congress The Freedman’s Bureau was established to help the 4 million former slaves. They built hospitals and schools for blacks and hired both black and whites as teachers. African Americans like Hiram R. Revels and Blanche K. Bruce were elected to Congress.

Reconstruction Under Congress Southerners resented the new laws passed by Congress. Many were angered by Northerners moving to the south opening businesses. They were called carpetbaggers because they often carried their belongings in rolled-up pieces of carpet.

Reconstruction Under Congress Leaders also raised taxes to build roads and schools. Many could not pay these high taxes and were forced to sell their homes and farms. Southerners were also very upset at the rights that African Americans were gaining.

Reconstruction Under Congress Some Southerners formed the Ku Klux Klan or KKK, to restore white control over African American lives.

New Amendments Before being allowed back into the Union states had to pass the Fourteenth Amendment which gave citizenship to everyone born in this county and pass the Fifteenth Amendment which gave the right to vote to all men.

New Amendments Sojourner Truth pointed out that women had as much right to vote as men but the amendment did not allow women that right. President Johnson was against both the 14th and 15th amendments. Congress tried to impeach Johnson for his actions.

Reconstruction Ends The Union was back together again! Laws were passed giving rights to African Americans and Congress’ plan had been accomplished. Reconstruction ended when the last Union troops left the South in 1877.

Reconstruction Ends After reconstruction, white Southern Democrats took back control in the state governments. They made laws which restricted rights given to African Americans.

Reconstruction Ends Jim Crow laws were passed. These laws allowed for segregation or a separation of blacks and whites. Many African Americans had no jobs and no one was willing to hire them. Needing a job many returned to the plantations looking for work.

Reconstruction Ends Many became trapped in a system called sharecropping. Sharecroppers rented land from the land owner and then repaid the rent when the crops were brought to market. Typically, the rent was more than the crops value trapping these families into working to pay off their debt.

Timeline April 1865 – President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. December 1865 – The Thirteenth Amendment was adopted, abolishing slavery in the United States. March 1867 – Congress passed the first Reconstruction Act, sending military forces to the former Confederate States.

Review Question What were some of the challenges the country faced in the years following the Civil War?