RECONSTRUCTION AND TRANSITION CHAPTER 6 RECONSTRUCTION AND TRANSITION

AFTER THE WAR *THE CIVIL WAR ENDED IN 1865. *MISSISSIPPI WAS IN EXTREME POVERTY. MANY FORMER SLAVES COULD NOT FIND WORK… THERE WAS MUCH TENSION BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES!

RECONSTRUCTION *Reconstruction - THIS WAS AN EFFORT TO REDRAW THE UNITED STATES AFTER THE WAR.

THE ELECTION OF 1865 *MOST PEOPLE DID NOT THINK BLACKS AND WHITES SHOULD HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS. *A MAJOR ISSUE WAS WHAT RIGHTS BLACK PEOPLE WOULD HAVE. *WHEN THE LEGISLATION MET THEY PUT HARSH RESTRICTIONS ON BLACK PEOPLE. DO “IT’S YOUR TURN” ON PAGE 138 ANSWERS ONLY

BLACK CODES *Legislators passed 4 acts that became known as the Black Codes. (The codes placed harsh economic and social restrictions on blacks). READ PAGES 137-138.

14TH Amendment to the United States Constitution The Fourteenth Amendment was submitted to the states for ratification in the summer of *1866.* *The 14th Amendment made blacks full citizens of the US and of the states in which they lived. The amendment forbade states from depriving any person – black or white – of life, liberty, or property without due process. The law also gave the power to pardon former Confederate officials to Congress and voided the Confederate war debt.

Congressional reconstruction *THE RECONSTRUCTION ACT OF 1867 DIVIDED THE SOUTH INTO 5 MILITARY DISTRICTS. *THIS ACT GAVE EVERY ADULT MALE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

The constitution of 1868 MET IN *JACKSON* OF THE 100 DELEGATES THAT MET, 17 OF THEM WERE BLACK. *ALLOWED FREE SCHOOL FOR ALL CHILDREN BETWEEN 6-18 *FOBADE DISCRIMINATION IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THIS CONSTITUTION WAS EVENTUALLY VOTED DOWN BECAUSE THE KLU KLUX KLAN USED VIOLENCE TO INTIMIDATE PEOPLE FROM VOTING FOR IT. THIS CONSTITUTION WAS FINALLY APPROVED IN 1869.

BLACK POLITICAL POWER *BENJAMIN T. MONTGOMERY WAS THE FIRST BLACK POLITICAL FIGURE IN MS. (JUSTICE OF THE PEACE) *ROBERT H. WOOD WAS THE FIRST BLACK MAYOR OF NATCHEZ AND THE FIRST BLACK MAYOR EVER ELECTED IN AMERICA.

EDUCATION IN 1870 THE LEGISLATURE PROVIDE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN EACH COUNTY. THERE WAS A STATE SUPERINTENDENT AND ONE FOR EACH COUNTY. (IT IS STILL THIS WAY TODAY) IN 1871, THE STATE ESTABLISHED ALCORN STATE FOR BLACKS. ALSO IN 1871, MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY WAS CREATED.