THE END OF RECONSTRUCTION 13.4

VIOLENT REDEMPTION Reconstruction ended as it had began, in violence and controversy Democrats wanted southern states returned to white, conservative political control By 1875 Democrats had regained control in all but four southern states

VIOLENT REDEMPTION Democrats had learned that violence would win elections in areas where the numbers of whites and black were nearly equal The federal government had also become reluctant to send troops into the south to protect black citizens Violence became common in elections across the south and little by little the Democrats “redeemed” the southern states

THE SHOTGUN POLICY In 1875 white Mississippians, no longer fearful of federal intervention, declared open warfare on the black majority They declared that Democrats would carry the elections “peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must” A campaign of violence known as the Shotgun Policy was undertaken across the state

THE SHOTGUN POLICY 300 African American men were hunted down outside of Vicksburg after losing a “battle” with white men. 30 teachers, church leaders and Republican officials were killed in Clinton The federal government sent no help

THE HAMBURG MASSACRE A battle between the black S. Carolina militia and a white rifle club became known as the Hamburg Massacre The whites had demanded that the militia be disarmed A full on armed conflict resulted and when the militia ran low on ammo the white rifle club seized the armory they’d been defending

THE HAMBURG MASSACRE One white man was killed, twenty-nine black men were taken prisoner Five African Americans identified as the leaders of the militia were shot The 5 rifle companies invaded and wrecked the town of Hamburg

THE HAMBURG MASSACRE 7 white men were indicted for murder, but all were acquitted This incident encouraged further violence towards freedmen in the south Democrats attacked, beat and killed black people to prevent them from voting

BLACK REACTION In many parts of the south African Americans were afraid to vote, but in the low country they fought back A white man was killed in Charleston, S.C. in a racial fight Five white men were killed at a campaign rally south of Charleston

THE “COMPROMISE” OF 1877 Threats, violence, and bloodshed accompanied the election of 1876 The resulting numbers were unclear, the Democratic candidate Samuel Tilden had won the popular vote and led in the electoral votes but 20 electoral votes were in dispute Both parties claimed to have won Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina

THE “COMPROMISE” OF 1877 The Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was given the victory, but he conceded the state governments to the Democrats by removing all federal troops from the South Without protection from the federal government the intimidation by Democrats resulted in the collapse of Republican parties in these states The result was that the South was once again controlled by the white Southerners that had supported slavery Reconstruction had failed

ASSIGNMENT 1. How did Democrats seek to reestablish control over the south? 2. What was the “ Shotgun Policy”? Did it work? 3. Describe the federal governments response to the violence in the south? 4. Describe the events of the Hamburg Massacre? 5. Explain how the election of 1876 led to the end of Reconstruction. Why is Reconstruction considered a failure?