The Reconstruction Era Freedmen in the South Carolina Sea Islands

13 th Amendment While Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation officially freed the slaves in the South this amendment officially ended Slavery in the United States.

Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan -Reunite Union quickly -Southern state could form a new government after 10 % of its voters swore loyalty to U.S. -States also had to abolish slavery -Many in Congress didn’t like Lincoln’s plan & wanted a stricter form of Reconstruction

Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865 Andrew Johnson became President John Wilkes Booth

Reconstruction Plan of Andrew Johnson In each southern state, a majority of voters must swear loyalty to the U.S. Each state must approve the 13 th Amendment Then each state could rejoin the Union Andrew Johnson, Vice President & President

Radical Reconstruction Radical Republicans in Congress decide to take over Reconstruction – They wanted to break the power of the southern planters and to make sure African Americans had the right to vote.

Radical Reconstruction (continued) 14 th Amendment, 1868 – All people born in the U.S. are citizens. No state may take away rights of citizens. 15 th Amendment, 1870 – The right to vote cannot be denied to citizens because of their race or color or because they were once enslaved. Radical Republicans eventually impeach Johnson.

Freedmen’s Bureau The Freedmen’s Bureau was created to help former slaves with becoming educated. finding employment. Housing, food, and clothing.

Election of 1876 Rutherford B. Hayes became president in 1877, in part by making a secret agreement with politician in the South to end Reconstruction if they helped him get elected

Changes in the South Southern Republicans (scalawags), whites from the North (carpetbaggers), & freed African Americans played important roles in southern governments. Landless black and white sharecroppers became locked in a cycle of poverty. – Sharecroppers: person who farms land owned by another in exchange for a share of the crops

Writing Prompts In your own words, what was the Reconstruction Era? What was being “reconstructed?” What were the different plans? What where the problems that the country was facing? How did reconstruction change the country?