Reconstruction in Texas RECONSTRUCTION IN TEXAS

The Civil War ended but what’s next? Since the Confederacy lost the war, much of the South was destroyed, and money was hard to come by. African Americans were free, but many were without food or shelter. Tensions and differences between many Northerners and Southerners continued after the war.

Reconstruction was a period immediately after the Civil War of rebuilding the Southern states gradually bringing them back into the Union.

Emancipation Proclamation Because of distance and the war, many African Americans in the south and especially Texas did not immediately learn about the Emancipation Proclamation of The news finally reached Galveston, Texas on June 19 th, Juneteenth became a celebration for the freedom of enslaved Texans.

THE FREEDMEN’S BUREAU Former slaves were often referred to as freedmen. The Freedmen’s Bureau was a government agency whose job was to provide relief to the thousands of people, black and white, who had been left homeless by the Civil War.

TWO PLANS FOR RECONSTRUCTION LINCOLN AND JOHNSON WANTED… CONGRESS WANTED… To restore the Union as quickly as possible To go easy on the South Stricter standards for admitting the Southern States back into the Union To protect the freedom of African Americans in the South

What critical event occurred on April 14, 1865 that changed the course on American history?

5 days after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, a southerner, John Wilkes Booth, shot and killed President Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln had wanted southern states to be quickly readmitted into the Union and had a simple plan for accomplishing that objective.

SOUTHERNERS OPPOSE RECONSTRUCTION Texas elected ex-Confederates to Congress in an attempt to counter the Radical Republican control of Congress. Texan representatives refused to ratify the 13 th, 14 th, and 15 th amendments which granted rights to African Americans. Southern states enforced black codes, or laws limiting the rights of African Americans. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) used violence and threats to prevent African Americans from voting. As a response to Southern opposition, Congress declared military rule in the South until states met certain requirements of Reconstruction.

Constitutional Changes after the Civil War 13 th Amendment-abolished slavery

Constitutional Changes after the Civil War 14 th Amendment - extended citizenship rights to former slaves and established due process under the law

Constitutional Changes after the Civil War 15 th Amendment-extended voting rights to all males, including former slaves, of voting age

RECONSTRUCTION TIMELINE IN TEXAS DATE EVENT(s) 1865: Civil War Ends Freedman's Bureau is established. Lincoln is assassinated. Thirteenth Amendment is ratified. 1866: Civil Rights Act is passed over Johnson's veto. 1867: First Reconstruction Act. 1868: Fourteenth Amendment is ratified. Ku Klux Klan begins.

RECONSTRUCTION TIMELINE IN TEXAS th Amendment is ratified 1876 Texas writes a new Constitution and is readmitted with full rights as a state in the United States 1881: Tuskeegee Institute is founded to educate freedmen : Blacks are effectively deprived of the vote in the South 1896: Plessy vs. Ferguson legalizes segregation throughout the United States

Reconstruction in Texas – How did they react? Complete the How Did They React? Activity. As you review each points of the two Reconstruction plans, decide how the identified groups would react to this provision and indicate with a happy face or sad face

Complete the Free At Last Group Simulation

RECONSTRUCTION VOCABULARY Review the vocabulary for homework for a possible quiz