Warm Up Respond to the following prompt: Imagine you are a parent and one of your children has run away. What would you do once the child had returned? Would you: 1. Punish the child? 2. Accept a promise that the child wouldn’t run away again? Explain your response.
Questions after the Civil War What about the freed blacks? How will be South be re-united with the North? Who will make these decisions?
The New Freedmen Freed blacks, or "freedmen" were in a perplexing situation. – Blacks heard that they were free, but most stayed on the plantation. – Some used violence, some went north, some sought the law for help All slaves were freed eventually by U.S. Army.
Freedmen's Bureau Created by Congress to help blacks – early form of welfare: provided food, clothing, health care, and education. – Gen. O. O. Howard led the bureau Largest accomplishment: teaching many blacks to read. Pres. Andrew Johnson unsuccessfully tried to kill it, but it expired in 1872 anyway.
Presidential Reconstruction "10 Percent Plan" – a southern state would be readmitted to the U.S. after 10% of the voters took an oath of loyalty. – Had to follow emancipation
Radical Reconstruction Push Back Radical Republicans feared the 10% plan would allow Southern whites to again rule over freed blacks. Wade-Davis Bill: 50% of voters to take the allegiance oath and safeguards to protect the freed blacks. Lincoln pocket-vetoed the Wade-Davis Bill – Lincoln felt the Southern states had never truly seceded. – Radical Republicans felt the Southern states had seceded. Congress could set the rules of re- admittance.
Johnson: The Tailor President Andrew Johnson was Lincoln’s VP – From Tennessee – Chosen to be VP because he was the only congressmen to not secede with his state.
Johnson’s Reconstruction Andrew Jackson basically followed Lincoln; though he added: – Leading Confederates were to be disenfranchised – Secession ordinances were to be repealed – Confederate debts would be repudiated – the states must ratify the 13th Amendment.
The Black Codes Rules to tie the freed blacks to their white employers. – They were contracts that said the blacks were bound to work for whites for a certain time period. Blacks were banned from – serving on juries – renting land – could be punished for "idleness."
Congressional Reconstruction Southerners stood to gain power in Congress. 3/5 ths Compromise over. In early December 1865, Pres. Johnson stated that the South had fulfilled all requirements.
Johnson Clashes with Congress Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Bill Congress passed 14 th Amendment: Civil Rights and citizenship for the freedmen To cut state Congressional representation if blacks were denied voting.
Reconstruction Act (1867) It divided the South into 5 military districts. Congress laid out rules for states to be re- admitted (passage of 14 th Amendment/black voting rights must be protected). Congress added the 15th Amendment guaranteeing black suffrage
Evaluating the Republican Record Pg. 297 AccomplishmentsFailures Public schools set up in the south Property rights for women Debt relief Established state institutions: hospitals, care for mentally ill Internal improvements Modernized punishments for convicts (jail system) Bribery in politics Wasteful spending Rise in unethical behavior in politics Possible abuse of power by Congress Northerners come into the south and take over local governments