1. The Reconstruction Era Started: 1865 (when Civil War ended) Ended: 1877 (with election of Rutherford Hayes)
Freedmen in South Carolina

2. 13th Amendment
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation officially freed the slaves in the South
13th amendment officially ended Slavery in the United States.
Approved before Lincoln was killed

3. After the War: What Next?
The Southern states had seceded
They fought as another country against the U.S.
War left destruction and hurt feelings as well as legal question: How could the Southern states be brought back as part of a unified country?
Two plans about how to bring the Confederate states back into the union: Lincoln’s and Andrew Johnson’s (president after Lincoln)
Slightly different, but neither very harsh on the south (former enemy)

4. Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan
-Reunite the Union quickly
-Southern states 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

5. Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865

6. President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson became President
Was a Southern Democrat who had been in favor of slavery – only was opposed to secession

7. 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 13th Amendment
Then each state could rejoin the Union
Andrew Johnson, Vice President & President

8. 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.
Thaddeus Stevens (right) was the leader of this group.
Radical Reconstruction

9. Additional Civil War Amendments
14th Amendment, 1868 – All people born in the U.S. are citizens. No state may take away rights of citizens.
15th Amendment, 1870 – The right to vote cannot be denied to citizens because of their race or color or because they were once enslaved.

10. Andrew Johnson Impeached
Johnson opposed the plans of the Radical Republicans
Radical Republicans eventually impeach Johnson.
Went to Senate for trial
Johnson failed to be removed from office by 1 vote
Johnson had made numerous deals with different Senators
Johnson stayed in office

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

12. 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

13. 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