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Reconstruction
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Key Concept 5.3: The Union victory in the Civil War and the contested reconstruction of the South settled the issues of slavery and secession, but left unresolved many questions about the power of the federal government and citizenship rights. Essential Questions: What problems did Reconstruction aim to address? How did the Radical Republican’s plan for Reconstruction differ from President Lincoln’s and Johnson’s plans? To what extent did executive, legislative and judicial decisions strengthen the power and authority of the federal government over the states during Reconstruction? How and why did Reconstruction end? To what extent did newly freed African Americans benefit politically, socially and economically from the reconstruction of the South?
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Document A Thomas Nast, “Franchise, And Not This Man?”. Cartoon, Harper’s Weekly, August 5, 1865
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Document B Thomas Nast, “Colored Rule in a Reconstructed (?) State”. Cartoon. Harper’s Weekly, March 14, 1874.
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Reconstruction The period in United States history immediately following the Civil War in which the federal government set the conditions that would allow the rebellious Southern states back into the Union.
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Reconstruction Peace existed only on the battlefields. North faced job of reuniting the nation, coming to terms with abolition of slavery, and reconstructing a resentful South. Many questions needed quick answers— Should Confederate leaders be tried for treason? How should new governments be formed? How and at whose expense was the South’s economy to be rebuilt? Should debts incurred by Confederate state governments be honored? Who should pay to rebuild the South’s railroads and public buildings? What was to be done with freed slaves? Were they to be given land? Social equality? Education? Voting rights?
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Southern Economy in Ruins
Towns and cities burned or damaged Land value depreciated due to destruction Confederate money was now worthless Bridges, railroads, manufacturing had been destroyed Slaves freed, so laborers now had to be paid
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Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan
Moderate Reconstruction plan-desired a policy of reconciliation, not punishment Lenient--Issued “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction” (Dec. 1863) General pardon to all Southerners who took an oath of loyalty to the US and who accepted an end to slavery Once 10% of voters in a state had taken the oath, the state would be readmitted to the Union and could organize a new government and elect members of Congress (Ten Percent Plan)
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Radical Republicans’ Goals were different than Lincoln’s Goals
Wanted terms that would be much more difficult for southern whites to accept by ensuring African American rights. Wanted to “Revolutionize Southern institutions, habits, and manners” Representative Thaddeus Stevens Goals: 1. Prevent the leaders of the Confederacy from returning to power after the war. 2. Republican Party to become a powerful institution in the South. 3. Federal government to help African Americans achieve political equality by guaranteeing their right to vote in the South.
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The Radical Republicans
Thaddeus Stevens Charles Sumner
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The Wade-Davis Bill 1864-First attempt by Republican congressmen to take control of Reconstruction away from the President Demanded that a majority of adult white males in a state must take oath of loyalty before a state was to be readmitted Each state must abolish slavery and guarantee African American equality Each state must not allow former Confederate officials or military officers the right to vote or hold public office
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Lincoln’s reaction Lincoln pocket-vetoed the Bill
In his final public address, April 11, 1865—pronounced that Confederate states never left the Union. States were simply “out of their proper practical relation with the union,” and the object was to get them “into their proper practical relation.” Lincoln wanted no radical reconstruction of southern social and economic life—“no persecution, no bloody work”; assassination four days later
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Lincoln’s Assassination
Walt Whitman poem Ken Burns Video
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Andrew Johnson a Southern Democrat loyal to the Union, ran as Abraham Lincoln's vice presidential candidate in 1864 and took over as seventeenth President of the United States humble origins like Lincoln; born in Raleigh, NC moved to Greeneville, Tennessee as a youth; proprietor of tailor shop; self educated with help of his wife; effective orator; mayor, congressman, governor, and senator military governor of Tennessee b/4 vice-presidency.
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Andrew Johnson large planters—“a bloated, corrupted aristocracy”; “Damn the Negroes…I am fighting those traitorous aristocrats, their masters.” Was loyal to the Union based on strict adherence to Constitution and belief in limited government; thought states should be quickly brought back into the Union because the states and the Union were indestructible. Did not believe in giving the right to vote to blacks
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Thirteenth Amendment ratified
Dec. 6, 1865 Officially ended slavery throughout the United States Ratification of the 13th Amendment was one of the prerequisites for Confederate states to be readmitted to the Union
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Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan
Issued a new Proclamation of Amnesty (May 1865) Pardoned all former citizens of the CSA who took oath of loyalty except anyone with taxable property worth more than $20,000; believed that wealthy planters, bankers, and merchants were responsible for secession But, those in the excluded group could directly petition the president for a pardon—led to 13,000 pardons a native unionist would become governor of the state; state conventions would abolish slavery by ratifying the 13th Amendment like Lincoln, he encouraged states to adopt limited black suffrage to those with military service and education, but State conventions hesitated
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Fallout from Johnson’s Plan
Southern voters disregarded northern feelings—new southern legislative members to Congress included Georgia’s Alexander H. Stevens, former vice president of the Confederacy, four Confederate generals, eight colonels, and six cabinet members Congress in turn began to deny membership to those from the former eleven Confederate states.
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Black Codes Laws passed in Southern states to limit the rights of African Americans Black codes varied from state to state Required to enter into annual labor contracts with landowners Black children forced to go into apprenticeships Required blacks to buy special licenses to work in non-agricultural jobs Blacks could not meet together after sunset, could not own weapons, could not live inside town limits interracial marriages prohibited; testimony of blacks accepted in legal cases involving other blacks but not against whites of fire arms without a license; unemployed or vagrant blacks subject to fine and imprisonment—if unable to pay, forced to labor in fields
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Radical Republicans’ Response
Radical Republicans moved to take Reconstruction out of the president’s control believed in “forfeited-rights theory”—the states continued to exist but by the acts of secession and war, they had forfeited ‘all civil and political rights under the constitution. And Congress, not the president, was the proper authority to determine how such rights might be restored. Moved to give African-Americans full citizenship rights Required that a majority of a state’s population must pledge allegiance to US before readmission
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Congressional Reconstruction
Freedmen’s Bureau Bill | March 1865 originally Extended Feb 1866 (vetoed), overridden July 1866 Civil Rights Act 1866 [over veto] 14th Amendment (1868) Military Reconstruction Act (1867) [over veto] Tenure of Office Act/Impeachment of Andrew Johnson (1868) 15th Amendment (1870)
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The Freedmen’s Bureau Created in 1865, actually called the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands First federal relief agency in US History Provided clothing, medical attention, meals, education, and some land to freed blacks Helped freedmen negotiate employment contracts Johnson argued that since there was no war that the Bureau was unnecessary. Because it was no longer valid as a war measure, the bill violated the Constitution Tried to veto it’s extension and Congress overrode the veto Still, the Bureau lacked popular support (some believed it did too much, others, not enough) and closed in 1869
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Civil Rights Act of 1866 Gave citizenship rights to all persons born in US except Indians – could own property, must be treated equally in court Also gave federal government the authority to sue anyone who violated those rights Johnson argued that this act went beyond federal powers of government and it would cause “discord among the races”. Johnson vetoed the bill, but Congress overrode the veto. Still, concern remained about the Supreme Court possibly declaring the law unconstitutional
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The Fourteenth Amendment
passed Congress on June 16, 1866; ratified by the states on July 28, 1868 went beyond the Civil Rights Act of 1866 Amendment reaffirmed state and federal citizenship for persons born or naturalized in the U.S., Amendment forbade any state to change the “privileges and immunities” of citizens, to deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without “due process of law” or to deny any person “the equal protection of the laws.” Tennessee, Johnson’s home state, was the first state to ratify the 14th Amendment. Radical Republicans had gained control of state. State’s governor in reporting the results of ratification—“Give my respects to the dead dog of the White House” May and July, 1866, Race riots in Memphis and New Orleans
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Military Reconstruction Act
March 2, 1867—Military Reconstruction Act—gave new conditions under which the formation of southern state governments should begin all over again Tennessee was exempt from act b/c it had already ratified the 14th Amendment Other 10 states divided into 5 military districts, commanding officer of each was authorized to keep order and protect the rights of persons and property; military tribunals could replace civilian courts New state constitutions were to be framed in conventions elected by male citizens 21 and older “of whatever race, color, or previous condition” Once constitution was ratified by a majority of voters, the state legislature had to ratify the 14th Amendment, once the amendment was part of the state’s constitution, it was entitled to representation in Congress
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Military Reconstruction Act
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Tenure of Office Act By 1868, RR felt Johnson had to be removed from office. Horace Greeley, editor of New York Tribune, called Johnson “an aching tooth in the national jaw, a screeching infant in a crowded lecture room.” Congress passed this act to limit the Presidents ability to hire and fire government officials. If the office had been approved (ratified) by the Senate the firing had to be approved by the Senate. Removed the President’s power to build an administration of his own liking. President Johnson challenged the Tenure of Office Act as a clear infringement of the independence of the Executive Branch of Government. Johnson fired Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (a Radical Republican).
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Johnson Impeached Congress saw this as a violation of the Tenure of Office Act. Feb. 24, 1868 House drew up articles of impeachment The Senate acted as the Jury in the trial and the Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase presided. Johnson went on trial in the Senate and escaped impeachment by only 1 vote Trial crippled his presidency. Lost Democratic nomination for president in 1868 to New York governor Horatio Seymour, who then lost to Republican Ulysses S. Grant Johnson’s final act as president was to pardon Jefferson Davis
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The Fifteenth Amendment
Radical Republicans insisted on added requirement of states to be readmitted into the Union—adoption of 15th Amendment Ratified in Feb. 1870 The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
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Ulysses S. Grant 1822 – 1885 18th President (1869–77) Republican
Won election easily, despite having no political experience Extremely popular president but reputation tarnished by the many scandals in his administration Died of throat cancer
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Carpetbaggers & Scalawags
Carpetbaggers = Northerners who moved into the South during Reconstruction, either to help or to take advantage of new opportunities Scalawags = Southerners who supported the Republican Party and Reconstruction Both groups were very unpopular in the South
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African-Americans in Politics
“Black Republicans” Many were educated blacks from the North who went South and ran for office Thousands of freedmen took government jobs 16 would serve in Congress during the Reconstruction Era
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Reforms help African-Americans
Black Codes repealed Built state hospitals, orphanages, mental institutions Rebuilt roads, railroads, bridges Built public schools – 200,000+ freedmen attended and attendance rates for black children was 40% (High for time) Paid for through high property taxes
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Increasing Racial Violence in South
Many Southern whites resented the Republican governments and the newly won rights of the freed slaves Struck out violently, but usually anonymously, by burning houses, schools, and churches and by lynching black leaders and white carpetbaggers and scalawags
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Ku Klux Klan Founded in 1866 Original goal was to drive out carpetbaggers and restore control of state governments to the Democratic Party Grew to terrorize African-Americans because of their support for the Republican governments Engaged in acts of terror, including lynchings
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The Enforcement Acts 3 Congressional Acts
1) Made it a federal crime to interfere with a citizen’s right to vote 2) Placed federal elections under the supervision of federal marshals 3) The Ku Klux Klan Act: outlawed the activities of the KKK and similar groups – led to arrests, but only 600 convictions
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Grant’s Troubled Presidency
Split in Republican Party over taxes and spending Scandals in customs collection, postal contracts, and with Grant’s Secretaries of the Interior, War, & Navy as well as his Attorney General and personal secretary The Whiskey Ring: over 100 members of Grant’s administration were taking part in a scheme to steal millions of dollars in taxes on whiskey; although not personally involved, Grant interfered in the investigation and trials to protect his friends
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Panic of 1873 Bad investments caused the collapse of one of US’ biggest private banks This triggered the failure of smaller banks and thousands of small businesses, putting many out of work This plus scandals destroyed Grant’s popularity and chances for a third term
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Election of 1876 Democrats nominated Samuel Tilden, a “law-and-order” former governor of NY Republicans declined to run Grant again and instead ran Rutherford B. Hayes, governor of Ohio Election was so close that Congress had to decide who was president
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Compromise of 1877 Supposedly, Southern Democrats pledged to support Hayes as president if the Republicans promised to remove federal troops from the South and end Reconstruction No “formal” agreement was ever recorded, but once Hayes took office, Reconstruction was ended! The South regained “home rule”
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Rutherford B. Hayes 1822 – 1893 19th President (1877-81) Republican
Chosen over Pres. Grant for the Republican nomination Did not run for re-election Became heavily involved in charitable works after leaving the presidency
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Reconstruction Ends With the withdrawal of federal troops and the final readmission of all former Confederate states, the South was once again free to begin discriminating against the freedmen
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The “New South” The idea that the South needed to abandon its reliance on cash crops like cotton and tobacco and industrialize New railroads were built Steel industry, cotton mills, and cigarette factories all opened Still, most Southerners remained in farming
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Sharecropping & Tenant Farming
Tenant farmer: rented land from a large landholder for a set cash fee Sharecropper: rented land from a large landholder for a percentage of their crop Both systems kept most blacks and many poor whites deeply in debt and with no hope of ever owning their own land
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“Jim Crow” Laws Laws that established segregation in the South
Laws designed to prevent freedmen from voting: Literacy tests – must be able to read to vote Poll taxes – must pay a fee to vote Grandfather clauses – can’t vote unless your grandfather was eligible to vote
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The “Solid South” Southern states would continue to vote – and vote Democrat -as a block in presidential elections for decades to come, blocking Republican initiatives for reform *Compare to today-South-Solid Republican
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