1. Reconstruction

2. What is Reconstruction?
A federal program to rebuild the southern economy and infrastructure, and return the southern states to the Union
Reconstruction was a huge task
2/3 of the shipping industry was destroyed
Railroads, bridges, roads, farms, livestock, canals, cities, factories were all destroyed in the war
1/3 of all southern men were killed or wounded

3. Who was affected? Black southerners Plantation owners
Newly freed slaves had no jobs or homes
Some stayed at the plantations that they had lived on, and some traveled to the cities to find work
Plantation owners
Many lost everything including their plantations
Captured and Abandoned Property Act of 1863
Poor White southerners
Day laborers
Now had to compete with freed slaves for jobs
Many migrated west to find new opportunities

4. Questions How do we rebuild the south?
What do we do about the government?
What do we do about the people?
What will their economy look like?
How will we decide how to do all of this?
Three Plans:
Lincoln Plan
Congressional Plan
Johnson Plan

6. Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan
Offered a pardon to any Confederate who would swear an oath of allegiance to the United States and accept federal policy on slavery
Pardon: official forgiveness of a crime, or any wrongdoing
Denied pardons to all Confederate military and government officials and to southerners who had killed African American war prisoners
Permitted each state to hold a convention to create a new state constitution after only ten percent of the population had sworn allegiance to the United States
States could hold elections and rejoin the Union

7. Congressional Reconstruction
Favored and approved by Radical Republicans
Radical Republicans felt the war was fought over the moral issue of slavery
Placed the south under military rule
5 military districts
Under the control of an American General
Ordered the southern states to hold new elections for delegates to create new constitutions
Required states to allow all qualified male voters (including freedmen) to vote in the elections
Temporarily barred those who supported the Confederacy from voting
Required southern states to guarantee equal rights to all citizens
Required states to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment
Enraged the Southerners
Often referred to as an extension of the Civil War
North imposing its will on the south

8. Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan
Pardoned southerners who swore allegiance to the United States
Permitted each state to hold a Constitutional Convention
States were required to void secession, abolish slavery, and repudiate Confederate debt
States could then hold the elections and rejoin the Union

9. Congress versus Johnson
Johnson had no mandate as president
Mandate: clear objective supported by the American people
Johnson was not elected President
Short time as Vice-President
Johnson’s Plan allowed the White Democrats in the South to form governments that restricted the freedoms of the Freed slaves
The Black Codes
Curfews
Vagrancy laws
Labor Contracts
Land Restrictions

10. Congress versus Johnson
Attempts made to circumvent the power of Andrew Johnson, who had alienated Congress
The Fourteenth Amendment
At odds over Civil Rights Legislation
The Freedmen’s Bureau – aid black southerners with their new freedom (jobs, living, education)
Johnson opposed equal rights for the Freedmen
Tried to convince the states not to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment
Northern Americans, after hearing of atrocities in the south, responded angrily, voting more Radical Republicans into office
Radicals favored harsher punishments for the south, and more liberties for the Freedmen

11. Congress versus Johnson (Rnd. 2)
No Equal Rights!!!
Andrew Johnson (D-TN)
President of the United States
Me too!!!
I hate you!!!
Rep. Thaddeus Stevens (R-PA)
Sen. Charles Sumner (R-MA)

12. Johnson’s Impeachment
Johnson fired Edwin Stanton in 1868
Stanton, and friend of the Radicals, would have overseen the military rule of the South
Violation of the Tenure of Office Act of 1867
Created by Congress to prevent the President from firing…Stanton…
Required Congressional approval for the hirings and firings of certain federal officials
Congress, headed by Stevens, voted to impeach Johnson for the unconstitutional firing of Edwin Stanton
Johnson was acquitted by 1 vote in the Senate, led by Sumner
Johnson was ineffective after his impeachment, and Ulysses Grant was elected in 1868