1. RECONSTRUCTION AND BLACK DISFRANCHISEMENT POSC 104S

2. RECONSTRUCTION 1860s Civil War erupts and concludes 13 th, 14 th, 15 th Amendments abolish slavery, invoke equal protection, mandate universal suffrage Lincoln Assassinated and Andrew Johnson becomes president Debate began over what to do with freed southern blacks Republican Party sought to augment black political participation in the South, and disfranchise former rebels

3. RECONSTRUCTION Andrew Johnson is actually a Southern Democrat from Tennessee and fairly quickly moves to put white aristocracy back in control in the South U.S. General Grant and Secretary of State believe this threatens the U.S. Army, so secretly work with the Republican Congress Republican Party in crisis over electoral coalition. If Republicans do nothing, African Americans will effectively be placed back into slavery/indentured labor White South will have even greater representation in Congress than before; Republicans will be out of power.

4. RECONSTRUCTION “The reward of treason will be an increase representation in the House” – Illinois Republican Congressman This sentiment was shared by Black political leaders The perception among Republican leaders was that they stood to lose a great deal as a party: they created a new electoral coalition that anchored future success Thus the main impetus behind Republican action for Reconstruction was electoral and political control

5. RECONSTRUCTION Republicans pass a series of Reconstruction Acts and override President Johnson’s veto The Tenure of Office Act Command of Army Act Supplementary Reconstruction Act These acts resulted in Constitutional conventions, which passed laws that effectively franchised Blacks and disfranchised many former White confederate rebels Black suffrage protected GOP’s future – something many northern Democrats had recognized as early as 1965

6. RECONSTRUCTION About 703,000 adult male Blacks but only 627,000 adult male Whites were registered during military reconstruction Black community played an important role in their own incorporation: Black Soldiers: New found confidence to fight oppression Church/Religion: Reverends and Pastors often became candidates These social networks served as the basis of the Republican Party in the South, which otherwise was built from the ground up

7. RECONSTRUCTION

8. Hayes-Tilden Presidential Election of 1876 is stalled Huge debate, some states close to seceding again. Compromise of 1877: Hayes (Republican) wins election Reconstruction military pulls out of South Federal funding for rivers and harbors This set off eventual redemption of all Southern states from carpetbaggers and Black Republicans

9. RECONSTRUCTION

11. DISFRANCHISEMENT Now go into techniques, etc….