Reconstruction 1865 1877 Reconstruction Major Questions Reconstruction the

Reconstruction 1865 -1877

Reconstruction: Major Questions Reconstruction: the era in which the federal government struggled in dealing with the 3 issues of the Civil War: 1. How will Southern states rejoin the union? Treat them like they never left or continue military occupation? Are they equals? 2. How will the Southern Economy be rebuilt? 3. What rights will African Americans have? Whose job is it to protect those rights-federal or state government? 4. Who has authority to decide these answers-President or Congress? *Come up with some ideas to fix these problems!* https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=nows. S 7 p. MAp. I

Part 1 PLANS FOR RECONSTRUCTION

VOCABULARY Explain the significance of the following words: 1. Wade-Davis Bill 2. Thirteenth Amendment 3. Fourteenth Amendment 4. Civil Rights Act of 1866 5. Black Codes 6. Fifteenth Amendment

Southern States Rejoin Should leaders be tried for treason? How do Southerners claim seats in Congress? What about the Constitution? Should Congress or the President lead? Stipulations to joiningloyalty oaths?

Southern Economy Rebuilt 1860 -1870: Wealth declined from 30% to 12% ¼ of soldiers died in war, land destroyed, no farm equipment, no workforce Land=most valuable asset Sherman- “ 40 acres and a mule” idea

Rights for African Americans 13 th Amendment: abolition of slavery; passed Dec. 6, 1865 Citizenship? Full rights? Republican Party supports; Southerners reject (power stance)

Lincoln’s Stance on Reconstruction Felt some sympathy for the south; offered 10% Plan: As soon as 10% of voters took a loyalty oath to the Union, the state could set up a new government Willing to grant pardons former Confederates Considered compensation for property loss Opposition to 10% Plan: Thaddeus Stevens/Charles Sumner “Radical Republicans” Advocated full citizenship for AA and punishment for South

Wade-Davis Bill Raised in opposition to the 10% Plan Demanded a majority of voters to take loyalty oath to the Union AND guarantee AA equality Lincoln kills with a pocket-veto

Freedmen’s Bureau “Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands” Goal: provide food, clothing, healthcare, and education for black and white refugees in the South Reunited families separated at wartime EDUCATION; Oliver O. Howard (3, 000 schools) Negotiated labor contracts Represented black citizens in court; LEGAL RIGHTS Fed funding stops 1870, disbands in 1872

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan Agreed with Lincoln-fast acting restoration of Union Required states to accept 13 th Amendment and abolish slavery in their state constitutions Did NOT agree that AA should vote- “White Man’s Government” Supported state’s rights: laws and customs of state can outweigh federal regulations

Black Codes Laws that sought to limit the rights of African Americans and keep them as landless workers 1. Could not borrow money 2. Could not testify against a white man in court 3. Limited occupations and property rights Vagrancy laws: any black person who did not have a job could be sent to work as a prison laborer “Who won the war? ” -Republicans

Johnson V. Congress Rad Republicans refused Southerners their seats Committee created to investigate treatment of former slaves Civil Rights Act of 1866: federal guarantee of civil rights and superseded state laws Johnson vetoes law

Congressional Reconstruction With 2/3 majority, Congress overrides President Johnson to pass Civil Rights Act of 1866 First time ever! Again with Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 Divided states into 5 military districts controlled by Union generals until they accepted the 13 th/14 th amendment Moderate+Radical Republicans work together 14 th Amendment: equality under law for citizens If states refused, they lost seats in the House

Congress Tries to Impeach Johnson Crisis of 1867: Congress and Pres don’t agree Tenure of Office Act: Pres needs senate approval for removal of certain offices Impeachment debate after Johnson tries to get rid of Sect. of War-failed by ONE vote

Grant and the 15 th Amendment 1868: Ulysses S. Grant is elected president Wins electoral vote, significant lead in popular vote thanks to African American population 1869 Passed 15 th Amendment: no state can deny suffrage on the grounds of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude Both 14 th/15 th amendments ratified by 1870 Loopholes: literacy/property/gender qualifications

Part 2 RECONSTRUCTION IN THE SOUTH

Congress takes the Power 2 nd round of Reconstruction: Congress leads Ex-Confederate States: republican controlled gov’t under military protect of the US army until “ALL RECONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS ARE MET” Republicans rule : TN (1 year), FL (9 years) Southern Government: Majority in both houses are white men Only exception: SC 1873 House Legislators included native -born white southerners, freemen, and northerners

Supporters of Reconstruction Scalawags: white men locked out of pre-Civil War politics because of wealthier neighbors Southern Republicans Former Whigs Economic development and peace Formed allies in the north and with whites/blacks in the south

Supporters of Reconstruction Carpetbaggers: northerners seeking to improve their economic/political situations Make a fortune out of the South’s misfortune Young, basic education, worked to get political career

African Americans Get Power 1500 black men help Republicans Party Superintendents, sheriffs, coroners, police, state legislature Legislators: well-educated property holders, moderate stance Blanche K. Bruce, Hiram Revels-Senators (one for J. Davis’s seat!) Loyalty Oaths required to vote-AA men quickly sign up to vote White southerners struggling to accept-many avoid voting all together Black majorities rising throughout the South

Republican Owned Gov’t Brief control of southern politics… 1. Did they abuse their power for selfish ends? 2. OR Did they govern responsibly in the public interest?

Reconstruction: Success v. Failure Successes Women receive property rights/shape schools Debt relief Universal male suffrage Tax supported education Aggressive econ. growth Internal growth Hospitals/asylums Failures No woman suffrage Segregation of schools Illiteracy, low quality med care, housing, and econ opportunities Limited protection of legal rights for AA Political corruption (took $) Mismanagement of money

Freedmen: New Community Life Family Life Schools and Churches AA men and women have Freedmen’s Bureau combats legal rights: can build families and get married Start schools, churches, and social institutions Issues in the South: Settle for substandard living conditions Hard to find jobs Rural v. City life illiteracy- arithmetic Tuition: 10% of earnings Est. black churches Helped build community, employment opp, political rallies, and schools Several AA political activists start off as ministers

Southern Economy: Problems 1. Uneven distribution of land 2. 90% of land owned by only 50% of the population 3. Competition between landless whites and blacks 4. “ 40 acre and a mule” plan did not offer a solution 5. Did not want to take land from wealthy (Stevens)

Systems for Sharing Land Sharecropping: landowner dictates the crop AND provides sharecropper with shelter, seeds, and tools in return for a “share” of the harvest Tools: costly, high int. rate Sharecropper perpetually in debt to landowner; often lied to about debt

Systems for Sharing Land Share-tenancy: similar to sharecropping BUT worker chose his crop and bought own supplies More freedom, could better judge prices, possible to save $$$

System for Sharing Land Tenant Farming: paid cash rent to landowner then free to manage his own crops and free to choose where he lives All depended on management skills

Reconstruction: the North Concerned with railroads, labor problems, and money Grant Administration: Gilded Age Concerned with material interests From reformers to Spoilsmen: political manipulators (spoils system back again) Senator Roscoe Conklin, James Blaine Business/Political bosses scheme to enrich themselves Bossman Tweed, Jay Gould, James Fisk

Violence Over Reform Money competition fuels white southerner’s fire Did not want AA to have full citizenship Ku Klux Klan Terrorist group, TN 1866 Burned homes, schools, churches Beat, maimed, and killed AA/White allies Purpose: keep freed people from the polls

Government Responds 13 th, 14 th, 15 th Amendments cause racial violence Legislators murdered, riots breaking out Enforcement Acts (KKK Acts): 1870 -71, federal offense to interfere with a citizen’s right to vote Congress invited politically involved AA men in to hearings Marines sent to protect AA voters in N&S Decline in violence by 1872 due to feds readiness to punish

End of Reconstruction Grant is reelected for a second term: corruption Panic of 1873 Over-speculation and overbuilding (railroads) Businesses fail, jobless/homeless population Inflation rampant; farmers in debt Radical Republicans waning, Southern conservatives “redeemers” controlling southern government State’s rights, reduced taxes, reduced spending on social programs, white supremacy

Election of 1876 Federal troops withdrawn from all but SC, FL, and LA Democrats return to power in other S. states R: Rutherford B. Hayes (OH) D: Samuel J. Tilden (NY) Hayes wins 1876: Immediate end to Republicans in South Support building a S transcontinental railroad