Reconstruction 1865 1877 The period in US History

Reconstruction (1865 – 1877) The period in US History immediately following the Civil War; also refers to the process by which the Union restored relations with the Confederate states after their defeat.

A. Reconstruction Questions • 1. How should the 11 states that seceded from the Union be readmitted? • 2. How, if at all, should the Confederate leaders be punished? • 3. What rights should be granted to the approximately 4 million freed slaves, and how should these rights be protected? • 4. How should the war-torn South be rebuilt?

B. Presidential Reconstruction (April 1865 – December 1865) • Congress not in session so President Johnson in charge of Reconstruction efforts • Dec. 1865 – Congress is back in session and looks at the South: – Black codes limiting the freedom of African Americans – Same congressmen who led secession are elected back into Congress – KKK is formed in Tennessee and uses violence against blacks and white sympathizers

C. Congressional Reconstruction (1867 – 1877) • South is divided into 5 military districts and Union troops protect the rights of freedmen • President Johnson and congress clash over reconstruction policy – Johnson is impeached (brought to trial) by the House of Representatives for violating the Tenure of Office Act – Senate declares not guilty by one vote and Andrew Johnson remains President

Congressional Reconstruction (continued) • Process for states to be readmitted – Hold a convention which would adopt a new state constitution – Black males had to have the right to vote – States had to ratify (approve) the 14 th amendment

D. Freedmen’s Bureau Open book to page 414, read info graphic on freedman’s bureau and answer questions 1 -2. Also, answer this question, How did the Freedmen’s Bureau effect Morehouse College? (Hint – similar to Howard and Fisk universities) Answer: Morehouse college was founded and financed with the help of the Freedmen’s Bureau

E. Redistribution of Land • Read “Sharecropping System” info graphic on pages 416 -7. Why was the sharecropping system an endless cycle for southern farmers? Answer: it forced the sharecroppers to accumulate increasing levels of debt

F. Election of 1876 (Reconstruction Ends) • Republicans: Rutherford B. Hayes • Democrats: Samuel Tilden • Need 185 electoral votes to win • Hayes 165 • Tilden 184 • 20 disputed votes from 3 southern states

Election of 1876 (continued) • Compromise of 1877 – Republicans and Hayes get the disputed votes and Hayes wins presidency 185 -184 – Federal troops are removed from the South and reconstruction ends