RECONSTRUCTION AMERICAS UNFINISHED REVOLUTION United States History Chapter

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RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA’S UNFINISHED REVOLUTION. United States History. Chapter 2 Mr. Juan Garcia

RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA’S UNFINISHED REVOLUTION. United States History. Chapter 2 Mr. Juan Garcia

At the end of the Civil War in 1865, the South was essentially destroyed

At the end of the Civil War in 1865, the South was essentially destroyed � � Many Southern cities like Atlanta had been leveled to the ground and the Plantation system was in ruins. Many former slaves had no place to go and Confederate paper money was worthless.

To “Reconstruct” means to rebuild. The South had to overcome a series of political,

To “Reconstruct” means to rebuild. The South had to overcome a series of political, social, and economic issues before it could get back on its feet. � � � 1. How should Southern states be readmitted to the Union? 2. Who would set the conditions for their readmission, the President or Congress? 3. How could the economy of the South be rebuilt? � � 4. Should former Confederate leaders be allowed to participate in politics or should they be punished? 5. What was to happen with the millions of former slaves (freedmen) who now roamed the Southern states?

The Freedmen’s Bureau � The Freedmen’s Bureau was established in 1865 by Congress with

The Freedmen’s Bureau � The Freedmen’s Bureau was established in 1865 by Congress with the purpose of helping the former slaves to adjust to life as free citizens. They offered education and assistance to African Americans.

Lincoln and Congress

Lincoln and Congress

Republican Party

Republican Party

There was however a great deal of resentment from the Southern white population who

There was however a great deal of resentment from the Southern white population who felt that Blacks were inferior and naturally lazy. Attitudes are hard to change.

Lincoln’s plan was never enacted. He was assassinated by Booth

Lincoln’s plan was never enacted. He was assassinated by Booth

Andrew Johnson of Tennessee becomes President in 1865 A former slave owner, Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson of Tennessee becomes President in 1865 A former slave owner, Andrew Johnson nevertheless hated the Plantation owners. At first he made it difficult former Confederate leaders. Later on he pardoned thousands of former rebels. This made him very unpopular with the Radical Republicans in Congress who wanted to punish the South. *President Andrew Johnson returns land to plantation owner and revokes Sherman’s plan for 40 acres and a mule. *

What did President Johnson want? Presidential Reconstruction. � Johnson did not view the African

What did President Johnson want? Presidential Reconstruction. � Johnson did not view the African Americans as equals. He felt they were basically an inferior race. He wanted a quick reconciliation of the North and South and for stability to settle over the land. � Johnson recognized the newly formed state governments. This did not go over very well with many Republican Congressmen who felt that Johnson was too lenient and sympathetic to the South.

The Black Codes. � To make matters worse, new laws were enacted all over

The Black Codes. � To make matters worse, new laws were enacted all over the South by white Southerners in order to withhold all sorts of rights from the former slaves who were now freedmen. The Black Codes were based on the former slave codes.

What did the Black Codes do? � � � 1. Defined freedmen as persons

What did the Black Codes do? � � � 1. Defined freedmen as persons of color. 2. Made it very difficult for Blacks to vote. 3. Could not serve on juries, testify against whites , hold office, or serve on the state militia. 4. Regulated marriages and labor contracts between Blacks and Whites. 5. Made it illegal for Blacks to travel freely or to leave their jobs.

Life was already difficult for Blacks. The Black Codes made it more so. Each

Life was already difficult for Blacks. The Black Codes made it more so. Each freedman had to show that he had worked for the previous year. The worker could not leave the old plantation. If he showed disrespect he could be whipped by the former master. It was essentially slavery by another name.

Many Northerners saw Johnson’s actions as a betrayal of the Union.

Many Northerners saw Johnson’s actions as a betrayal of the Union.

Congressional Reconstruction. � The North was outraged by the actions of the white Southerners.

Congressional Reconstruction. � The North was outraged by the actions of the white Southerners. They felt these people acted as if they had won the war. Also they saw this as a violation of the Thirteenth Amendment.

How did the Radical Republicans in Congress react? � � � 1. Congress refused

How did the Radical Republicans in Congress react? � � � 1. Congress refused to seat the newly elected Southern members of Congress. 2. Passed a Civil Rights Bill. 3. Enlarged the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Civil War Amendments � � � 13 th The Thirteenth Amendment was an amendment

Civil War Amendments � � � 13 th The Thirteenth Amendment was an amendment to the United States Constitution, meaning that it was a change to the basic and most important laws that govern the United States. It abolished slavery in the United States. It was passed in December 6, 1865, at the end of the Civil War. 14 th The 14 th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on July 9, 1868, and granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, ” which included former slaves recently freed. 15 th The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is important because it guarantees voting rights to all American males of all races. be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

The Congressional Plan for Reconstruction stated… � To be readmitted to the Union, each

The Congressional Plan for Reconstruction stated… � To be readmitted to the Union, each Southern state had to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment. Also, former Confederates were barred from holding office or even voting. This changed the balance of political power in the South.

The Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson � President Johnson opposed Congressional Reconstruction. At this

The Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson � President Johnson opposed Congressional Reconstruction. At this point he was very unpopular and the Radical Republicans were in control of Congress.

The Tenure of Office Act � � The Tenure of Office act was passed

The Tenure of Office Act � � The Tenure of Office act was passed by the Radical Republicans to prevent Johnson from interfering with Congressional Reconstruction. It stated that President Johnson could not dismiss his own cabinet members. President Johnson felt this was a violation of the law and proceeded to fire his Secretary of War. When he did so, Congressional leaders attempted to remove him from office by the process of impeachment.

The South was put under military rule. It was divided into five zones.

The South was put under military rule. It was divided into five zones.

Congress vs. Johnson

Congress vs. Johnson

Impeached

Impeached

In 1868, President Johnson was impeached in the House of Representatives but was not

In 1868, President Johnson was impeached in the House of Representatives but was not convicted in the Senate. He was not removed. National reunification had not been broadly accepted!!!

Ulysses S. Grant becomes President. Johnson was extremely unpopular in the North and there

Ulysses S. Grant becomes President. Johnson was extremely unpopular in the North and there was no Democratic Party in the South that could come to his aid. He was not nominated for the President by the Republicans and Ulysses S. Grant becomes President of the United States in 1868. Johnson strongly believed that social barriers based on race could jeopardize constitutional rights. “I will therefore call upon the people everywhere to see to it that all who possesses and exercises political rights shall have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge which will make their share in the government a blessing and not a danger” -Message to Congress by President Ulysses S Grant in 1870

The Reconstruction Governments in the South. � Because so many Whites were excluded from

The Reconstruction Governments in the South. � Because so many Whites were excluded from government in the South, political power fell into the hands of some Northerners, their supporters, and African Americans. � White Southerners absolutely hated the new governments and did everything they could to make sure they failed. Virtually everyone of these governments had severe problems.

The Carpetbaggers. � A Carpetbagger was a Northerner who had come into the South

The Carpetbaggers. � A Carpetbagger was a Northerner who had come into the South with all his possessions in a carpet bag. He was generally thought to be a scoundrel and there to take advantage of the misfortune of the South.

The Scalawags � These were Southerners who cooperated with Reconstruction Governments. They were seen

The Scalawags � These were Southerners who cooperated with Reconstruction Governments. They were seen by other Whites in the South as traitors to their own people and the lowest form of humanity.

Many white Southerners saw the participation of Blacks in Southern governments as a farce.

Many white Southerners saw the participation of Blacks in Southern governments as a farce. � There were some issues that made it difficult for African Americans to become effective political leaders. They had no experience in governing. As a result there was a great deal of mismanagement.

Reconstruction Government. � � On the other hand, there were many examples of very

Reconstruction Government. � � On the other hand, there were many examples of very good and effective Black political legislators. Hiram Rhodes Revels from Mississippi is one African American who served with distinction in Congress

The Economics of Reconstruction “The New South” � The economy of the New South

The Economics of Reconstruction “The New South” � The economy of the New South was changing. More manufacturing was to be found, and new crops were being developed, but in general the South was still an agrarian society.

Wealth in Southern States � Slavery in the United States was an institution that

Wealth in Southern States � Slavery in the United States was an institution that had a large impact on the economic, political and social fabric on the country. � Confiscations of Plantations declined the economy in the south exponentially � Many southerners were so outraged, they almost saw it as unconstitutional

Sharecropping in the South The old plantation system could not be restored without extensive

Sharecropping in the South The old plantation system could not be restored without extensive labor. There was no longer slavery, so another system was found to keep the large plantations going. It was sharecropping. The plantation owner would give the farmers a plot of land to work on, and the seed as well as tools to work the land. In exchange the farmer would give a portion of the crop to the owner as payment. Other workers became tenant farmers. Similar to sharecroppers, but they provided their own tools.

Debt Peonage � If a sharecropper or tenant farmer owed any money to the

Debt Peonage � If a sharecropper or tenant farmer owed any money to the landlord, he and his family could not leave the land until the debt had been settled. It was almost like slavery.

Reconstruction Comes To An End. � � � No Reconstruction government lasted more than

Reconstruction Comes To An End. � � � No Reconstruction government lasted more than ten years. By 1876 -77 the Period of Reconstruction had officially ended. This came as a result of a compromise to settle a dispute of the election of 1876.

Why Did Reconstruction Fail? � � � 1. Threre was a legacy of racism

Why Did Reconstruction Fail? � � � 1. Threre was a legacy of racism in the South as well as the North. 2. The Freedmen, (former slaves) were almost completely dependent on their former masters for their lively hood. (economically) 3. The Freedmen lacked education. 4. There was white terrorism. The Ku Klux Klan. 5. The North lost interest in Reconstruction.

The Segregated South and the Aftermath of Reconstruction � The system that replaced Reconstruction

The Segregated South and the Aftermath of Reconstruction � The system that replaced Reconstruction in the South was the “Nadir” or low point in American race relations. It was a terrible time to be African American in the U. S.

African Americans in Southern states lose their right to vote. Even though the Fifteenth

African Americans in Southern states lose their right to vote. Even though the Fifteenth Amendment guaranteed the right to vote, the Southern states systematically took away the freemen’s right to vote. The Southern Black population was economically dependant on the Whites and they were being terrorized by organizations like the Ku Klux Klan. Groups Active after the Civil War • Ku Klux Klan • Red shirts • Pale faces • Knights of the White Camellia

Lynching's were common

Lynching's were common

Southern legislators passed a series of laws designed to prevent African Americans from voting.

Southern legislators passed a series of laws designed to prevent African Americans from voting. � 1. Literacy Tests. If you could not read you could not vote. � 2. Poll Taxes. You had to pay a special tax to be eligible to vote. � 3. Grandfather clauses. If you had voted in 1867, your descendants and your relatives could vote without a literacy test or a poll tax.

The Reign of Jim Crow. � The White Southern State governments soon passed a

The Reign of Jim Crow. � The White Southern State governments soon passed a series of laws that legally separated Blacks from Whites. These are segregation laws and they came to be known as Jim Crow Laws.

The South became the “Solid South” where the Democratic Party was in control and

The South became the “Solid South” where the Democratic Party was in control and Jim Crow was a way of life.

The purpose of Jim Crow laws were to get around the 13 th, 14

The purpose of Jim Crow laws were to get around the 13 th, 14 th, and 15 th Amendments. � � In 1890 Louisiana passed a Jim Crow Law that forbade Black people from sitting in the same railroad cars as Whites. The law also stated that the cars were to be equal in accommodations. Soon schools, theatres, restaurants etc… were segregated. � � Homer Plessy, an African American challenged this. He was arrested and his case was heard by the U. S. Supreme Court. The case called Plessy v. Ferguson established that it was legal to have segregation so long as the facilities were equal, but were they ever really equal?

How did African Americans respond? � � Many African Americans left the South and

How did African Americans respond? � � Many African Americans left the South and headed to the large cities of the North. This is called the Great Migration. Others developed very strong community and church ties and essentially lived in their own neighborhoods.

Florida also had its period of Jim Crow Laws. � A unique for of

Florida also had its period of Jim Crow Laws. � A unique for of debt peonage developed in Florida, it lasted until the 1940 s. African Americans who signed up to work in a turpentine camp were given a bus ride to the camp and then charged for the ride, they were then unable to leave the camp until the money was paid back.

The End

The End