Reconstruction AND ITS EFFECTS Reconstruction 1 st major

Reconstruction AND ITS EFFECTS

Reconstruction � 1 st major task is to rebuild the country. A very difficult task. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=o. IC 8 if. Ql. DVY �Before his death, Lincoln had already began making plans.

Reconstruction Plans : Lincoln �Lincoln wanted to be lenient. � 10% Plan: The president would be in charge of Reconstruction Government would pardon all Confederates, except high-ranking officials 10% of state’s voters must swear allegiance before they could rejoin the Union �After 10% swears allegiance: Write a new constitution Elect a new governor and other representatives. Ratify the 13 th Amendment

Reconstruction Plan: Radical Republicans �Radical Republicans wanted to punish the South. The Wade-Davis Bill was passed by Congress but pocketvetoed by Lincoln Believed it was too harsh on the South � Congress would be in charge of Reconstruction � Former CSA states must declare their secession illegal � A majority of a state’s voters must swear allegiance to rejoin the Union (If not the state would be considered conquered territory) � All ex-Confederates would be prevented from voting or holding office � African Americans would be given full citizenship � Former CSA states would be placed under military rule.

President Andrew Johnson � After Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson takes the presidency. � He represented Tennessee but stayed in the Union after secession. � Lincoln chose him as a running mate because he knew the war was coming to an end and wanted the Democrat vote.

Reconstruction Plan: Presidential �Congress had adjourned in March, so while Congress was away Johnson began implementing his own plan. �This is all without Congressional approval. �Presidential Reconstruction CSA states must declare their secession illegal At least 20% must swear allegiance to the Union Ratify the 13 th Amendment Only high-ranking officials must apply for pardon

Reconstruction Plan � Under this plan all the states come back except for Texas. � When Congress reconvened and saw all the representatives from the former Confederate states, they were furious! � The Republicans did not recognize the states and told them to go home.

Congressional Takeover �Johnson worked to readmit states and pardon most Southerners. �Congress began passing legislation to prevent this and to address issues regarding freed slaves Freedman’s Bureau Civil Rights Act of 1866

Freedman’s Bureau � Help freed slaves adjust to new ways of life � Supply food, clothing, and shelter “ 40 Acres and a Mule” � Supervise labor relations between blacks and white employers Ex- failure to pay an ex-slave results in the bureau taking you to court � Create educational opportunities. Morehouse College

Civil Rights Act of 1866 – 14 th Amendment � Gave African Americans citizenship and forbade states from passing black codes. Laws restricting the freedoms of African Americans and laws keeping them in a relative state of slavery � Ex – Vagrancy Law says that if any adult male was unemployed he could be arrested and fined for being a vagrant. If he could not pay, then he would be hired out to a white employer until he was able to pay the fine.

14 th Amendment �Congress passed the 14 th Amendment in 1868 which granted citizenship to all persons born within the United States, including former slaves. �Congress also said that if the southern states agree to ratify the Amendment then they can rejoin the Union as legitimate states. �However Johnson denounced it saying it was illegitimate. He said it was only passed by northerners. �Johnson convinced all states to denounce the Amendment. To him they were already legitimate states. The only state to ratify the Amendment was Tennessee, Johnsons own state.

Congressional Takeover � 1866 – The Radical Republicans gained enough seats to give them complete control of Reconstruction. They could overrun presidential vetoes. Divided the former CSA states into 5 military districts, governed by a Union general

To Rejoin the Union �All males, white and black, had to register and vote. However, if you held office under the Confederacy you could not vote. �Once that is complete you could have elections and create your own state government. �Then these governments had to ratify the 14 th Amendment. �Then they could be a legitimate state and have representation in Washington.

Johnson’s Impeachment � President Johnson and the Radical Republican Congress did not get along. Johnson obstructed reconstruction and would even fire generals in the Southern district. Congress wanted to limit the power of the Presidency. � Congress, who was led by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner, passed the Tenure of Office Act in 1867.

Johnson’s Impeachment �The Tenure of Office Act prohibited the President from removing federal officials without the approval of the Senate. (So the President can appoint federal positions but not fire them) �Johnson believed this was unconstitutional and therefore tested it out by firing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.

Johnson’s Impeachment �February 24, 1868 - the House of Representatives voted for impeachment on the grounds of Johnson violating federal law. The House brings charges against someone – impeach. To be removed they must be tried by the Senate and voted out by a 2/3 majority.

Johnson’s Impeachment � March – May 1868 – Johnson was tried before the Senate. � When the vote came in Johnson needed a 2/3 vote to convict, but was saved by 1 vote. Those who voted in favor of Johnson believed the Act was unconstitutional. � Johnson remained in office, but lost political power.

Election of 1868 �Democrats chose Horatio Seymour �Republicans chose war hero Ulysses S. Grant The African American vote helped secure Grant’s victory.

Grant’s Presidency �Last state will re-enter the US � 15 th Amendment passed: All persons regardless of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude cannot be kept from voting �Literacy tests and poll taxes were stopped.

New Opportunities for African Americans �Began participating in all levels of government � 1867 – 16 seats in the South were held by African Americans � 1 st African American Senator was Hiram Revels �In the South about 90% of the qualified African American voters voted.

New Opportunities for African Americans �Few former slaves had enough money to buy land if they could many whites would refuse to sell property to them. � 40 acres and a Mule is what General Sherman promised freed slaves that followed his army. 40 acres / family and the use of an army mule. �Eventually President Johnson gave the land back to the original land owners. Pro – Former slaves deserved the land because they worked on it. Believed they really needed land for them to truly be free. Con – viewed it as wrong to seize citizens private property

New Opportunities for African Americans � 1866 Southern Homestead Act – 44 million acres were distributed in the South for freed slaves and loyal whites. Yet the land was swampy and unsuitable for farming.

Opposition to Reconstruction �Many white Southerners opposed losing their political voice and angry over their struggling economy. Some resorted to violence to prevent African Americans from exercising their political rights.

Ku Klux Klan � 3 main goals: Restore white supremacy and economic power 2. Throw Republicans out of power 3. Prevent African Americans from voting or holding office. 1. http: //www. history. com/topics/kuklux-klan/videos/the-kkk Why do they wrap themselves in white hoods and sheets?

Ku Klux Klan Ways of Terror Wear their white sheets and hoods roaming the countryside on horses. Various forms of harassment, beatings, and hangings. Typically if you were visited 3 times they would hang you. Who was Targeted Blacks in politics Blacks sending their kids to school Blacks discriminating whites Whites who sympathized with blacks Whites who educated blacks Whites who encouraged blacks to participate in politics.

Fueling Anger Carpetbaggers Scalawags � Northerners who moved �Southern whites who south to take advantage of the unstable political, social, and financial situation. supported Reconstruction and the Republican party.

�Ways of keeping economic power: 1. Sharecropping – where landowners divided their land gave each worker a few acres with seed and tools to use. At harvest time the worker gave a share of his crop. 2. Tenant Farming – “Croppers” who bought their own tools could rent the land from landowners. Then they could keep all their harvest. Problem – rarely earn enough to pay for past debt and future supplies.

�Between 1880 and 1900, the number of tenants increased from 53, 000 to 93, 000. �By 1890, one in three white farmers and three of four black farmers were either tenants or sharecroppers.

Anger begins to Erode � 1872 – Amnesty Act � Restored to almost all southern males the right to vote and hold office �Why: 7 years since the war and anger starts to cool down �Most blacks and carpetbaggers were voted out of office �Newly elected state governments were run by democratic whites.

The Election of 1876 �Republican: Rutherford B. Hayes �Democrat: Samuel J. Tilden won the popular vote Hayes was declared the winner of the Electoral College, but many votes were disputed.

The Election of 1876 � Democrats agreed to accept Hayes if Republicans agreed to a compromise: � The Compromise of 1877: Remove Federal troops from the South Federal money to build railroads in the South Hayes must appoint a Southerner to his cabinet � The Compromise brought an end to Reconstruction

Home Rule �Democrats were allowed to run state governments without federal intervention. Passed laws restricting the rights of African Americans- some Supreme Court decisions limited the 14 th and 15 th amendments Ended social programs Cut taxes Closed public schools

Jim Crow Era (1877 – 1954) �Jim Crow Laws Segregation laws Literacy Test Poll tax �Grandfather clause If your grandfather could vote, you could vote

The Legacy of Reconstruction � 13 th Amendment – Outlawed slavery � 14 th Amendment – people born in the U. S. were automatic citizens � 15 th Amendment – No one can be kept from voting because of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude. �Increased education �Segregation �Laws protecting African Americans were not enforced �Increased bitterness