The Debate Over Reconstruction Chapter 10 Lesson 1

The Debate Over Reconstruction Chapter 10, Lesson 1

Focus Activity • Describe this photograph • When and where do you think this photograph was taken? • What are three things you think people living in this setting did in the years following the photograph?

Focus Activity This photograph was taken in April 1865 in Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States. Today you are going to learn about some of the major challenges that the United States faced after the Civil War.

The Civil War, 1861 -1865. The American Civil War was fought between the United States and the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865. Disagreements about slavery were a central source of the increasing political unrest and disunity in the country that led to the war. These disagreements largely followed sectional lines. Many white Southerners, both slaveholding and not, supported slavery, while many Northerners opposed slavery. The United States defeated the Confederate States of America.

Reconstruction Era Photograph of ruins in Richmond, Virginia, taken in 1865 Reconstruction refers to the period following the Civil War between 1865 and 1877. John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, assassinated President Lincoln five days after the supreme commander of the Confederate army surrendered. As Lincoln’s vice president, Andrew Johnson became the new president. Johnson was a Southern Democrat who opposed secession of the Confederacy but, compared to Northern Republicans, was relatively sympathetic to Southern states. Many people in Congress opposed Johnson. His biggest opponents were called Radical Republicans. “Radical” means extreme, and “radicals” typically want to see extreme changes in society. In the 1860 s the Radical Republicans wanted to punish the South for the Civil War and supported equal rights for freedmen.

Major Questions After the Civil War • How should the South be rebuilt? • How should the states that seceded be brought back into the Union? • How should former slaves be incorporated into the country as freed men and women?

Reconstructing a Nation • After 4 years of war and over 200 years of slavery, could Northerners and Southerners rebuild the South together? Photograph of a Union soldier camp taken between 1861 and 1865 • Could they unify as citizens of the same country?

Punishment for the Confederate States? • Should people who fought against the United States be recognized as citizens? Should Illustration of the Attack on Fort Sumter from they be punished? 1861 • What should be done to the Southern state government that fought against the United States?

African Americans in the South • How would freed men and women be treated in the Southern states? • How would Northerners address the issue of including former slaves as citizens in society? Photograph of an enslaved family in South Carolina taken in 1862 • What were some major challenges that former slaves faced?

Central Historical Question • Why was the Radical Republican plan for Reconstruction considered “radical”?

Punish or Forgive? • Both North and South suffered many dead • Southern industry, infrastructure and government was destroyed Charleston, SC • South had to rebuild or North would have to provide for South Atlanta, GA

Lincoln’s Attitude to South • Lincoln argued states still existed – Wanted southern governments restored quickly – Wanted to prevent Confederate officials from joining government “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up

Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction • If 10% of Southerners took oath to Constitution and US, would be readmitted • Let South rule itself • South must abolish slavery

Sic Semper Tyrannis “Thus Always to Tyrants” • John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln in Ford Theater – Conspirators also tried to kill Vice President Johnson and Secretary of State Seward • Booth and conspirators were killed or executed

Radical Republicans • Radical Republicans wanted to punish south – Want equality for freedmen – States needed to be recreated • Congress can decide how South is governed Thaddeus Stevens – Wanted south ruled like a conquered province – Led by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner

Wade Davis Plan • Majority of southerners must declare loyalty – To vote or hold office could not have served in Confederate government or army • New state constitutions must be made • South under military rule until requirements met – Lincoln did not sign bill First page of "A Bill to guaranty to certain states whose governments have been usurped or overthrown, a republican form of government. " (Wade-Davis bill as amended by Representative Thaddeus Stevens), 1864 National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the U. S. House of Representatives

Andrew Johnson • Former Democrat from Tennessee – Made Lincoln’s Vice President to attract Democrat votes – Not trusted by Republicans • Johnson planned to use Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction, not Congress Andrew Johnson

Freedman’s Bureau • Originally made to help freed slaves – – with food Jobs medical care built schools • Johnson vetoes bill

Civil Rights Bill • Allowed federal government to protect civil rights of all citizens • Johnson vetoes because he thought it violated state’s rights principle • Angered Moderate Republicans – Moderates join with Radicals to pass Freedman’s Bureau and Civil Rights bills over Johnson’s veto

Presidential Reconstruction • Johnson tells south – Repudiate (refuse to pay) war debt – Nullify ordinances of secession – Adopt 13 th Amendment freeing slaves • SC does not recognize illegality of secession • MS does not ratify 13 th Amendment

Confederates In Office • Johnson pardoned many Confederate politicians and officers – Many were elected into new southern governments – Vice President of CSA, 6 Confederate Cabinet members, 58 members of Confederate Congress • South got more representatives in Congress because now blacks counted in population

Black Codes • Laws to restrict freedom of blacks – Could not vote – Could not marry whites – Could not serve on juries • Vagrancy laws – Tried to force blacks to stay on plantations

Committee of Reconstruction • Congressional Committee to make a plan for Reconstruction • Moderate Republicans joined Radical Republicans to oppose seating Southern congressmen – Southern states were no longer states – President didn’t have authority to determine membership in Congress or readmission of states

Fourteenth Amendment • Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws

Fourteenth Amendment • Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, (See Note 15) and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Fourteenth Amendment • Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at. States any election the choice of electors for President will for lose and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Representatives Congress, the Executive if they don’t letand Judicial officers of a State, or the members of thevote Legislature thereof, is denied to any of Blacks the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, (See Note 15) and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Fourteenth Amendment • Defines citizenship in US • Must allow all adult males to vote • No Confederate war debt could be paid • Pardons of Confederate officials require 2/3 vote of Congress • Tennessee ratifies 14 th Amendment all other southern states refuse

Military Reconstruction • Congress divided south into 5 military districts – Demanded south abolish slavery, protect civil rights, ratify 14 th Amendment – Denied right to vote or hold office to Confederates – all others can vote regardless of color – South feared freed slaves would take over

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson • President Johnson vetoed many laws passed by Congress • Congress responded by trying to take away power from President • Tenure of Office Act – Said President needed consent of Senate to fire federal official – Johnson fired Secretary of War Stanton without permission

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson • House impeached Johnson for violating Tenure of Office Act • Senate failed to convict by one vote

Election of 1868 • Ulysses S Grant (R) • Horatio Seymour (D) • “Waving Bloody Shirt” – Republicans tactic to remind voters that Republicans freed slaves and won war • Grant wins with help of black vote

Fifteenth Amendment • Forbids US or any state denying right to vote based on race, color or previous condition of servitude