1 / 18

Reconstruction in Kentucky

Reconstruction in Kentucky. Kentucky Studies. Kentucky at the end of the War. Kentucky emerged from the Civil War in virtual ruin Though the state had remained in the union, they were basically treated like the states that had seceded

dasha
Download Presentation

Reconstruction in Kentucky

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Reconstruction in Kentucky Kentucky Studies

  2. Kentucky at the end of the War • Kentucky emerged from the Civil War in virtual ruin • Though the state had remained in the union, they were basically treated like the states that had seceded • Martial law (military oversight) remained in effect for six months after the war

  3. End of the War Cont. • As a result of abuses (real and imagined) by federal power, southern sentiment actually grew after the war • Civil rights quickly restored to former confederates • Pardons issued to those who had been convicted of treason • The victors in the war lost the peace

  4. Readjustment • Issues such as education, civil rights, and suffrage for former slaves had to be addressed. • 1866 Basic civil rights for freedmen, and black education bills passed by legislature • Chaorgesof racial violence led t the Freedmen’s Bureau (created by the federal government) extended to Kentucky

  5. Power Vacuum • Rival trade, commercial, social, and agricultural groups jockeyed for power in the state • Hemp vs. dark tobacco • Louisville vs. Lexington • Louisville & Nashville (L&N) Railroad vs. the Southern Cincinnati

  6. Power Vacuum cont. • Republicans very weak • Struggle for power usually between factions within the democratic party • Only when these rivalries became pronounced, did republicans have a chance to win

  7. Power Vacuum cont. • Unionist democrats break away from confederate democrats and form the new conservative party • Confederates win the election (John L. Helm won, took the oath from his sick bed, and died 5 days later.) • Lt. Gov. John W. Stevenson becomes governor

  8. Power vacuum cont. • Stevenson’s term plagued by unrest • Mob violence, vigilante action, and racial unrest • Militia frequently deployed to restore order • 1869, extra funds appropriated for reform schools and asylums • 1871, Stevenson resigned after being elected to the U.S. Senate

  9. Railroad Rivalry • 1871, bill introduced to allow construction on the Cincinnati Southern Railroad • Would open trade from Cincinnati to the south • Would also compete with the Louisville & Nashville line • State repeatedly shut the bill down until faced with federal action • CS railroad was built, but the L&N remained a powerful force

  10. Democratic party factions • Conservatives (called “Bourbons”) controlled party machinery and conventions • “New Departure” democrats, leaders included former confederates. Urged acceptance of 14th and 15th amendments Grover Cleveland

  11. 1871 election • Preston H. Leslie (Bourbon) nominated for Governor • John G. Carlisle (new Departure) nominated for Lt. Gov. • John Marshall Harlan (republican gubernatorial nominee) campaigned on education for the poor and denounced the racism of democrats. Won more votes than any republican ever had, but still lost

  12. Leslie’s Term • Leslie pushed through many “Departure” policies • Ex. Blacks allowed to testify against whites in open court

  13. Panic of 1873 • Collapse in tobacco prices and land values • Rural discontent • Gold standard created “Hard money” • Hard money was still highly valuable because it was backed by gold in the federal reserve • Gold from Federal reserve now housed at Fort Knox, Kentucky

  14. The Grange • More and more farmers joined a national movement called “The Grange” • Started as a social organization • Soon became involved in politics • Sought political and economic reform • Demanded cheap, or “inflated” money • Held a lot of influence in the democratic party

  15. Presidential Politics • Kentuckians had influence in the election of 1876 • Rutherford B. Hayes won republican nomination • John Marshall Harlan swung Kentucky delegation in his favor • This is how Hayes won the nomination and the presidency

  16. Presidential Politics0 • Hayes was grateful and in 1877 appointed Harlan to the Supreme Court • Served for almost 40 years • Hayes’ election was disputed

  17. Election dispute • Henry Watterson, a Kentuckian and head of the DNC appointed to committee to review election results • Recommended that Hayes be given the election in exchange for Federal troops being pulled out of the south and the restoration of home rule

  18. Other notes • Women played an ever increasing role in religion after the Civil War Catholic Nuns especially) • Very active in schools, hospitals and orphanages • Endeared themselves to the public by acting as battle nurses during the war

More Related