Reconstruction

1. Reconstruction 1865-1877

2. Reconstruction: Major Questions Reconstruction: the era in which the federal government struggled in dealing with the 3 issues of the Civil War: • How will Southern states rejoin the union? Treat them like they never left or continue military occupation? Are they equals? • How will the Southern Economy be rebuilt? • What rights will African Americans have? Whose job is it to protect those rights-federal or state government? • Who has authority to decide these answers-President or Congress? *Come up with some ideas to fix these problems!* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nowsS7pMApI

3. Part 1 Plans for Reconstruction

4. VOCABULARY • Explain the significance of the following words: • 1. Wade-Davis Bill • 2. Thirteenth Amendment • 3. Fourteenth Amendment • 4. Civil Rights Act of 1866 • 5. Black Codes • 6. Fifteenth Amendment

5. Southern States Rejoin • Should leaders be tried for treason? • How do Southerners claim seats in Congress? • What about the Constitution? • Should Congress or the President lead? • Stipulations to joining-loyalty oaths?

6. Southern Economy Rebuilt • 1860-1870: Wealth declined from 30% to 12% • ¼ of soldiers died in war, land destroyed, no farm equipment, no workforce • Land=most valuable asset • Sherman- “40 acres and a mule” idea

7. Rights for African Americans • 13th Amendment: abolition of slavery; passed Dec. 6, 1865 • Citizenship? Full rights? • Republican Party supports; Southerners reject (power stance)

8. Lincoln’s Stance on Reconstruction • Felt some sympathy for the south; offered 10% Plan: • As soon as 10% of voters took a loyalty oath to the Union, the state could set up a new government • Willing to grant pardons for former Confederates • Considered compensation for property loss • Opposition to 10% Plan: • Thaddeus Stevens/Charles Sumner “Radical Republicans” • Advocated full citizenship for AA and punishment for South

9. Wade-Davis Bill • Raised in opposition to the 10% Plan • Demanded a majority of voters to take loyalty oath to the Union AND guarantee AA equality • Lincoln kills with a pocket-veto

10. Freedmen’s Bureau • “Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands” • Goal: provide food, clothing, healthcare, and education for black and white refugees in the South • Reunited families separated at wartime • EDUCATION; Oliver O. Howard (3,000 schools) • Negotiated labor contracts • Represented black citizens in court; LEGAL RIGHTS • Fed funding stops 1870, disbands in 1872

11. Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan • Agreed with Lincoln-fast acting restoration of Union • Required states to accept 13th Amendment and abolish slavery in their state constitutions • Did NOT agree that AA should vote- “White Man’s Government” • Supported state’s rights: laws and customs of state can outweigh federal regulations

12. Black Codes • Laws that sought to limit the rights of African Americans and keep them as landless workers • Could not borrow money • Could not testify against a white man in court • Limited occupations and property rights • Vagrancy laws: any black person who did not have a job could be sent to work as a prison laborer “Who won the war?” -Republicans

13. Johnson V. Congress • Rad Republicans refused Southerners their seats • Committee created to investigate treatment of former slaves • Civil Rights Act of 1866: federal guarantee of civil rights and superseded state laws • Johnson vetoes law

14. Congressional Reconstruction • With 2/3 majority, Congress overrides President Johnson to pass Civil Rights Act of 1866 • First time ever! • Again with Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 • Divided states into 5 military districts controlled by Union generals until they accepted the 13th/14th amendment • Moderate+Radical Republicans work together • 14th Amendment: equality under law for citizens • If states refused, they lost seats in the House

15. Congress Tries to Impeach Johnson • Crisis of 1867: Congress and Pres don’t agree • Tenure of Office Act: Pres needs senate approval for removal of certain offices • Impeachment debate after Johnson tries to get rid of Sect. of War-failed by ONE vote

16. Grant and the 15th Amendment • 1868: Ulysses S. Grant is elected president • Wins electoral vote, significant lead in popular vote thanks to African American population • 1869 Passed 15th Amendment: no state can deny suffrage on the grounds of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude • Both 14th/15th amendments ratified by 1870 • Loopholes: literacy/property/gender qualifications

17. Part 2 Reconstruction in the South

18. Congress takes the Power • 2nd round of Reconstruction: Congress leads • Ex-Confederate States: republican controlled gov’t under military protect of the US army until “ALL RECONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS ARE MET” • Republicans rule :TN (1 year), FL (9 years) • Southern Government: • Majority in both houses are white men • Only exception: SC • 1873 House • Legislators included native-born white southerners, freemen, and northerners

19. Supporters of Reconstruction • Scalawags: white men locked out of pre-Civil War politics because of wealthier neighbors • Southern Republicans • Former Whigs • Economic development and peace • Formed allies in the north and with whites/blacks in the south

20. Supporters of Reconstruction • Carpetbaggers: northerners seeking to improve their economic/political situations • Make a fortune out of the South’s misfortune • Young, basic education, worked to get political career

21. African Americans Get Power • 1500 black men help Republicans Party • Superintendents, sheriffs, coroners, police, state legislature • Legislators: well-educated property holders, moderate stance • Blanche K. Bruce, Hiram Revels-Senators (one for J. Davis’s seat!) • Loyalty Oaths required to vote-AA men quickly sign up to vote • White southerners struggling to accept-many avoid voting all together • Black majorities rising throughout the South

22. Republican Owned Gov’t Brief control of southern politics… • Did they abuse their power for selfish ends? • OR Did they govern responsibly in the public interest?

23. Reconstruction: Success v. Failure Successes Failures • Women receive property rights/shape schools • Debt relief • Universal male suffrage • Tax supported education • Aggressive econ. growth • Internal growth • Hospitals/asylums • No woman suffrage • Segregation of schools • Illiteracy, low quality med care, housing, and econ opportunities • Limited protection of legal rights for AA • Political corruption (took $) • Mismanagement of money

24. Freedmen: New Community Life Family Life Schools and Churches • AA men and women have legal rights: can build families and get married • Start schools, churches, and social institutions • Issues in the South: • Settle for substandard living conditions • Hard to find jobs • Rural v. City life • Freedmen’s Bureau combats illiteracy- arithmetic • Tuition: 10% of earnings • Est. black churches • Helped build community, employment opp, political rallies, and schools • Several AA political activists start off as ministers

25. Southern Economy: Problems • Uneven distribution of land • 90% of land owned by only 50% of the population • Competition between landless whites and blacks • “40 acre and a mule” plan did not offer a solution • Did not want to take land from wealthy (Stevens)

26. Systems for Sharing Land • Sharecropping: landowner dictates the crop AND provides sharecropper with shelter, seeds, and tools in return for a “share” of the harvest • Tools: costly, high int. rate • Sharecropper perpetually in debt to landowner; often lied to about debt

27. Systems for Sharing Land • Share-tenancy: similar to sharecropping BUT worker chose his crop and bought own supplies • More freedom, could better judge prices, possible to save $$$

28. System for Sharing Land • Tenant Farming: paid cash rent to landowner then free to manage his own crops and free to choose where he lives • All depended on management skills

29. Reconstruction: the North • Concerned with railroads, labor problems, and money • Grant Administration: Gilded Age • Concerned with material interests • From reformers to Spoilsmen: political manipulators (spoils system back again) • Senator Roscoe Conklin, James Blaine • Business/Political bosses scheme to enrich themselves • Bossman Tweed, Jay Gould, James Fisk

30. Violence Over Reform • Money competition fuels white southerner’s fire • Did not want AA to have full citizenship • Ku Klux Klan • Terrorist group, TN 1866 • Burned homes, schools, churches • Beat, maimed, and killed AA/White allies • Purpose: keep freed people from the polls

31. Government Responds • 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments cause racial violence • Legislators murdered, riots breaking out • Enforcement Acts (KKK Acts): 1870-71, federal offense to interfere with a citizen’s right to vote • Congress invited politically involved AA men in to hearings • Marines sent to protect AA voters in N&S • Decline in violence by 1872 due to feds readiness to punish

32. End of Reconstruction • Grant is reelected for a second term: corruption • Panic of 1873 • Over-speculation and overbuilding (railroads) • Businesses fail, jobless/homeless population • Inflation rampant; farmers in debt • Radical Republicans waning, Southern conservatives “redeemers” controlling southern government • State’s rights, reduced taxes, reduced spending on social programs, white supremacy

33. Election of 1876 • Federal troops withdrawn from all but SC, FL, and LA • Democrats return to power in other S. states • R: Rutherford B. Hayes (OH) • D: Samuel J. Tilden (NY) • Hayes wins 1876: • Immediate end to Republicans in South • Support building a S transcontinental railroad