BLACK RECONSTRUCTIONChapter 14, Sec. 3

Military Reconstruction Congress passed a

law that divided the old Confederacy (except for TN) into 5 military districts.

Many thought the Radical Republicans were going too far and only doing this to keep themselves in power.

Still not enough for Stevens Stevens wanted to go

further still… to seize rebel property and give every former slave 40 acres and a hut (some say a mule).

Never really happened. Johnson vetoed the

military district plan but Congress overrode the veto and it started.

Impeachment of Johnson Congress now out to

“get” Johnson. Even passed laws taking away Presidential power given in the Constitution.

i.e. Constitution says Pres is commander in chief (RR made law to take it away in Commander of the Army Act)

Under what pretext did they impeach President Johnson?

Tenure of Office Act -said that the Pres. Could not dismiss any federal official without the Senate’s consent.

President had enough and fired Sec. of State Stanton (came from Lincoln’s cabinet) to prove he could do it.

So what is impeachment? Impeachment – for

conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. impeaches

House impeaches (435 reps)

Senate has a trial and the Chief Justice presides (needed 2/3 of Senate to vote yes to remove him).

The Trial Went from Mar. 30,

1868 to May 16, 1868 35 Senators voted

guilty, and 19 voted not guilty. (in Andrew Johnson’s case)

It was one vote than 2/3 which was necessary!!!!

Only other impeached Pres. Ever was Bill Clinton.

The Election of 1868REPUBLICANS

DEMOCRATS

Republicans nominated General Ulyssess S. Grant.

Tough, Silent, War Hero Received 214 electoral votes But only won the popular election by

300,000 votes in a total of 5.7 million, if not for the 650,000 blacks in the South he would have lost.

Democrats nominated honest dignified wartime governor of NY Horatio SeyMour.

Was against abolitionist and extremists. Received 80 electoral votes

Fifteenth Amendment

Because of the close election, Northerners (particularly the Republicans) were more anxious than ever to assure the righting vote to all citizens regardless of “race color or previous condition of servitude” so it was passed on Mar. 30 1870

WHO DID MUCH OF THE RECONSTRUCTION (not blacks)! Scalawag-a white

Southerner Carpetbagger- a

white Northerner coming to the South (a somewhat derogatory term implying that he/she was only coming to make money).

WHITE SOUTHERNERS FIGHT BACK WITH FEAR.

Klu Klux Klan – (greek word kyklos meaning circle) was the new secret Southern army

Nathan Bedford a former confederate general was first grand wizard

Meant to harass, injure, and otherwise cause harm and incite fear in blacks and other minority groups.

WASP= White Anglo Saxon Protestant

THE REALITY WAS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CIVIL WAR HAD ENDED……CRIMES ‘AGAINST HUMANITY’ STILL PERSISTED.