1865-1877

Reconstruction

Aftershock: Beyond the Civil WarPart 1 Violence & Lincoln’s AssassinationPart 2 Freedman’s Bureau & Johnson*Part 3Part 4Part 5Part 6Part 7Part 8Part 9

Effects of the Civil WarCreation of a single unified countryAbolition of slavery (13th Amendment)Increased power to federal government –

tried to kill the issue of states rights U.S. now an industrial nationA stronger sense of nationalismWestern lands increasingly opened to

settlementSouth was economically and physically

devastated, w/ the plantation system crippled...thus Reconstruction (rebuilding the U.S.) - but a deep hatred of the North remained...

ReconstructionFederal government’s controversial effort to repair the damage to the South and restore southern states to the union

4 Presidents were involved (1865-1877)

Physical Toll2/3 shipping destroyed9,000 miles of railroad destroyed

Value of southern property plunged 70%

Human TollNorth 364,000South 260,000 (1/5 of adult white men)

Civilian deaths also occurred as the Northern troops moved through the South

Southern Hardships

Freed slaves had the freedom to…Move – freed slaves looked for loved ones

and marriedOwn land – provided some economic

independenceWorship – formed own churches, volunteer

groups, trade associations, drama clubsTo learn – 1860 – 90% illiterate

Schools opened1865-1870 – 30 African American colleges

opened

Issues facing Reconstruction

2 issues to be resolved at the end of the 2 issues to be resolved at the end of the Civil WarCivil WarSeceded StatesSeceded StatesFreed SlavesFreed Slaves

None of these plans (so far) addressed issues facing

freed slaves Black CodesBlack Codes KKKKKK LynchingLynching

Questions after the Civil War1. How and when should Southern states be

allowed to resume their role in the union?2. Should the South be punished for actions

or be forgiven and recover quickly?3. Would races have equal rights?4. Should the federal government be

stronger?

The Founding Fathers didn’t foresee a Civil War, so there was no indication of which branch should handle the aftermath…

4 Reconstruction Plans were Developed1. Lincoln’s Plan2. Wade Davis Bill3. Johnson’s Plan4. Congressional Plan of 1867

Lincoln’s Plan (10% plan)He began working on the plan as early as

December 1863He hoped to achieve unity without

thoroughly punishing the SouthHe felt that the South did not legally

secede from the unionMany felt his plan did not go far enough to

support the rights, especially for voting, of African Americans

1.Lincoln’s PlanProclamation of Amnesty and ReconstructionTen-Percent PlanOffered forgiveness (PARDON) to all Offered forgiveness (PARDON) to all

southerners who southerners who pledged loyalty to the Union pledged loyalty to the Union and support for emancipationand support for emancipation

With 10% of the population pledging this, the With 10% of the population pledging this, the state could then form a government that state could then form a government that banned slavery and be readmitted into the banned slavery and be readmitted into the UnionUnion

Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and VirginiaArkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and VirginiaAngered Radical RepublicansAngered Radical Republicans

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address March 1865“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 the nation’s wounds…to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

Lincoln’s Plan upset CongressRe-admitting states to the Union was a

power of Congress, not the presidentSince secession was against the law, Since secession was against the law,

Confederates had never legally left the Confederates had never legally left the UnionUnion

So Congress responds with…So Congress responds with…The Wade Davis BillThe Wade Davis BillOnce a majority of a state’s white, male Once a majority of a state’s white, male

citizens pledged loyalty to the union, it citizens pledged loyalty to the union, it would be readmitted into the Unionwould be readmitted into the Union

Lincoln Pocket vetoedLincoln Pocket vetoed

2. Wade- Davis Bill (July, 1864)So Congress responds with…So Congress responds with…The Wade Davis BillThe Wade Davis BillOnce 50% of a state’s white, male Once 50% of a state’s white, male

citizens pledged loyalty to the union, citizens pledged loyalty to the union, it would be readmitted into the Unionit would be readmitted into the Union

Lincoln Pocket vetoedLincoln Pocket vetoedMany members of Congress wanted Many members of Congress wanted

to view the Southern states as to view the Southern states as reconquered provincesreconquered provinces

Andrew Johnson Becomes President after Lincoln is

assassinated in 1865One-time slave-ownerMoved from North Carolina to TennesseeWas the only southern member of Congress to

side with the UnionHated rich planters; strong supporter of poor

whites

DEMOCRATIn 1865, Congress took an 8 month break and

Johnson pursued his plan…

3. Andrew Johnson’s PlanSimilar to Lincoln’s PlanExcept…

Wanted to break the planters’ power by excluding high-ranking Confederates and wealthy Southern landowners from voting

Pardoned more than 13,000 former Confederates so that “white men alone must manage the South”

All but Texas joined and sent Representatives to Congress, Congress refused to admit them

Freedman’s BureauBegun in March 1865 (prior to Lincoln’s

assassination)1st major federal relief agency in history1866 Congress voted to enlarge the

Freedmen’s Bureau & forbid Southern states from passing black codesprovided food, clothing, hospitals, legal

protection, and education to former slavesIt redistributed Johnson vetoed the Freedmen’s Bureau Act

and the Civil Rights Act

What do you see (symbols, people, etc.)?

What words are used?

What can you infer from or about the cartoon?

Republicans in Congress wanted…

Favored tougher rules for restoring the states Favored tougher rules for restoring the states that had left the Unionthat had left the Union

Wanted to truly give freed slaves freedomWanted to truly give freed slaves freedomOverrode Johnson’s veto of the Freedman’s Overrode Johnson’s veto of the Freedman’s

Bureau and drafted the 14Bureau and drafted the 14thth Amendment Amendment1414thth Amendment Amendment grants citizenship to “all person’s grants citizenship to “all person’s

born or naturalized in the United States” born or naturalized in the United States” Reconstruction plan:Reconstruction plan:

A.A. Ratify the 14Ratify the 14thth and 15 and 15thth Amendments AmendmentsB.B. Write new state constitution that guaranteed Write new state constitution that guaranteed

freedmen the right to votefreedmen the right to voteC.C. Form new governments to be elected by all male Form new governments to be elected by all male

citizens including African Americanscitizens including African Americans

4. Congress ReconstructionCongress drafted the Reconstruction Plan

of 1867 Denied state governments formed under the

Lincoln and Johnson plansDivided former Confederate states into 5

military districtsThis would force southern states to grant African-

Americans the right to vote and pass the 14th amendment to reenter the union.

Johnson vetoed Congress overrode Johnson’s Presidential

Veto

Congress upset with Johnson, look for grounds to impeach him.

Find it after he violates the Tenure of Office Act in 1868 by removing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from office

Senate did not vote to convict so he remains in office

Presidential Election of 1868Ulysses S. Grant wins the election by

306,000 votesOver 500,000 Southern African Americans

had voted in which 9/10 voted for GrantRadical Republicans introduce the 15th

Amendment after the election15th Amendment no person can be kept from

voting based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Republicans in the Postwar South

Scalawags: white Southerners who joined the Republican PartyMainly small farmers wanting to improve their

economic positionCarpetbaggers: Northerners who moved to

the South after the warAfrican Americans

Discontinuity in Southern RepublicansScalawags and white Southerners resisted equal

rights for African Americans

African Americans during Reconstruction

95% of former slaves were illiterateFirst public schools established in the South by

the new African American churchesVoted and held office in local, state, and federal

governmentsMany forced into sharecropping because they

were denied landSharecropping: landowners divided their land and

assigned each head of household a few acres, along with seeds and tools.

Sharecroppers kept a small share of their crops and gave the rest to the landowners

Reconstruction CollapsesRise of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

Goal was to destroy the Republican Party, Reconstruction governments, aid the planter class, and keep Af. Am.’s from engaging in politics

Killed approximately 20,000 men, women & children

Boycotted Af. Am.s who voted RepublicanCongress passed a series of Enforcement Acts in

1870 and 1871 to try and block the KKKSupervision of elections in Southern statesGave President power to use fed. Troops where

KKK was activeMay 1872 Congress passed the Amnesty Act

allowing 150,000 former Confederates the right to vote and hold government offices

Also allowed the Freedman’s Bureau to expire

What do you see (symbols, people, etc.)?

What words are used?

What can you infer from or about the cartoon?

Reconstruction Collapses (Cont.)

Panic of 1873 after a series of banks fail leads to a 5 year depression

Supreme Court undoes some of the social and political changes Radicals made

Republicans retreat from Reconstruction policiesSouthern Democrats regain control of the SouthElection of 1876

Samuel J. Tilden (D) vs. Rutherford B. Hayes (R)Tilden wins popular vote but misses by 1 electoral

voteS. Democrats agree to accept Hayes if federal

troops are withdrawn from the South