End of Reconstruction

“Other Matters” 1872: Nation been focusing on regional matters for 2 decades Other social, political, economic issues need attention: - European immigration swelled pop. In N & W - Corruption/Intrigue part of city politics - New technology spurred growth of industry & provided opportunities for huge profits → this also provided opportunities for corruption

Grant’s Presidency Popular war hero, disappointing President Ability to lead was marred by scandal Gave high-level advisory posts to untrustworthy friends & acquaintances → used these posts to “line their own pockets” VP investigated & implicated in scheme to steal profits from Union Pacific Railroad Brother-in-law implicated in plan to corner gold market

Grant Contd. Ran for re-election in 1872 Some Republicans teamed w/ Dem to create Liberal Republican Party → advocated civil service reform → removal of army from South → end to corruption in S & National Govts. Grant won election Grant looked other away when secretary, Secretary of War, and members of Congress involved in different scandals Confidence in public officials drops significantly

Economic Panic Economic turmoil & uncertainty made public discontent worse Fall of 1873, nation’s most influential bank failed → failure was due to overextended loans to the expanding railroad industry South economy not only economy in trouble Northerners preoccupied by: → bank failures → job losses → uncertain economy

Why Did Reconstruction End? Northern voters & politicians focused on reforming politics & the economy 1871; troops gradually withdrawn from South 1872; Freedmen’s Bureau dissolved Death of Radical Republican leader Charles Sumner let to reemergence of racial prejudice in the North

Inequality Supreme Court gradually reduced black freedoms Slaughterhouse Cases (1872) → although citizen has national rights, fed govt. had NO control over how a state chose to define rights for citizens who resided there U.S. v. Cruikshank (1875) → White mob killed large group of blacks at political rally → court ruled that due process & equal protection clauses of 14 th amendment protected citizens only from actions of state, not of actions of other citizens

Whites Gain Power Klan & courts used violence & legal interpretations to intimidate Southern Dem used more subtle methods → used coalition to return S to rule of white man → emphasized how Rep programs (schools & RR) resulted in higher taxes → agreed to African American suffrage → Rep joined Dem in ostracizing white southerners who supported radical republicans → coalition seize every opportunity to discredit black politicians as self-serving & incompetent → Dem/Rep agreed that segregation should be new rule of South

Power Contd. Whites looked for common issues that would unite them in regaining control of Congress Redeemers: politicians who aimed to repair or “redeem” the South in the eyes of Congress. Strategy described as being designed to “redeem” S from N domination 1870; VA, NC, TN reinstated wealthy whites as governors & sent conf leaders back to U.S. Congress Congressional elections of 1874; Republicans lost control over House of Representatives

Reconstruction Ends Election of 1876: Hayes v. Tilden Rutherford B. Hayes → From Ohio → Respected Union general → Served in House of Representatives → Governor of Ohio → Reputation for honesty & reform-mindedness Samuel Tilden → From New York → Reputation for fighting corruption * Both candidates gave voters attractive candidates amid current corrupt leadership

Reconstruction Ends Cont. Tilden received 51% of popular vote & carried all southern states Republicans claimed votes had been miscounted in 3 southern states - 3 states were controlled by Rep who controlled ballot reporting - during recount, enough mistakes found to give Hayes victory Democrats protested results of election

Compromise of 1877 Congress creates commission to mediate “crisis” - 5 senators (chosen by Rep dominated senate) - 5 reps (chosen by Dem House of Rep) - 5 supreme court justices - Hayes became President - remaining federal troops withdrawn - southerner appointed to cabinet position - S states guaranteed federal subsidies to build RR & improve ports Marked official end of Federal Reconstruction

Reconstructions Effects Positive changes for the south: - tax supported school system - federal money to modernize RR and ports - economy expanded beyond just cotton - transition to wage economy from barter-and- credit system Failures: - failed to heal bitterness btwn N & S - failed to provide lasting protection for freed people

Effects on African Americans 1877, few southern blacks owned their own farms Reconstruction gave blacks job choices Freedmen’s Bureau reunited slaves with families & promoted literacy 13 th, 14 th, 15 th Amendment provided hope for full inclusion in American society

Effect on Women’s Suffrage While Reconstruction gave vote to black men, it did nothing to help women get a vote During 15 th Amendment debate, disagreement over women’s suffrage emerged Some felt including women in 15 th Amendment would prevent it from passing American Woman Suffrage Associate (AWSA) formed in 1869 (formed by those who thought 15 th Amendment would be affected) National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) believed that women should get vote immediately

Women’s Suffrage Contd. NWSA won first victory in 1869 when Wyoming extended right to vote to women Black women included in AWSA & NWSA Further division occurred when black women split to form Colored Women’s Progressive Franchise in 1880

Effects on State & Politics Republican Party seen as the party that “freed slaves” - White southerners shunned party - Blacks embraced it Democratic Party came to dominate the South Republicans became party of big business Democrats identified w/ industrial laborers - had to maintain balance on labor issue as well as the question of race

Effects Contd. Key questions: - What political unit has more power-the federal govt. or the individual states? - In cases of disputes of public policy, which branch of fed govt. has the last word? Fed govt. asserted authority over entire country After Reconstruction, voters opted for balance of power With downfall of Radical Republicans, congressmen felt it would be better to let S attend its own affairs than to leave region under control of federal military power & political control