RECONSTRUCTION

NEED FOR RECONSTRUCTION Southern areas decimated Some areas - every building / bridge destroyed Atlanta completely destroyed Charleston, Richmond, Savannah heavily damaged

NEED FOR RECONSTRUCTION Atlanta completely destroyed Charleston, Richmond, Savannah heavily damaged 2/3 railroads gone (torn up by Union army)

NEED FOR RECONSTRUCTION 2/3 railroads gone (torn up by Union army) Hundreds of thousands dead –Mostly men (who is going to handle the workload?)

NEED FOR RECONSTRUCTION Confederate money is worthless People who bought CSA bonds – unpaid Banks close / go out of business –Depositors lose everything

NEED FOR RECONSTRUCTION 4,000,000 former slaves –new “freedom” No land of their own No jobs No education

Lincoln’s 10% Plan Southern states can form state governments after 10% of voters swear loyalty to the United States of America New governments must abolish slavery Can elect Representatives to Congress Many think Lincoln’s plan in too lenient

Wade-Davis Bill Majority of white males must swear allegiance to USA CSA volunteers denied the right to vote –Cannot hold public office –Includes all officers and the most educated Passed by Congress –Vetoed by Lincoln

Freedmen’s Bureau - Both agree on Freedmen’s Bureau Provide food and clothes Find jobs Medical care

Freedmen’s Bureau Find jobs Medical care Schools – ,000 African- Americans in school Grandparents and children Volunteer teachers from the North Set up 4300 schools –Howard University –Morehouse College

Reconstruction Plan of Andrew Johnson (Tennessee) Majority of Southern voters in each state pledge loyalty to USA Ratification of 13th Amendment ( ¾ of voters in each state needed) Late Johnson signs off on / approves new state governments

Reconstruction Plan of Andrew Johnson (Tennessee) November - Congressional Representatives elected –Many former Confederate officers –Example: Alexander Stephens, VP of CSA elected Senator from Georgia –Republicans are outraged!!

Reconstruction Plan of Andrew Johnson (Tennessee) November - Congressional Representatives elected –Also, no African- Americans voting –Black Codes –Can’t vote –Can’t own guns –Can’t serve on juries –Enter into “work contracts”

Reconstruction Plan of Andrew Johnson (Tennessee) December - new Congress meets –Republicans bar Southerners from entering the chamber –Establish Joint Committee on Reconstruction –New Reconstruction Plan

Radical Republicans Thaddeus Stevens –House of Representatives leader –Pennsylvania Charles Sumner –Senate leader –Massachusetts Two goals –Break the power of the Southern plantation owners –Ensure right to vote for Freedmen

Radical Republicans Thaddeus Stevens –House of Representatives leader –Pennsylvania Charles Sumner –Senate leader –Massachusetts Two goals –Break the power of the Southern plantation owners –Ensure right to vote for Freedmen

Congress vs. Andrew Johnson Congress passes the Civil Rights Act Citizenship for African-Americans Ends “Black Codes” –Vetoed by Johnson –Congress overrides veto ( 2/3 in each house needed)

Congress vs. Andrew Johnson Fourteenth Amendment Citizenship to all persons born in US Equal protection No discrimination based on skin color –States that don’t ratify amendment will have number of Representatives reduced(????? Is that legal / fair / constitutional?????) –Opposed by Johnson Actively campaigns against it –Former CSA states (except Tennessee!) reject it

Congress vs. Andrew Johnson 1866 Congressional election –Republicans gain a 2/3 majority in House and Senate Can override ALL Johnson vetoes

Congress vs. Andrew Johnson o 1st Reconstruction Act of 1867 –Abolishes state governments that don’t ratify 14th Amendment –South is divided into 5 Military Districts –Commanded by Army Generals –New state constitutions –African-Americans allowed to vote

Congress vs. Andrew Johnson o 1st Reconstruction Act of 1867 –Result: Southern whites boycott elections African-Americans vote in large numbers Republicans now control state governments as well Reconstruction laws continue to be passed over Johnson’s veto!

IMPEACHMENT o House of Representatives vote to impeach President Andrew Johnson

IMPEACHMENT “High crimes and misdemeanors” –“Violates” Tenure of Office Act Tried by the full Senate, with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding –2/3 = guilty verdict –Johnson is NOT convicted Vote is (one vote shy) –Many Senators did not like Johnson, but felt he did nothing illegal

Ulysses S. Grant elected President Civil War hero Campaign ads - “Union’s Greatest General” 700,000 blacks voted –almost 100% for Grant

Fifteenth Amendment African-Americans cannot be denied the right to vote based on skin color, in the North or South Ratified in 1870

Groups that dominate Southern politics Scalawags –Southerners who support Republican Reconstruction plan

Groups that dominate Southern politics Carpetbagger –Northerners who move to the South Fortune hunters / profiteers Like the Southern way of life Reformers

Groups that dominate Southern politics African-Americans - gain political clout –Elected to political office Mayors Sheriffs Law makers –16 Congressman –2 Senators

Groups that dominate Southern politics Conservatives –Don’t embrace change –Real power should be in hands of the whites

Groups that dominate Southern politics Ku Klux Klan - terrorist group - lynching / cross- burning / intimidation Anti black Anti Catholic Anti Jewish Anti Immigrant