The Reconstruction Era Ruins seen from the capitol, Columbia, S.C., 1865. Photographed by George N. Barnard. 165-SC-53. http://www.archives.gov/research/civil-war/photos/images/civil-war-113.jpg

Reconstruction Reconstruction (1865-1877) – period during which the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War and included the process by which the federal government readmitted former Confederate states.

After the War South lay in ruins (destroyed) Nearly 4 million freedman (freed slaves) needed food, clothing, & jobs President Lincoln planned for Reconstruction, the rebuilding of the South Ruins seen from the Circular Church, Charleston, S.C., 1865. 111-B-4667. http://www.archives.gov/research/civil-war/photos/images/civil-war-112.jpg

Lincoln and Johnson Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan – argued that the southern states had never left the Union because secession was illegal– one nation indivisible when 10% of voters pledged allegiance to the U.S. – state could be readmitted to U.S and create a new government. very lenient – goal was to readmit southern states as quick as possible, not to punish the South States had to abolish slavery to return. Many in Congress didn’t like Lincoln’s plan & wanted a stricter form of Reconstruction

Wade-Davis Bill A bill proposed for the Reconstruction of the South written by two Radical Republicans.  In contrast to President Abraham Lincoln's more lenient Ten Percent Plan, the bill made re-admittance to the Union for former Confederate states contingent on a majority in each Southern state to take the Ironclad oath to the effect they had never in the past supported the Confederacy. 

Wade-Davis Bill Ironclad oath-  By requiring officials and voters to swear they had never supported the Confederacy, it limited the political activity of ex-Confederate soldiers and supporters.  Lincoln blocked this bill with a pocket veto.

Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867- These acts divided the south into five military districts. Each district was placed under military leadership and new elections were held with voting only allowed by Congress' approved voters, which were mostly former slaves. Each state was also required to ratify the 13th and 14th Amendments after drafting new state constitutions.

Reconstruction Plan of Andrew Johnson Johnson’s Presidential Reconstruction – also very lenient toward the South In each southern state, a majority of voters must swear loyalty to the U.S. Each state must approve the 13th Amendment Then each state could rejoin the Union Andrew Johnson, Vice President & President http://www.archives.gov/research/civil-war/photos/images/civil-war-187.jpg

Response to Johnson’s Plan Southern States met Johnson’s demands Republicans in Congress outraged because African Americans were not allowed to vote & former Confederate Leaders were elected to Congress

Acts of Congress Freedman’s Bureau was created by Congress and established March 1865 It gave food, clothing, & other kinds of help to the freedman. Sharecropping – many African-Americans rented land from plantation owners in return for a share or percentage of the total crop produced

Sharecropping Sharecropping

Radical Reconstruction After the war, most southern states quickly ratified the 13th Amendment. Then passed Black Codes, which limited the rights of African Americans. Radical Republicans in Congress decide to take over Reconstruction They wanted to break the power of the southern planters and to make sure African Americans had the right to vote. Radical Reconstruction http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/sespics/34004.jpg

Radical Republicans Radical Republicans – northern members of Congress, led by Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens, who opposed Lincoln’s Ten Percent plan and Johnson’s plan Wanted to punish the southern slave owners Wanted to give African-Americans the right to vote Graft- gaining money illegally through politics in order to maximize the benefits to private interests.

Radical Reconstruction (continued) 14th Amendment, 1868 – All people born in the U.S. are citizens. No state may take away rights of citizens. 15th Amendment, 1870 – The right to vote cannot be denied to citizens because of their race or color or because they were once enslaved. Reconstruction Act – Southern states had to ratify the 14th Amendment, African American men must be allowed to vote,… Johnson vetoed these acts & Congress overrode his veto; Congress eventually tried to impeach him

Reconstruction Under Grant 18th President of the United States and served two terms from March 4, 1869, to March 4, 1877. In the 1872 election he won by a landslide against Horace Greeley. Grant presided over the last half of Reconstruction. He supported amnesty (pardon) for Confederate leaders and protection for the civil rights of African-Americans.

Reconstruction Under Grant He favored a limited number of troops to be stationed in the South to protect rights of Southern blacks, and suppress the violent tactics of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1869 and 1871, Grant signed bills promoting voting rights and prosecuting Klan leaders. Panic of 1873- Promoted scores of smaller banks to close and caused the stock market to plummet.

Politics in Post War South Republican Party in the South relied on 3 groups during reconstruction African Americans – right to vote guaranteed by 15th Amendment Sharecropping – many African-Americans rented land from plantation owners in return for a share or percentage of the total crop produced Scalawags – Southerners who became Republicans Carpetbaggers – Northerner Republicans who moved to the South

The Collapse of Reconstruction Anti-Black Violence Election of 1876 Compromise of 1877

The Collapse of Reconstruction Anti-Black violence – goal was to prevent African Americans from voting Ku Klux Klan (KKK) – violent terrorist organization devoted to white supremacy

The Collapse of Reconstruction Election of 1876 – Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican) vs. Samuel Tilden (Democrat) Tilden won the popular vote, Hayes won the electoral college South upset and disputed the election

The Collapse of Reconstruction Compromise of 1877 – agreement to settle the disputed election Hayes (Republican) = president Republicans would end military occupation of the South ended White Democrats took control of southern state governments = “Redemption” “Redemption”- the overthrow or defeat of Radical Republicans (white and black) by white Democrats, marking the end of the Reconstruction era in the South.

Reconstruction Ends Reconstruction ended after presidential candidate Rutherford B. Hayes made a private deal with southern politicians. After Reconstruction, a new industrial economy began to emerge in the South. Southern whites pass new laws to deny African Americans equal rights. Poll Taxes, Literacy Tests, & Grandfather Clauses Segregation, Jim Crow Laws, Lynching Civil Rights Movement (100 years later)

Civil War Pictures from the National Archives http://www. archives Many Reconstruction http://cla.calpoly.edu/~lcall/204/outline.weekfour.html