1865-1877 The period after the Civil War where the South was rebuilt Reconstruction 1865-1877 The period after the Civil War where the South was rebuilt

What goals should the government set to reconstruct the South? The year is 1865 and, at last, the Civil War is over. The South’s primary labor system, slavery, has been abolished. About four and a half million African Americans now have their freedom but they lack money, property and education. Southern states are beginning the process of readmission to the Union, but the effects of war continue to be felt throughout the South. Rail lines are unusable. Farms, plantations, and factories lie in ruins. What goals should the government set to reconstruct the South?

South After the Civil War

South After the Civil War

Political Concerns 1. Who would direct the process of Reconstruction? The South itself, Congress, or the President? 2. Should the Confederate leaders be tried for treason? 3. How would the South, both physically and economically devastated, be rebuilt? And at whose expense? 4. How would the South be readmitted and integrated into the Union? 5. What should be done with over four million freed slaves? Would they be given land, social equality, education, and voting rights?

Reconstruction and its Effects Presidential Reconstruction: Lincoln and Johnson

The Politics of Reconstruction A. Lincoln’s Plan: Wanted to make it quick and easy for states to rejoin the Union. 10% Plan: Gov’t would pardon all Confederates who would swear an oath to the Union. When 10% of those in each state took oath, they became part of the Union again. Lincoln’s plan called for the official abolishment of slavery with the creation of the 13th Amendment. Gave former Confederates amnesty (an official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses)

B. Assassination! President Lincoln had hoped for a peaceful Reconstruction but he had no time to put his plans into action. On April 14, 1865 he was shot and killed. John Wilkes Booth slipped up behind Lincoln and his wife while they were attending a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington. He died two hours later. Booth was later shot after pursuers trapped him in a barn and set it on fire. 8 people were convicted and hanged for their parts in Lincoln’s death.

C. Andrew Johnson Plan After Lincoln’s death, Johnson the Vice President takes over as the new President. Andrew Johnson was a Southerner, but one who was extremely loyal to the Union– Southerners considered him a traitor. Johnson’s Plan: a. each state had to abolish slavery and ratify the 13th Amendment. b. each state had to withdraw its secession c. swear an oath to the Union, Radical Republicans (Congress) was upset because his plan failed to address many issues with the former slaves.

III. Radical Republican’s Plan (Congressional) a III. Radical Republican’s Plan (Congressional) a. Thought that Reconstruction should be handled by Congress, NOT the president. b. Wanted to destroy all political power of former slave holders. c. Wanted a state to have MAJORITY of its people take an oath before they could be part of the Union again. d. Had to pass the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments. (abolishing slavery, citizenship and voting rights) e. Created the Reconstruction Act of 1867: Divided South into 5 military districts.

Reconstruction Amendments 13th Amendment: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duty convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction (Ratified December 6, 1865). 14th Amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the US are citizens and entitled to equal rights and protection under the law (Ratified July 9, 1868). 15th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude (Ratified February 3, 1870).

Congress Goes into Action Freedmen’s Bureau: assisted former slaves and poor whites in the South by distributing clothing and food; set up 40 hospitals, 4000 schools, 61 industrial institutes, 74 teacher-training centers Helped people to find jobs Wanted to resolve tensions between blacks and whites Civil Rights Act of 1866: gave African Americans citizenship and forbade states from passing discriminatory laws (“black codes”) Johnson vetoed BOTH of these laws.

Response to Radicals Scalawags: White Southerners who “jumped ship” and joined the Republican party. Carpetbaggers: Northern whites who went south to start business or pursue political office.

Changes in the Southern Economy Sharecropping: Landowners divided their land and gave each worker (freed or poor white) a few acres, tools, and seeds. At harvest, the farmer gave part of their crop to the landowner. This agreement was renewed every year. Tenant Farmer: farmers who rented land (with cash) and kept their harvest

What happens next? Radicals tried to impeach Johnson He escaped impeachment by 1 vote! In time a new President was elected: Ulysses S. Grant With this election Radical Republicans began to lose power. Many resulted with violence Led to the creation of the Ku Klux Klan to scare African Americans.

End of Reconstruction Things don’t get better for ALL people in the South. Southern states passed laws to limit African Americans from voting. (giving literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clause) Jim Crow Laws passed, enforcing segregation. Plessy vs. Ferguson: separate but equal Freedmen worked as sharecroppers. 1877 Rutherford Hayes removes military troops from the South.