Aim: How was Congressional Reconstruction instituted in the southern states?

2. Congressional Reconstruction While President Johnson was putting forth his plan of Reconstruction, the Radical Republicans in Congress were drawing up their own plan. The goals of the Radical Republicans were as follows: (1) Return the southern states to the Union, but under tougher terms than the ones brought by Lincoln and Johnson. (2) Protect the freedoms of ex-slaves who were freed as a result of the Civil War. The Radical Republicans believed that if they won the support of the newly-freed slaves, those slaves would be more likely to vote Republican.

The Big Four Radical Republicans

The Enemy of the Radicals-Andrew Johnson As President, Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans came to many disagreements concerning the status of Blacks in the South following the Civil War. The Radical Republicans would soon find out that Johnson was no friend of ex-slaves and would go out of his way to bring back Pre-Civil War society after the war was over. By the end of Johnson’s term, the Radical Republicans would go as far to impeach President Johnson.

Questions 1/2 What were the two goals of the Radical Republican plan for Reconstruction? Why was it important for the Radical Republicans to protect the rights of newly-freed slaves?

2.1 The Freedmen’s Bureau The Freedmen’s Bureau was established in March 1865 and its job was to aid all people in the south, although freedmen-men, women and children who had been slaves-was their first concern. The Freedmen’s Bureau helped Blacks to establish farms on abandoned lands. The Bureau drew up contracts between white owners and black workers. They also established schools and courts for blacks. The Freedmen’s Bureau was the only direct step that the federal government took to help the South and ex-slaves economically. In February 1866, the Congress added a bill increasing the powers of the Freedmen’s Bureau. The bill stated that the Bureau would continue to aid and assist those people living in the south. President Johnson vetoed the bill because he felt that the southern states were not adequately represented when the vote was taken.

Locations of Freedmen’s Bureaus

Opposition to the Freedmen’s Bureau

Northern Soldiers Helped Freedmen’s Bureaus

Schools Established by the Freedmen’s Bureau

Freedmen’s Marriage License

Freedmen’s Business Agreements

Andrew Johnson’s Lack of Support As I stated in a prior slide, Andrew Johnson had little regard for the Radical Republicans and little regard for the interests of newly-freed Blacks during Reconstruction.

Questions 3/4/5 What was the purpose of the Freedmen’s Bureau? What does the word freedmen mean? What happened when the United States Congress added a new bill to the Freedmen’s Bureau?

2.2 Black Codes and the Civil Rights Act After the end of the Civil war, some southern states were beginning to pass black codes-laws that limited the rights of blacks. The black codes differed from state-to-state, but there were many similarities: (1) Blacks could not vote. (2) Blacks could not testify against whites. (3) Blacks could not serve on juries. (4) Blacks could only hold certain types of jobs-most were in agriculture. Although freed, the black codes were very harsh much like the slave codes they were forced to endure in the years before the Civil War. In 1866, Congress moved to protect the rights of blacks by passing the Civil Rights Act. This act was aimed at protecting freedmen through the courts rather than by military power. Under the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Blacks were made citizens and it became illegal to treat a person differently because of color. This was the first federal law to define citizenship and to protect rights within states. President Johnson vetoed the bill, but the US Congress passed the bill over his veto.

Black Codes After a while, Black Codes were installed so that the status quo of the South was preserved, meaning, newly freed Blacks would find that their freedoms would no longer exist and that Southern Whites would impose conditions as bad as slavery on them. Even Southern state governments would NOT help them because they were voting for the Democratic Party who kept Blacks as 2nd class citizens.

Southern Whites Return to Power

Life in the South During the Black Codes Slowly, the rights of Blacks were being removed from them as Reconstruction went on. The United States South soon became a segregated society until 1954. Pictures such as this would slowly start the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Civil Rights Act of 1866 The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1866. The United States Congress passed the Act despite the veto of President Johnson. This gave newly freed Blacks the right to vote as well as equal rights and protections. Slowly, state governments in the Southern United States would find ways to undermine the Civil Rights Act.

Questions 6/7/8 What does the term black codes mean? What were some things that Blacks were unable to do under the Black Codes? What did the Civil Rights Act of 1866 provide?

2.3 The Fourteenth Amendment - The Radical Republicans in Congress were fearing that the United States Supreme Court would overturn the Civil Rights Act. - To stop this, the US Congress proposed a constitutional amendment incorporating the principles of the Civil Rights Act. - In June 1866, the amendment was sent to the states. - The 14th Amendment states that all persons born in the United States were citizens of the United States and citizens of the state where they lived. The 14th Amendment states that no state could deprive a citizen of life, liberty and property without due process of law. Under the 14th Amendment, every citizen was entitled to equal protection under the laws. - The only state to ratify the 14th Amendment was Tennessee. This made Tennessee the first seceded state to return to the Union. - Other leaders believed that it was up to that state to decide the matter of citizenship for its people. They were supported by Northern Democrats and President Johnson. This led many southern states to not ratify the 14th Amendment until 1868.

US History Smackdown-Reconstruction In this corner, from the legislative branch, the Radical Republicans!!!!!

US History Smackdown-Reconstruction In this corner, he’s the 17th President of the United States…you know him, you love him, you can’t get enough of him….President Andrew Johnson. Ladies and gentlemen, the big issue of rights of newly freed slaves was the big topic of a constitutional smackdown. The Congress feared that Johnson would find a way to eliminate the Civil Rights Act of 1866. They needed a new solution…quickly. They went on to pass a new amendment.

14th Amendment

14th Amendment Is The Reason For Civil Rights Movement In order to defeat segregation of The late 19th/early 20th Centuries, Thorogood Marshall claimed that the conditions that Blacks lived under segregation was a violation of the amendment. The United States Supreme Court agreed and in 1954 allowed for the integration of public schools.

Questions 9/10/11/12 What did Radical Republicans fear would happen to the Civil Rights Act of 1866? How did they prevent this from happening? What were the aims of the 14th Amendment? Which state became the first state to ratify the 14th Amendment making it the first seceded state to return to the United States? Why did other southern states refuse to ratify the 14th Amendment until 1868?  

2.4 The Reconstruction Acts - President Johnson decided to take his ideas about Reconstruction directly to the American voters. He believed that by doing this, he would persuade people to vote against the Radical Republicans in Congress. - Despite his efforts, the Radical Republicans were able to win a two-thirds majority in each house of the United States Congress. This allowed for the Radical Republicans to pass any bill that Johnson vetoed and direct the course of Reconstruction. - In March 1867, the Congress passed the first of several Reconstruction Acts. These acts did the following: (1) The South (except Tennessee) would be divided into five military districts. (2) The district would be headed by a general backed by military forces. (3) The generals made sure that each state would have a state convention regarding the establishment and writing of the state constitutions. (4) Prohibited any Confederate leaders from holding office. (5) Approved the readmission of any state as long as the state constitution was approved by the US Congress and the 14th Amendment was approved. By 1870, all the seceded southern states had been readmitted back into the United States.

Reconstruction Acts

The Return of Prewar Southern Governments Although the Radical Republicans had won regarding the Reconstruction Acts, the President, slowly took it upon himself to help Southern Democrats return to their way of life before the Civil War.

Questions 13/14 Why were the Radical Republicans excited about winning the congressional elections of 1867? What were the goals of the Reconstruction Acts?

2.5 Johnson’s Impeachment - The problems between the US Congress and President Johnson came to a boil with the Tenure of Office Act that was passed in March 1867. - Tenure of office means the length of time that a person can stay in office. This act stated that the President could not remove a person without the approval of the United States Senate. The act was passed to check the power of President Johnson. - Johnson thought the act was unconstitutional. He tried to test the act in a court of law. - In February 1868, Johnson removed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. The Radical Republicans charged Johnson with breaking the law. The House of Representatives drew up 11 articles of impeachment that accused Johnson of misconduct, most of the articles centered on Johnson’s inability to follow the Tenure of Office Act. - The trial began in March 1868 with Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase presiding and the Senate acting as the jury. - Many people believed that the only reason for Johnson’s trial was because he was not liked by the Radical Republicans. - In the end, the people who brought Johnson up on the impeachment charges were unable to find anything unlawful . - The final vote came on May 16, 1868. The final count was 35 to 19 in favor of a not guilty vote. Seven Republicans were part of the group who voted not to acquit Johnson. - Johnson was acquitted-not guilty of his charges. Johnson had escaped impeachment but had lost much of his influence.

Ticket to Impeachment Trial of President Andrew Johnson

The Trial

The Results of the Trial Andrew Johnson was one of two American Presidents to have ever been impeached on charges brought upon them by the United States House of Representatives. Who is the other President? Why was he impeached by the House of Representatives?

President Bill Clinton Bill Clinton was brought up on impeachment charges in 1998.

Questions 15/16/17/18/19/20 What issue brought the United States Congress and President Johnson to face off in court? What does the term tenure of office mean? Who did Johnson replace in February 1868? What did many people feel was the cause of Johnson’s trial in the United States Senate? What happened regarding Johnson’s trial? What does the word acquittal mean?