RECONSTRUCTION (1865-1877)

Reconstruction Lasted From 1865 - 1877 That would be 12 years and involved four presidents!

Ruins of Gallego Flour Mill - Richmond, VA

Charleston, SC April 1865

Charleston, SC April 1865

Charleston, SC April 1865

Freedom! Limitations/Needs Facing The Freedmen They Need Housing They Need Food They Need Clothing They Need Jobs ?

Na wengi hawawezi kusoma wala kuandika! 8

“And many can’t read or write!” You don’t read Swahili? Na wengi hawawezi kusoma wala kuandika! means “And many can’t read or write!” 9

Freedom! The Joys Move/Travel Freely Founded Schools Establish Religion Marry Legally Own Land

Most stay in the South. What is created to help them adjust to their new lives?

Freedmen’s Bureau (1865) Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. Many former northern abolitionists risked their lives to help southern freedmen. Called “carpetbaggers” by white southern Democrats.

Carpetbag

Freedmen’s Bureau Developed to help former slaves Provided food, schools, legal help, etc.

Freedmen’s Bureau School

Students standing outside a freedmen’s school known as James’ Plantation School (North Carolina)

Plenty to eat and nothing to do. Freedmen’s Bureau Seen Through Southern Eyes Plenty to eat and nothing to do.

Imagine you are a White Southerner . . . Wouldn’t you be angry that the Freedmen are getting all this help and you didn’t? How might you react? You might become defiant! You might feel that you have lost power!

As a Result, the Freedmen’s Bureau Could not overcome Southern hostilities Lacked political support from both Northern and Southern government officials Ended in 1872

The Freedmen are on their own now! What will happen now?

Sharecropping A landowner allows person to use the land in return for a share of the crop produced on the land (50% split), but . . . Anything borrowed and/or rent also had to be paid with the remainder of the crop

Tenant Farming Only slightly better…these farmers have purchased their own equipment and only rent the land. These two job options create: Economic Limitations

The Freedmen find that any power they gained with emancipation is quickly disappearing. White Southerner’s are demanding power and the Federal Government can’t always prevent it.

Limits to Freedmen’s Rights Disenfranchisement or Disfranchisement (to prevent from voting) Formation of Hate Groups Use Black Codes/Jim Crow Laws

Disenfranchisement 14th/15th Amendments were SUPPOSED to prevent this from happening! Used various methods that included 1. poll taxes 2. literacy tests 3. threats

Rise of KKK – violent response to Radical Reconstruction

Ku Klux Klan Started in 1866 by 6 former Confederate soldiers Members wore robes and masks to look like the ghosts of dead Confederate soldiers who returned for revenge against enemies of the South.

Nathan Bedford Forrest – founder of the KKK and Confederate Leader (Commander at Ft. Pillow)

The goal of denying African-Americans their rights and keep them in the role of submissive laborers – also includes other groups (White League)

A cartoon threatening that the KKK would lynch carpetbaggers, Tuscaloosa, AL, Independent Monitor (1868) 

KKK Rally in Delmar, DE 1920

Black Codes/Jim Crow Laws Limits rights and opportunities Limits jobs to farm work or unskilled labor Set curfews Establishes punishments for vagrancy (not working)

Black Code Sample and Jim Crow Reading

Slave Narrative: Fountain Hughes

Three Questions About Fountain Hughes What freedoms did he experience? What limitations did he experience? How do you think the three different social groups will react politically, economically, and socially to Reconstruction?

Reintegrating the South Problem #1 Determine the role of the freedmen

Problem #2 Define the role and acceptable power of former Confederates within their states and within the nation

Problem #3 Determine which branch of government would be responsible for overseeing reconstruction

3 Plans for Reconstruction Lincoln’s Plan (10%) Johnson’s Plan Congress’ Plan (Congressional Reconstruction or Radical Reconstruction)

Two Plans for Reconstruction Lincoln’s Plan …..Also called the 10% plan!

Lincoln’s Plan Required 10% of white men to swear allegiance (loyalty) to the constitution and the Union. Plan included the emancipation of slaves

Former Confederates can run local governments Lincoln’s Plan, cont. Former Confederates can run local governments 10% agreement allowed full participation in the Union

Lincoln Plan problems… Republicans in Congress felt this plan was way too kind! HE DID NOT PUNISH THE REBELS! FELT LINCOLN WAS TOO EASY ON SOUTH

Lincoln’s Plan - PROBLEMS No role for freed men identified No guarantee of rights or future rights

Lincoln’s Plan is never implemented! April 1865 -Lincoln assassinated 13th amendment officially ends slavery in all of the United States

Andrew Johnson, (southern democrat, former slave owner) administered his own new policy President!

The Johnson Plan Granted amnesty (forgiveness) to former Confederates who signed loyalty oath Restored all property, except slaves and confiscated lands

Voided secession laws and ratify the 13th amendment Johnson’s Plan Voided secession laws and ratify the 13th amendment Cancelled war debts 5. Vetoed est. of Freedmen’s Bureau

Johnson’s Plan - PROBLEMS More generous to the south! Amnesty awarded to “certain” southerners Flawed election process (blacks excluded from voting)

Would not support 13th Amendment Johnson’s Presidency He lacked Mandate to govern Support of Congress Also was anti-civil rights Would not support 13th Amendment

Consider This . . . Who are not considered in the two plans? What will the freedmen do? How did the freedmen’s lives change?

Descriptions of Plans Radical = extreme in their beliefs Moderates = mainstream views of the political party, not extreme at all We had moderate plans for reconstruction (Lincoln & Johnson), but now they change to the RADICAL version called . . .

Radical Reconstruction Congress bypasses President Johnson and enacts the Reconstruction Act of 1867 -passed by radical republicans -state governments declared illegal 1. south divided into 5 military districts

Radical Reconstruction cont… To rejoin the Union: 2. Adopt a constitution guaranteeing all male citizens the right to vote 3. Elect a new government 4. Ratify the 14th amendment (no white southern who served as conf. soldier/official could vote on new constitution)

Radical Republicans in Congress see Black Codes as a way for White Southerners to get around the efforts of Congress.

Impeachment! Congressional power growing Johnson fires Sec. of War -The House votes to “impeach” Johnson (to accuse of wrongdoing and bring to trial) -President escapes removal by only 1 vote

13th Amendment Civil War Amendments Unlike the Emancipation Proclamation, this change to the Constitution ends ALL slavery in the United States

Declared former slaves CITIZENS Provides equal rights for ALL CITIZENS Counted and represented as CITIZENS Prevents former Confederates from holding office

15th Amendment Election of 1870 – many angry white southerners refused to (or couldn’t) vote More than 600 African Americans were elected to southern legislatures and 16 black men were elected to Congress

The End of Reconstruction Why did Reconstruction efforts finally end? Heavy taxes Corruption Lack of northern support for racial equality The Solid South – Southern Democrats reversed many of the reforms

The Compromise of 1877 Samuel Tilden wins popular vote; a dispute over electoral votes The Democrats agree to give Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency in return for the removal of all federal troops from the Southern States Hayes’ removal of troops from the south is regarded as the end of reconstruction!