Reconstruction Chapter 20

Reconstruction Process of reuniting the nation and rebuilding the South without slavery. Lasted from 1865 to 1877.

Lincoln’s Plan Offer amnesty to southerners who took a loyalty oath, and accepted a ban on slavery. When 10% of voters had made pledges, state could form government and apply for readmission.

Wade-Davis Bill State had to ban slavery. Majority of adult males had to take loyalty oath. Confederate supporters could not vote or hold office.

Johnson as President Gave amnesty to southerners who took loyalty oath and denounced slavery. Required former Confederate officials to receive a presidential pardon for amnesty. Issued over 7,000 pardons.

Johnson’s Plan States must write new Constitution, elect new officials to Congress. Must declare secession illegal. States could not repay war debts. Congress Angry Confederate officials were elected to Congress. Refused to readmit reconstructed states.

Radical Republican Plan Placed South under military control. Required states to guarantee right to vote to African-American men. Johnson is impeached but not removed from office.

Reconstruction Election of 1868 Republicans Select U.S. Grant as their 1868 presidential nominee Grant is a supporter of congressional reconstruction His campaign slogan is “Let Us Have Peace”

Johnson vs. Congress Freedmen’s Bureau Bill Johnson vetoes bill expanding the powers of the Freedmen’s Bureau, says African-Americans do not need assistance. Civil Rights Act of 1866 Johnson vetoed act, Congress overrides veto.

The Black Codes Laws that limited freedom of African-Americans passed in southern states. Must sign work contracts that created working conditions similar to slavery. State governments were racist. Institutionalized Racism

Thirteenth Amendment

The Freedmen’s Bureau Established by Congress in 1865 to provide relief to poor southerners, especially African-Americans. Bureau helped to promote education by building schools.

Fourteenth Amendment Defined citizenship and guaranteed equal protection of the laws to citizens. States could not deny citizens “life, liberty or property” without due process. Banned former Confederate officials from holding state or federal office Made state laws subject to review by federal courts.

The Fifteenth Amendment Guaranteed African-American men the right to vote. Men only

Election of 1876 Republican: Rutherford B. Hayes (Ohio Gov.) VS Democrat: Samuel J. Tilden (New York Gov.) Initially Tilden appears to have won but the Republicans contest the electoral votes of Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon

Election of 1876 Due to the close results of the election, a special commission of 5 congressmen and 5 Supreme Court Judges are given the responsibility to decide which way the votes will be cast

Compromise of 1877 They decide to give the votes to Hayes and he becomes the 19th President of the US In order to solidify the election of 1876 the Democrats and Republicans agree to the Compromise of 1877 Republicans Get Democrats Get -Democrats agree to accept Hayes’ selection as president All federal troops removed from the south Funding for improvements to the southern infrastructure Appointment of a democrat to the pres. cabinet

Legal Segregation As democrats regain control of southern state governments they began to instill legalized segregation, the forced separation of whites and blacks These new laws that required segregation were called Jim Crow Laws

Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 A Louisiana black man (Homer Plessy) refused to leave the whites only section of a train and was arrested because of it. Plessy claimed that this violated his equal protection under the constitution

Ruling on Plessy v. Fergson The supreme court ruled that “separate but equal” segregation was legal The separate part was enforced by the states but not so much the equal part These policies are legal until 1954 with the court case of Brown vs. Board of Education, that’s 58 years

Republicans Lose Power As former Confederate states start to get readmitted to the union the Democrats gain power in congress In 1872 the General Amnesty Act was passed which allowed former confederates to hold office