Johnson in Office

Johnson’s Presidency Lincoln assassinated  Andrew Johnson becomes president Johnson = a Democrat and Southerner

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan Pardon and return the property to all former citizens of the Confederacy who took an oath of loyalty to the Union The plan excluded former Confederate officers, officials, and the wealthy planters (owned more than $20,000 of land) They had to apply to the president individually for a pardon Johnson blamed wealthy planters for the war

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan Each ex-Confederate state had to… Revoke its ordinance of secession Ratify the 13th Amendment Which abolished slavery Reject all Civil War debts With this lenient plan former Confederate officers and political leaders were elected to Congress by Southern voters Made Congress very mad

Black Codes Series of laws  severely limited African American rights in the South Varied from state to state Kept African Americans in a condition similar to slavery Enter into annual labor contracts Children enter into apprenticeships  could be whipped or beaten while serving Specific work hours for ex-slaves

Civil Rights and 14th Amendment The Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment were in retaliation to the Black Codes These laws tried to override the Black Codes These laws led to a lot of violence in the South

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 Granted citizenship to all persons born in the US except Native Americans Allowed African Americans to own property and stated they were to be treated equally in court Federal govt. had the right to sue anyone who went against these laws

The 14th Amendment – 1866 Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US Declared that no state could deprive any person of life, liberty, and property without due process of law No state could deny any person equal protection of the laws

Military Reconstruction Act Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 wiped out Johnson’s programs The Act’s provisions Divide the former Confederacy into 5 military districts Except for Tennessee because they had ratified the 14th Amendment A Union general was placed in charge of each of the 5 military districts

The Act’s provisions (cont’d) Each former Confederate state had to hold another constitutional convention To design an acceptable constitution New constitutions had to… Give the right to vote to all adult male citizens regardless of race Ratify the 14th Amendment before it would be allowed to elect people to Congress By the end of 1868 six former Confederate states had met all the requirements and were readmitted to the Union