Reconstruction Start

What is Reconstruction? Reconstruction began with the surrender of the Confederate States of America to the Union and lasted until 1877. The purpose of Reconstruction was to facilitate the African Americans’ transition from slavery to freedom; to address the problem of white refugees, abandoned lands, and the rebuilding of southern infrastructure; to oversee the re-admission of the Confederate states into the Union; and to punish the leaders of the Confederacy. Many southerners were angered by the social, political, and economic changes mandated by the federal government. This intensified their animosity toward African Americans in the South. End

The Phases of Reconstruction Reconstruction of the South progressed through three stages. Presidential Reconstruction (1865-1867) was proposed by President Lincoln and adopted by President Johnson. The goal of Presidential Reconstruction was to quickly re-unite the country. Radical Republicans opposed this idea. Radical Reconstruction (1867-1877) emphasized the civil rights and voting rights of freemen. These goals were advanced through the imposition of martial law. This stage was followed by the period of Redemption (1877-1965). During this era, white southern Democrats forced out the Republican and Reconstruction elements and regained their power over southern state governments. End

Restoring the South to the Union During the Civil War, Republican leaders established several goals. They wanted slavery to be abolished and to suppress any form of Confederate independence. After the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified in September of 1865, Lincoln sought to accelerate Reconstruction and to reunite the nation as soon as possible. 13th Amendment End

The Start of the Reconstruction President Lincoln outlined his plans for Reconstruction in 1863 with his Ten Percent Plan. This very lenient plan was strongly opposed by the Radical Republicans, who were skeptical of southern intentions and demanded more stringent federal action. Lincoln angered the Radical Republicans by vetoing the Wade-Davis Bill of 1864. This bill had been their attempt at Radical Reconstruction and was more punitive than Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan. Radical Republican Senator Charles Sumner believed statehood had been destroyed due to secession, but the Constitution still extended its authority and its protection over individuals, even those in the territories. Radical Republicans, led by Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, viewed secession as having left the Confederate states in a status similar to that of a newly conquered territory. Benjamin Davis Henry Davis End

Following the Lincoln Assassination Following the assassination of Lincoln in April of 1865, newly-appointed President Andrew Johnson made a dramatic transition. As vice president under Lincoln, Johnson was seen as a Radical Republican; but once he was appointed, he became more moderate. He even aligned himself with southern Democrats who were opposing the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted equal rights and protection to all men. Radical Republicans attacked Johnson because he vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Congress rejected Johnson’s argument that he would lead government now that the war was over. After Radical Republicans wrested control of Congress in 1866, they overturned Johnson’s vetoes. Congress later impeached Johnson, but he was eventually acquitted. End

The Establishment of Military Districts Congress established military districts in the South. The military enforced the laws enacted under Reconstruction and established new state governments loyal to the Union. These new state governments granted former slaves citizenship and the right to vote. 15,000 ex-Confederate officers and officials had their franchise temporarily suspended. Once the freedmen received their suffrage, they began participating in politics. Republicans and southerners loyal to the Union were derisively referred to as scalawags. Northern Republicans who migrated to the South were derided as carpetbaggers. These groups were reviled by the defeated Confederates. A cartoon depicting a Carpetbagger End

The Right to Vote Congress had to determine how to bring the ex-Confederates back into the Union. The main concern for ex-Confederates was suffrage. It would later be decided that 15,000 ex-Confederate officials would lose their right to vote. The Fourteenth Amendment transformed four million ex-slaves into citizens. Suffrage for these new citizens sparked heated debate. Republicans believed former slaves should have full representation in Congress, and they wanted to ensure the impact of newly enfranchised ex-Confederates would not upset the political balance between Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Lincoln supported a compromise that would allow some African Americans to vote, especially those who were veterans of the Union Army. End

Redemption Reconstruction Among Republicans in Congress, political and racial tensions were building. In 1868 Democrats in Georgia, supported by some Republicans, began forcing out twenty-eight African-American congressmen. Scalawags and carpetbaggers unsuccessfully opposed southern Democrats. After Republicans failed to provide land which had been promised to freed African-Americans in Mississippi, many of these ex-slaves sided with the Democrats. Rutherford B. Hayes ended Reconstruction End