Reconstruction What it was like in the South…

Civil War

The Civil War, Fought between the United States and the Confederate States of America Caused primarily by Sates’ Rights and slavery in the Southern states and The United States defeated the Confederate States of America

Major questions following the Civil War 1.How to rebuild the South? 2.How to bring Southern states back to the United States? 3.How to bring former slaves into the United States as free people?

Radical Republicans Led by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner Abolitionists before the war Critical of Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan Determined to reform the country based on equal rights Civil Rights Act of 1866 “equal benefits of all laws enjoyed by white citizens” Tried to extend the freedmen’s bureau

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan In order to rejoin the Union Southern state could rejoin the union once it had written a new state constitution. Elected a new state Government Repealed its act of secession Canceled war debts And ratified the 13 th Amendment What really happened Radical Republicans insisted Southern states must grant freedmen the right to vote Johnson denied this idea Would have an fierce battle for the election of 1866 Radical Republicans and congress would eventually take over Reconstruction

Congress and Reconstruction 1867 Reconstruction Plan Reconstruction acts Acts outline how the process for states to become part of union again South is divided into 5 military districts Each controlled by federal troops Election boards in each state would register male voters both black and white Only those who supported the Union Men who supported the confederacy where not allowed to vote Voters elected people to write new state constitution Voters elected state legislatures which were required to ratify the 14 th Amendment

Three Big Amendments 13 th Amendment Abolished all forms slavery in the USA forever 14 th Amendment Grants citizenship to all former slaves Right to due process Equal protection under the law 15 th Amendment “The right of citizens … to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any state on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude”

Voting and 1868 Newly registered cast first ballots in 1868 Freedmen and poor farmers 1 st time voting Most became Republicans Scary time to be a voter Threatened for voting Grant vs. Seymour White Southerners Poor famers get the vote Confederate supporters can’t vote Southern Democrats Loose badly, out numbered badly

Johnson and Grant President

Southern State Governments Voters choose delegates ¼ of delegates are African Americans who are elected Banned racial discrimination and guaranteed the vote for African Americans 1/5 of elected officials Republicans and Freedmen At first supported taxes on public schools Most schools were segregated even though that was against the law

Rebuilding New Government  wanted to increase the economy Unfortunately $ that was suppose to go to roads and rebuilding fell into corrupt hands Industry and trade led to the rebirth of some southern cities most of the South still remained dependent on agriculture

Tenant Farmers Planters (owners of the land) divided their property into small plots that they rented to workers (tenant framers) who would grow crops on that land. Some cases tenant farmers would pay a share of their crop as rent instead of cash

Share Cropping Looked promising to both blacks and whites Hope was to work hard enough to earn enough money to eventually buy their own land Led instead to a life of debt Borrow money from land owner to buy the food, tools, and supplies they needed Never made enough money to ever pay back their debt

Life in the South for Blacks Good Travel Right to get married Pursue what use to be denied to them Education, reading, jobs, moving, land, politics Freedmen’s Bureau Assists former salves and poor whites living in the South Food, clothing, education and medical care Republicans and Politics Tuskegee Institute -1 st black College Bad Black Codes Restricts blacks freedom opportunities Spell out rights Ensures a workforce Maintains social order End of Reconstruction Democrats regain the south Poll taxes, literacy tests Jim Crow Laws Segregated black from whites “Separate but equal”

Resistance in the South Ku Klux Klan Created by white supremacists “opposed to negro equality, both social and political” Terrorized blacks and white republicans Included burning of school, attacks on the Freedmen’s Bureau, murder, lynching, etc. White Southern Democrats New Government illegal because so many confederate supporters couldn’t vote or run for office Raising taxes to pay for schools and other improvements Lost land because of taxes Didn’t accept the idea that slaves were free

Reconstruction Ends 1877 Southern states become more democratic Gains that blacks made in years passed become limited Northern states and people lose interest Jim Crow laws Segregation in the South Tuskegee Institute Amnesty- pardon of former Confederates Lynching's  KKK Plessey v. Ferguson