Postwar Problems The north had some problems after the war, but their problems paled in comparison to the south’s. The war had been fought mainly in the south not to mention that the south had lost the war. The north could go back to the way things were before the war. The south could never go back. Union soldiers came home to…. While The South Came Home To This.

What exactly needed to be fixed? Cities had been leveled! Two thirds of the South’s railroad and bridges had been destroyed. The south was flat broke. Their money was worthless, and their cotton fields were demolished. And, maybe most importantly, we have to reconstruct the relationship between the north and south.

Lincoln’s Plan Lincoln’s plan was fairly simple. It was called the Ten Percent Plan. It said that when a state could show that 10% of its citizens swore loyalty to the union, Lincoln and Congress would recognize that state’s government. The state’s government had to abolish slavery. Voters could then participate in congress and any other part of the national government. Lincoln offered amnesty, or a government pardon to confederates who swore loyalty to the union

Was Lincoln Too Nice? Many saw Lincoln as being too easy on the south. A rival reconstruction plan written by congress called the Wade-Davis Bill was much harder on the south. It required that a majority of white men in each southern state to swear loyalty to the Union before states were allowed to set up a government. It also said no confederate soldier would be allowed to hold public office.

Helping the Slaves Congress and Lincoln did work together to make the Freedman’s Bureau, a government agency to help former slaves. The Freedman’s Bureau helped by giving them food, clothing and medical care. It also helped former slaves find jobs and reunite families who had be sold off. There most important job was to establish schools to teach former slaves to read and write.

Lincoln is assassinated On April 14, 1865, just five days after Lee’s surrender, the president attended a play at Ford’s Theatre. A famous actor named John Wilkes Booth snuck into Lincoln’s box and shot him in the back of the head. Booth was later caught and killed in a barn outside the city. Lincoln was killed before he was able to put his plan for reconstruction to work.

Who will be the new president? Lincoln’s vice president, Andrew Johnson, became president. Many believed Johnson would be much harder on the south than Lincoln. Johnson required that a majority, not 10%, declare loyalty to the union. Each state had to ratify the 13 th amendment which banned slavery.

The Black Codes Although slavery was abolished, southern legislatures passed laws aimed at limiting African American’s rights called Black Codes. They included not allowing freedmen to vote, own guns, or serve on juries. Black Codes replaced Slave Codes. Northerners were outraged by reports of violence against African Americans in the south.

Radical Republicans Radical Republicans were members of Congress who did not like the violence and black codes of the south. They had two main goals. 1.Break the power of the wealthy planters 2.Gain suffrage (right to vote) for African Americans.

Radical Reconstruction Radical Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and could override a veto. Under their leadership the 14 th amendment was added which granted citizenship to all person born or naturalized in the US, although it excluded Native Americans. The south was divided into five military districts and were governed by military commanders.

Johnson Impeached Johnson was impeached and came just one vote short of being found guilty. He served the rest of his term. Ulysses S. Grant was elected the next president. Congress proposed the 15 th amendment which said citizens could not be denied the right to vote based on color or race. It did not apply to women though.

Enemies of the South Scalawags – Southern whites who helped the Republicans. They were viewed as traitors. Carpetbaggers – Northerners who came to the south and tried to take advantage of the south.

Sharecroppers Former slaves and poor whites found work as sharecroppers. They would rent and farmed a portion of land from plantation owners. Planters would provide seed, tools, supplies up front and sharecroppers would pay them back at the end of the season. Often times, they didn’t make enough to pay off the debt so they were forced to work another season resulting in economic slavery.

Ku Klux Klan Some southern whites formed secret societies like the KKK to help regain power. They wore white robes and hoods to protect their identities. They threatened African Americans, burned crosses, and even killed hundreds of African Americans.

Restricted Rights African Americans faced restricted rights including poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses in order to vote. Jim Crow laws allowed segregation. African Americans challenged segregation in the Supreme Court in the case Plessy v. Ferguson in The supreme court ruled that separate but equal facilities were allowed.

Important People Hiram Rhodes Revels – The first African American elected to the Senate

Things the State wants you know Dawes Act – Divided up land in Oklahoma for Native Americans. Homestead Act – gives land to heads of families as reward for loyalty to US Morrill Act – Set aside land for each state to use to fund a college