 Reconstruction Rebuilding the South

Reconstruction  Reconstruction: The plan to restore the Confederate states back to the Union after the Civil War.

Problems in the South After the Civil War  Freedmen: Newly freed slaves  Freedmen’s Bureau: Designed to help former slaves with food, shelter, education, and healthcare

Problems in the South After the Civil War  Freedmen were homeless, uneducated, and free for the first time.  Many freedmen were searching for spouses or children they lost during slavery.  Freedmen feared being enslaved again.  They were looking forward to new freedoms.

Problems in the South After the Civil War  White people (many of them) refused to accept these freedmen as equals.  White Mississippians feared punishment for their part in the Civil War.  Confederates lost their land to the United States (800,000 acres)  Many former Confederates feared that their suffrage would be taken from them.

Problems in the South After the Civil War  Suffrage: voting rights  Disfranchise: To take away the right to vote

Presidential Reconstruction  Abraham Lincoln’s plan was never carried out. He was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865.

Presidential Reconstruction  Andrew Johnson becomes president when Lincoln is assassinated.

Presidential Reconstruction  In 1865, Mississippians elect Benjamin Humphreys, a former Confederate general, as governor.

Presidential Reconstruction  The new Black Codes  Prohibited interracial marriages  Prohibited firearms and other weapons  Could not assemble in groups  Limited land ownership

Congressional Reconstruction  Congress takes over and passes the Reconstruction Act.  Reconstruction Act: This carved the South into 5 military districts and set up new, strict requirements for readmission to the Union.

Congressional Reconstruction  General Edward Ord was the man put in charge of the military district where Mississippi was located. His first task will be to register ALL eligible voters.

Congressional Reconstruction  When all eligible voters were registered, black people formed the majority in 32 counties, and whites formed the majority in 29 counties

Rise of the Republican Party  Members of the Republican Party consisted of:  White Mississippians who supported Congress  Scalawags: Native whites who supported the Republican Party  Carpetbaggers: Supporters of the Republican Party who came to the South from the North.  Freedmen

Rise of the Republican Party  This new constitution officially ratifies 3 amendments:  13 th : Abolished slavery  14 th : Made freedmen full citizens  15 th : Universal Male Suffrage: the right of all males to vote

Rise of the Republican Party  New Constitution:  Free Education to All  No discrimination in public transportation  Eliminated property qualification for holding office  Former Confederates had to take an oath acknowledging that all people are created equal.

Rise of the Republican Party  This constitution had to be voted on but failed.  Many whites refused to vote for it, and organizations like the KKK used violence and intimidation to prevent black citizens and some white citizens from voting.

Rise of the Republican Party  In 1869, Ulysses S. Grant became president of the United States.

Rise of the Republican Party  President Grant takes out the requirement to take an oath acknowledging that all men are created equal, and he then resubmits it to the people.  This time it is accepted.  Our new constitution is ratified, and Mississippi is finally readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870.

Rise of the Republican Party  African Americans will enjoy freedoms like never before with the ratification of this constitution and with the continued presence of troops in Mississippi.

Rise of the Republican Party  Hiram Revels, from Mississippi, was the first black man elected to the United States Senate.

Rise of the Republican Party  Public education will be revived in Mississippi.

The End of Reconstruction  Redeemers: White Mississippians who wanted to return control of the state government back to native whites.  They were committed to restricting black political power and overturning Republican rule.

The End of Reconstruction  Ku Klux Klan: A racist, militant organization that terrorized blacks and tried to restore control to native whites.

The End of Reconstruction  Presidential election of 1876:  Republican Rutherford B. Hayes wins this election!!! This will end Reconstruction in the South