RECONSTRUCTION & ITS AFTERMATH The South During Reconstruction

New Groups Take Charge: African Americans in Government  Republican Party dominated southern politics  b/c AA’s could vote & now run 4 office  Lots of states where more former slaves than former slave-owners  Never controlled the gov’t but… held important positions in it  Nat’l Level  Nat’l Level- 16 AA’s served in H of Reps & 2 in the Senate b/t  Hiram Revels  Hiram Revels- AA Senator Ordained minister; recruited 4 Union Army, started school in St. Louis4 AA’s, elected to Senate in 1870 by Missouri  Blanche K. Bruce  Blanche K. Bruce- AA Senator  Former runaway; became teacher in Missouri, 1869 became Superintendent in Mississippi, elected to Senate in 1874

New Groups Take Charge: Scalawags & Carpetbaggers  Scalawags-  Means… scoundrel, or worthless rascal  Southern whites supported Rep. policies  Most were non-slave-holding farmers or business owners Opposed secession in 1 st place  Former rebels hated them 4 siding w/ Repubs  Carpetbaggers  Carpetbaggers-  N whites who moved to South after war  Also sided w/ Repubs  Served as leaders of Repubs in South  Called this cuz arrived w/ all stuff in cheap suitcases made of carpet fabric  Some there just 4 $$$ & take advantage of situation  Most were former Union soldiers looking 4 land, members of Freedmen’s Bureau, or N reformers hoping to help (lawyers, drs, teachers)  Many in south accused both groups of leading corrupt new gov’t

New Groups Take Charge: Resistance to Reconstruction  Most Southern whites hated idea of giving rts to AA’s  Plantation owners tried 2 control AA’s any way they could  Many told AA’s couldn’t leave plantation; still property  No one would rent land to them  Store owners refused to serve them  Refused to give them work  Used fear to keep them in line

New Groups Take Charge: The Ku Klux Klan  Violence was common to AA’s & anyone who supported them  Most done by secret societies trying to stop AA’s from exercising their rts Hoped to regain white power  Worst was KKK Formed in 1866 Launched midnight rides Burned homes, churches, schools Killed many AA’s & supporters… Murdering 1,000’s!!! Violence higher during election time; try to scare AA’s from voting 4 change  KKK had support of many in South, esp. planters & Dems  Justified actions as defense of their way of life

New Groups Take Charge: Taking Action Against Violence  Those opposed to terrorism begged federal gov’t 4 help  …  Pass laws 2 try 2 stop Klan  Little 2 no success Most refused to testify against them b/c … fear they were next or they supported it  Enough arrests were made 2 restore some order b4 the 1872 presidential election

Some Improvements  Despite the violence…  Reconstruction brought change  Esp. in education 4 both races AA’s saw it as step toward better life  Created own schools  Freedmen’s Bureau & charities played major role in spreading education  N women and freed AA’s came to teach  By ,000 schools established w/ 200,000 students  More than ½ teachers were AA’s

Some Improvements: Public Schools  1870’s- began creating public school systems 4 both races  Never existed b4!!!  Enrollment… 50% of white children 40% of AA children  Northern Missionary Societies  est academies 4 higher education 4 AA’s Some become colleges & universities Morehouse College, Atlanta U  Most kids went to segregated schools  Only LA, FL, SC required integration, but laws not enforced

Some Improvements: Farming the Land  AA’s also wanted land  Some got it from Freedmen’s Bureau  Most failed 2 get own land sharecropping  Only option was sharecropping, where land was rented & tools, seeds, maybe even a shack 2 live in was given in exchange 4 percentage of harvest  After paying percentage… Very little left 2 sell Barely enough 2 feed family  To most…  This was barely better than slavery