Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

1. Why did planters have difficulty finding people to work for them? Nobody seemed to want to do the former work of slaves, which was very difficult and paid poorly.Nobody seemed to want to do the former work of slaves, which was very difficult and paid poorly.

2. Why did sharecroppers rejoice at the chance to become tenant farmers? Instead of working for a planter and a meager share of the crop, tenant farmers rented their own land, worked for themselves and kept all the profits.Instead of working for a planter and a meager share of the crop, tenant farmers rented their own land, worked for themselves and kept all the profits.

Sharecropping

Tenancy & the Crop Lien System Furnishing MerchantTenant FarmerLandowner  Loan tools and seed up to 60% interest to tenant farmer to plant spring crop.  Farmer also secures food, clothing, and other necessities on credit from merchant until the harvest.  Merchant holds “lien” {mortgage} on part of tenant’s future crops as repayment of debt.  Plants crop, harvests in autumn.  Turns over up to ½ of crop to land owner as payment of rent.  Tenant gives remainder of crop to merchant in payment of debt.  Rents land to tenant in exchange for ¼ to ½ of tenant farmer’s future crop.

3. How did the South experience some success by modeling itself after the North? Cities grew as a resul of increasted industrilizationCities grew as a resul of increasted industrilization

4. Did Reconstruction transform the South into an industrialized, urban region like the North? Explain. No, farming remained the backbone of the southern economy. Much of the indoctrination remained linked to agriculture or consisted of less profitable stages of manufacturingNo, farming remained the backbone of the southern economy. Much of the indoctrination remained linked to agriculture or consisted of less profitable stages of manufacturing

5. How did some southern states use Reconstruction funds in beneficial ways? Expanded services, such as public schools to their citizens and rebuilt infrastructure (the public property and services that a society uses)Expanded services, such as public schools to their citizens and rebuilt infrastructure (the public property and services that a society uses)

6. How did some Reconstruction funds serve harmful or corrupt purposes? Legislatures levied heavy taxes on individuals to pay for the new spending and much of this money was lost to widespread corruption.Legislatures levied heavy taxes on individuals to pay for the new spending and much of this money was lost to widespread corruption.

Key terms 7.Sharecropping: farming a portion of someone else’s land in return for a share of the crop 8.Tenant farming: paying rent for a piece of land that can be planted with whatever crop the tenant farmer works

The “Invisible Empire of the South”

The Failure of Federal Enforcement  Enforcement Acts of 1870 & 1871 [also known as the KKK Act].  These acts banned the use of terror, force, or bribery to prevent people from voting b/c of their race  Other laws banned the KKK entirely and strengthened military protection of voters and voting places

The Civil Rights Act of 1875  Crime for any individual to deny full & equal use of public conveyances and public places.  Prohibited discrimination in jury selection.  Shortcoming  lacked a strong enforcement mechanism.  No new civil rights act was attempted for 90 years!

Civil Rights Video Clip

Northern Support Wanes  “Grantism” & corruption.  Panic of 1873 [6-year depression].  Concern over westward expansion and Indian wars.  Key monetary issues: * should the government retire $432m worth of “greenbacks” issued during the Civil War. * should war bonds be paid back in specie or greenbacks.

1876 Presidential Tickets

Election 1876 disputed Republican Rutherford B. Hayes lost the popular vote to Democrat Samuel Tilden (support from solid south)Republican Rutherford B. Hayes lost the popular vote to Democrat Samuel Tilden (support from solid south) Electoral vote was disputedElectoral vote was disputed –Areas of Florida, Louisiana & South Carolina (still under Republican and federal control) –Democrats submitted results that Democrat Tilden had won these states & the presidency

1876 Presidential Election

A Political Crisis: The “Compromise” of 1877

What happens to decide dispute? Congress sets up a special commission to resolve the election crisis (more Republicans than Democrats)Congress sets up a special commission to resolve the election crisis (more Republicans than Democrats) Compromise of 1877Compromise of 1877 –Democrats agreed to give Hayes the victory in the presidential election in return the new President agreed to remove the remaining federal troops from southern states –Give huge subsides to southern railroads

Result from Compromise 1877 Reconstruction ended without troops in the south Freedmen had no alliesReconstruction ended without troops in the south Freedmen had no allies Opened the way for Democrats to regain control of southern politicsOpened the way for Democrats to regain control of southern politics

Video clip Compromise of 1877

Success of Reconstruction Union is restored and rebuilding of South begunUnion is restored and rebuilding of South begun Southern economic growth is stimulated & new wealth in the northSouthern economic growth is stimulated & new wealth in the north African American gain formal rights of citizenship & equal treatment (14 & 15 amendments)African American gain formal rights of citizenship & equal treatment (14 & 15 amendments) Many black families helped in obtaining housing, jobs, and schoolsMany black families helped in obtaining housing, jobs, and schools

Failures of Reconstruction African Americans still lack property and economic opporturnityAfrican Americans still lack property and economic opporturnity Southern government deny African Americans the right to voteSouthern government deny African Americans the right to vote Racists attitudes countinue, in both the North and South.Racists attitudes countinue, in both the North and South. Lasting bitterness between many Southerners & federal gov’tLasting bitterness between many Southerners & federal gov’t