Reconstruction The Beginning of Modern American History

“The North may have won the Civil War but the South won the peace that followed” Samuel Elliot Morrison

Background to Reconstruction Years between 1865 and 1877 Questions to answer: –What conditions should be placed on the south before they can assume their former rights? –Which branch of government can/will reconstruct? –What rights should be granted to freed slaves? –How will the economy of the south be rebuilt?

Historiography The study of the way that history has been written Not the study of past events directly Study the changing interpretations of those events

Birth of a Nation 1915 “classic” film Depicts KKK as “heroes” and blacks as “villains” Interpretation of Reconstruction changes after the Civil Rights movement

Conflict over Reconstruction Lincoln believed that the southern states had never seceded The Union should forgive the south Radical Republicans refused to recognize this plan Condemned the Lincoln/Johnson plan: –Infringing on Congressional power –Too lenient –Endangering Republican influence –Abandoning freed slaves

Lincoln’s Plan Southerners should be pardoned upon taking a loyalty oath State could be readmitted when 10% of the voters took the oath Johnson retained Lincoln’s view on Reconstruction Accepted every Southern state that: –Disowned its act of secession –Ratified the 13 th amendment Pocket veto of the Wade Davis Bill

Congress under the Radicals Sumner—Senate Stevens—House of Representatives Congressional or Radical Reconstruction –Civil Rights Act of 1866— Johnson vetoes –Freedmen's Bureau Act of 1866—Johnson vetoes –14 th Amendment—1866 –Reconstruction Act of 1867—Johnson vetoes Conditions for the removal of the military Thaddeus Stevens Charles Sumner

Johnson’s Impeachment Pro-Union Democrat that was chosen to attract votes Lacked pull with the Republicans Violated the Tenure of Office Act –House voted for impeachment charges –Senate trial and vote fell one vote shy of removal Andrew Johnson

Reconstruction Governments Controlling political groups –Confederate leaders banned –Carpetbaggers –Scalawags –Freed Slaves—Enfranchised by the 15 th amendment Criticism of Reconstruction governments –Corruption –Heavy taxation –Increased public debt –Protected by federal troops

Defense of Reconstruction Government Framed constitutions that protected civil liberties Began to rebuild the South –Infrastructure—land grant railroads Improved access to public education Corruption marked the governments all around the country not just in the South

White Resistance to Radical Reconstruction Ku Klux Klan—Tennessee in 1865 –Drive out the carpetbaggers –Frighten scalawags –Frighten blacks to prevent voting Burned homes and practiced lynching Subdued by Federal troops Increased number of white voters Northern interest in black rights wanes

Election of 1876 Democrats select Samuel Tilden of NY Republicans select Rutheford B. Hayes of Ohio At the end of the election: –Tilden—184 –Hayes—165 –Twenty votes outstanding from the south –Congressional commission reviewed disputed votes (8-republicans and 7-democrats) –All votes went to Hayes—Tilden won the popular vote

Compromise of 1877 Hayes calmed Democratic opposition by offering: –Provide funds for internal improvements –Appoint a southern to a cabinet post –Remove all federal troops from the south 1877—Hayes removed all troops and remaining carpetbag governments collapsed

Lasting Impacts Solid South –First crack doesn’t happen until 1928 Southern agricultural economy Maintained –Sharecropping New South—development of industry –Steel mills –Textile mills –Cigarette factories

Reconstruction at the National Level Election of 1868—Grant accepts radical reconstruction –“waving the bloody shirt” Grant’s character Election of 1872 –Grant vs. Greely –Attempts to get rid of corruption lose to the “bloody shirt” campaign

Corruption in the Grant Administration “Jubilee” Jim Fiske and Jay Gould—corner the gold market Whiskey Ring Credit Mobilier Scandal