Chapter 10 Reconstruction

The Debate Over Reconstruction Lincoln’s Plan Moderate policy that would reconcile Southerns with Union instead of punishing them for treason Offered a general amnesty to all Southerns who took a oath of loyalty to the United States and accepted the unions proclamation concerning slavery Only people not voted pardon 1 2 3

The Debate Over Reconstruction Resistance to Lincoln’s plan Radical Republicans – did not want to reconcile with the South 1) wanted to prevent leaders of Confederacy form returning to power (after the war) 2) wanted Republican party to become a powerful institution in the South 3) wanted federal gov’t to help African Americans achieve political equality by guaranteeing their right to vote in the South

The Debate Over Reconstruction Number of Republicans thought Lincolns plan was too lenient but that radicals were too supporting of African Americans The Wade-Davis Bill Required majority of adult white males in former Confederate states to take an oath of allegiance to the union Each states convention would have to abolish slavery Reject all debts the state had acquired as part of the Confederacy Deprive all former Confederate gov’t officials and military officers of voting or hold office Lincoln would pocket-veto, he wanted “no persecution, no bloody work”

The Debate Over Reconstruction Freedmen’s Bureau Started when thousands of freed African Americans began following Union troops seeing food and shelter To feed themselves, Sherman reserved abandoned land for the use of freed African Americans Congress established Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abolished Lands – Freedmen’s Bureau Helped get them clothes and find work bureau/videos

The Debate Over Reconstruction Johnson Takes Over - Took over after Lincoln was assassinated and remained loyal to North

The Debate Over Reconstruction His plan resembled Lincoln’s May 1865 he issued an amnesty proclamation

The Debate Over Reconstruction Same day of pardon, Johnson issued another proclamation for North Carolina It became a model of how he wanted to restore the South to the Union Next Congress session in Dec. 1865, Many Congressmen were angered that Southerner voters had elected former Confederate soldiers to Congress

The Debate Over Reconstruction - Southern state legislature also passed black codes which severely limited African Americans rights - Black codes varied by state, seemed to have same conditions as slavery

Radical Republicans Take Control Late 1865, House and Senate Republicans created a Joint Committee on Reconstruction Goal to develop their own program for rebuilding the Union Effort to override black codes, Congress passed the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 Granted all persons born in U.S. Citizenship besides native Americans Blacks own property and Treated equally in court

Radical Republicans Take Control Fourteenth Amendment Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and declared that no stat could deprive any person of life, liberty, or property Also declared that no state could deny any person “equal protection of the law”

Radical Republicans Take Control March 1867, Congressional Republicans passed the Military Reconstruction Act Divided former Confederacy into 5 military districts each having a Union general in charge Each state had to create new state constitution giving all adult male citizens the right to vote regardless of race After state ratified their constitution it had to ratify 14 th Amendment before it would be allowed to elect members to Congress By end of 1868, 6 former Confederate states met all requirements and were readmitted to the Union

Radical Republicans Take Control Republicans were taking control and wanted to keep it that way They distrusted President Johnson and wanted to keep Johnson from interfering with their plans Republicans kept trust with Grant and Stanton- Secretary of War

Radical Republicans Take Control Congress passed Command of the Army Act Required all orders from the President to go through the headquarters of the general And Tenure of Office Act Required the Senate to approve the removal of any government official whose appointment had required the Senate’s consent Johnson wanted to challenge the Tenure Act and fired Stanton

Radical Republicans Take Control - House voted to impeach Johnson for breaking the law by refusing to uphold the Tenure Act - He would go to trial and be found not guilty by the Senate

Radical Republicans Take Control Some Republicans joined Democrats in refusing to convict him because the president did not agree with Congressional policies Johnson would stay in office but not run to be re-elected – Grant would be voted into office in 1868

Radical Republicans Take Control Republicans now had majority in Congress and a president they trusted The Fifteenth Amendment Declared the right to vote “shall not be denied…on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Radical Reconstruction impacted the South in the short term brought African Americans into political process and changed Southern society

Republican Rule Lots of resistance from white Southerners who did not like the overtaking of Republicans in South because the party included Northerners and African Americans Also believed the Union Army forced new Republican government on them

Republican Rule Many Northerners moved down South Southerners called Northern newcomers carpetbaggers because they viewed them as intruders seeking to exploit the South Southerners also disliked other Southerners who supported reconstruction – called scalawags

Republican Rule Scalawags were: African Americans gained political power as well after the pass of the 15 th Amendment Won local election up to serving in both houses of Congress

Republican Rule Republican Reforms --Positive--Negative

Republican Rule African Americans worked to improve their lives in many ways Churches, education, and other organizations to support each other Southerners were unhappy with “Black Republican” government

Republican Rule Southerners were unable to openly strike at the Republicans running their state – organized secret societies Ku Klux Klan (KKK) – largest group – formed by former Confederate states Goal – drive out carpetbaggers and intimidate black voters so as to regain control of the South for the Democratic Party Some Republicans and African Americans organized groups to fight back

Republican Rule As violence increased the federal government would step in Congress passed 3 Enforcement Acts 1. first act made it a federal crime to interfere with a citizens right to vote 2. put federal elections under supervision of federal marshals 3. Ku Klux Klan Act – outlawed the activities of the Klan

Reconstruction Collapses The Grant Administration Grant believed the President should only carry out laws and leave development of policy to Congress. Radical Republicans were pleased but this left the President weak and have ineffective power.

Reconstruction Collapses Republican control in Congress expanded programs put in place by Reconstruction Democrats would attack Republican economic policies and have Liberal Republicans agree with them

Reconstruction Collapses Grant would win re-election despite the Democrats push for a new President Series of scandals would hurt Grants second term – all over money The Panic of 1873 economic crisis From scandals and economic depression the Democrats would win back control of the House of Representatives

Reconstruction Collapses Rising power of the Democrats made enforcing Reconstruction difficult 1870s, Southern Democrats had regained control of local and state governments from Republicans They won back control by intimidation 1. 2.

Reconstruction Collapses The Compromise of 1877 New election – Grants reputation damaged, Republicans nominated Rutherford B Hayes – Democrats nominated Samuel Tilden On Election Day 184 votes - Tilden; 165 – Hayes 3 states had so much election fraud the winner was unclear

Reconstruction Collapses To solve issue – Congress appointed 15 persons commission made up equally of members of the House, Senate and Supreme Court vote was 8 to 7 – Southern Democrats joined Republicans and voted to accept the commission’s finding Deal was made giving Hayes the win, election would be known as the Compromise of 1877 From it Republicans promised to pull federal troops out of the South pulling troops out caused the last Republican government in South to collapse and Democrats “redeemed” South – ending Reconstruction

Reconstruction Collapses “New South” created develop a strong industrial economy powerful white Southerners and Northern financiers brought great economic changes 1. railroads 2. Iron and steel industry 3. Tobacco processing 4. Cotton mills Collapse of Reconstruction ended blacks hopes of getting their own land Many went back to plantations and worked for wages or became tenant farmers some became sharecroppers this would trap some African American into debt and limited rights