1. Ch Reconstruction
American Pageant, Ch. 22

2. Essential Question:
What were the various plans to reconstruct the Union at the end of the Civil War?
Lesson Plan for Wednesday, November 12, 2008: RQ16B, Andrew Johnson video, Reconstruction notes

3. Wartime Reconstruction Plans

4. Reconstruction ( )
When the North won the Civil War in 1865, the era of Reconstruction began
Should the president, as commander-in-chief, be in charge?
What branch of government is in charge of Reconstruction?
How should the
North bring the
South back into
the Union?
Reconstruction refers to the era from 1865 to 1877 when the U.S. gov’t addressed bringing the South back into the Union after the Civil War & the treatment over former slaves in America
Quickly, to show Americans that they are willing to forgive?
“Old South” based on cotton farming with blacks as workers?
Should freed blacks be given the right to vote?
Should Congress be in charge because the Constitution gives it power to let territories in as states?
Slowly, to make sure the South doesn’t try to secede again?
“New South” with textile factories & railroads with paid labor?
How do you protect blacks against racists whites in the South?
How should the
North rebuild
the South after
its destruction during the war?
How should the
North integrate
and protect
newly-emancipated black freedmen?

5. Wartime Reconstruction Plans
The U.S. government was divided in its approach to Reconstruction:
Lincoln favored quick readmission for the South & no formal protection for freed blacks
Lincoln believed secession was illegal & was led by individuals (not by states) so he wanted to use pardons to control the South

6. Wartime Reconstruction Plans
In 1863, Lincoln announced a lenient Ten Percent Plan:
States could be re-admitted when 10% of its population swore an oath of U.S. loyalty
Pardons offered for oath-takers
Re-admitted states had to recognize the emancipation of slaves & the 13th amendment
By 1864, Arkansas & Louisiana had established Unionist governments but were refused to be seated by Congress
Congress rejected Lincoln’s plan:
Radical Republicans wanted black male suffrage added & feared that Confederate leaders would take charge in the South

7. Wartime Reconstruction Plans
Republicans in Congress:
wanted a radical plan that guaranteed rights for ex-slaves & a promise that ex-Confederate leaders would not be allowed to govern any readmitted states
Congress believed that the states had left the Union so Congress could determine the rules for their re-admission
“State-suicide” theory

8. Wartime Reconstruction Plans
The Wade-Davis Bill was passed by Congress in 1864:
50% of state populations had to swear an oath of loyalty
Confederate leaders were not eligible to vote or participate in state governments
Did not require black suffrage but did enforce emancipation
But Lincoln vetoed the bill
By the end of the Civil War, the U.S. government had no plan for Reconstruction in place
This problem was compounded in 1865 when Lincoln was assassinated

9. Andrew Johnson & Reconstruction

10. Andrew Johnson at the Helm
The irony of Andrew Johnson:
The 1st Reconstruction president was a Southern Democrat & fervent white supremacist
Johnson was elected as VP in 1864 to balance Lincoln’s ticket
He was the only southern Senator to remain loyal to the Union & hated the South’s gentry

11. “Malice towards none and charity for all” —Abraham Lincoln
“Every head of family in the United States should have one slave to take the drudgery and menial service off his family” —Andrew Johnson

12. Andrew Johnson at the Helm
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction”
Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan:
Appointed provisional state governors to lead state constitutional conventions
States must declare secession illegal & ratify the 13th Amend’t
Southern conventions reluctantly obeyed Johnson’s Reconstruction policy but passed Black Codes
Johnson approved & granted 13,500 special pardons but Congress condemned the state conventions (Congress’ fears are coming true!)
Restricted blacks from testifying in court
Separate penal codes
Restricted the freedom to chose one’s employer
Created,, &
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation

13. The Freedman’s Bureau
The Freedman’s Bureau was established in 1865 to offer assistance to former slaves & protect their new citizenship:
Provided emergency food, housing, medical supplies
Promised “40 acres & a mule”
Supervised labor contracts
Created new schools

14. Freedmen’s Bureau School
Many former abolitionists moved South to help freedmen, called “carpetbaggers” by Southern Democrats

15. Freedmen’s Bureau Seen Through Southern Eyes
“Plenty to eat & nothing to do”

16. The 14th Amendment
In 1866, Congress voted to extend the Freedmen’s Bureau & passed a Civil Rights Bill to protect against Black Codes
Johnson vetoed both bills, arguing that they violated states’ rights
Congress overrode both vetoes (for the1st time in U.S. history!)

17. The 14th Amendment
Congress feared Johnson would allow violations of civil rights so it passed the 14th Amendment:
Federal gov’t must protect the civil rights of all Americans
Defined the meaning of “citizenship” for Americans
Clearly defined punishments for Southern states who violated the civil rights of African-Americans

18. Johnson’s “Swing Around the Circle”
In the 1866 mid-term elections, Johnson toured the South trying to convince voters to elect Congressmen who would reject the 14th Amendment
The plan back-fired & Republicans won a 3-1 majority in both houses of Congress & gained control of every northern state

19. Radical Reconstruction
Congress, led by Thaddeus Stevens, trumped Johnson by passing it its own Radical Reconstruction plan in 1867:
Congress could confiscate & redistribute Southern plantations
Allowed quick re-entry for states that supported black suffrage
Ex-Confederates couldn’t vote
And…
Thaddeus Stevens the most influential of the “radical” Republicans; He opposed the Crittenden Compromise, led the impeachment charges against Johnson, & drafted the Radical Reconstruction plan used from 1867 to 1877

20. Created 5 military districts to enforce acts
But, Radical Reconstruction was so dependent on massive & sustained federal aid that it was not adequate to enforce equality in the South…
The success of Reconstruction
…and Johnson obstructed Republicans’ plans by removing sympathetic cabinet members & generals

21. The Impeachment Crisis
Johnson argued that removal could only occur due to “high crimes & misdemeanors” but no “crime” had been committed
In Feb 1868, the House voted to impeach Johnson, but the Senate fell 1 vote short of conviction & removal from office
Some Republicans refused to establish the precedent of removing a president
But…Johnson did promise to enforce Reconstruction for the remainder of his term…& he did!
For violating the Tenure of Office Act when he tried to fire Sec of War Edwin Stanton
11 week trial. Johnson was acquitted 35 to 19 (one short of required 2/3s vote)

22. The Johnson Impeachment & Senate Trial

23. Essential Question:
What were the various plans to reconstruct the Union at the end of the Civil War?
Lesson Plan for Thursday, November 13, 2008: Warm-Up Question, Finish Reconstruction notes

24. Reconstructing Southern Society
How did Reconstruction impact the South?
Southern whites wanted to keep newly-freed blacks inferior
Freed blacks sought equality, property, education, & the vote
Many Northerners moved South to make money or to "civilize" the region after the Civil War

25. Sharecropping: A New Slavery?
The Civil War destroyed Southern land, economy, & transportation
Recovering meant finding a new labor system to replace slavery:
The South tried a contract-labor system but it was ineffective
Sharecropping “solved” the problem; black farmers worked on white planters’ land, but had to pay ¼ or ½ of their crops

26. Sharecropping
Problem: families accumulated debt to the landowner before their crop was sold; This cyclical process led to mortgages on future crops (crop lien system)
By the end of 1865, most freedmen had returned to work on the same plantations on which they were previously enslaved

27. Black Codes: A New Slavery?
Violence & discrimination against freedmen by whites was common:
Southerners used black codes to keep former slaves from voting, getting jobs, buying land
1,000s of blacks were murdered
U.S. army did not have enough troops to keep order in the South

29. Republican Rule in the South
In 1867, a Southern Republican Party was formed by:
Northern “carpetbaggers”
Southern “scalawags” interested in making money in the South
Small, white farmers who wanted protection from creditors
Blacks who wanted civil rights
Many Southern blacks were elected to state & national gov’t
Southern Republicans were only in power for 1-9 years but improved public education, welfare, & transportation

30. Black House & Senate Delegates Black & White Political Participation
“Colored Rule in a Reconstructed South”
Black Republicans were accused of corruption & lack of civility

31. Gaining Rights for Blacks
In 1870, the 15th Amendment gave all men the right to vote regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude”
Freedmen fought for civil rights:
Legalized marriage
Used courts to assert claims against whites & other blacks
Saw education as their 1st opportunity to become literate
Women’s rights groups were furious that they were not granted the vote!

32. Historically Black Colleges in the South

33. Essential Question:
What events from 1868 to 1876 led to the abandonment of federal reconstruction attempts in the South by 1877?
Lesson Plan for Friday, November 14, 2008: RQ 17A, Grant video, Retreat from Reconstruction notes

34. Reconstruction in the Grant Administration (1869-1877)

35. The Election of 1868
Arkansas
Tennessee
Louisiana
Alabama
In 1867, Thaddeus Stevens’ Radical Reconstruction plan was in place & a southern Republican party hoped to build a New South
By 1868, 8 of the 11 former Confederate states were accepted back into the Union after creating state constitutions & ratifying the 14th Amendment
South Carolina
Florida
North Carolina
Georgia

36. Re-Admission of the South

37. The Election of 1868 But, the U.S. had lots of problems:
Excessive printing of greenbacks during the Civil War led to high inflation which hurt both the Northern & Southern economies
Southern “Redeemers” & secret societies tried to undermine Congressional attempts to reconstruct the South

38. The 1868 Presidential Election
Democrats refused to re-nominate Johnson & chose NY governor Horatio Seymour
Republicans nominated Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant who had the support of Republicans in the North & South as well as Southern freedmen who voted for the 1st time

39. In the election of 1868, both parties “waved the bloody shirt” to remind voters why the Civil War was fought
Keeping freed blacks inferior was the most important goal of Southern Democrats
Republican goal: Keep ex-Confederate leaders from restoring the “Old South”
Southern Democratic Strategy
Southern Republican Strategy

40. Grant’s National Reconstruction Plan
Enough troops should be sent to work with state militias to protect blacks’ rights, reduce violence, & support Republican leaders in Southern state governments…
Deflations hurt indebted farmers the most
When Grant was elected, he supported:
Shifting back to gold (“sound” or “hard” money) to deflate American currency
Using a limited number of U.S. soldiers in the South to enforce Reconstruction efforts
Civil rights for freed blacks
In 1876, the Greenback Party was formed to support keeping “soft” money
…but not enough to encourage widespread resentment among the Southern population

41. Grant’s National Reconstruction Plan
Republicans sought equal protection for blacks; ratified the 15th Amendment in 1870:
Prohibited any state from denying men the right to vote due to race
But…the amendment said nothing about literacy tests, poll taxes, & property qualifications
Lucy Stone supported the 15th Amendment calling it the “ Negro’s Hour”; Women could afford to wait for their turn. Others were very upset with this obvious “oversight”

42. A Reign of Terror Against Blacks
From 1868 to 1872, southern Republicans were threatened by secret societies like Ku Klux Klan
Hoped to restore the “Old South”
Sought to restrict black voting
Oppose Republican state gov’ts
The KKK was successful in its terror campaigns, helping turn GA, NC, & TN to the Democratic Party

43. The “Invisible Empire of the South”
“Of course he wants to vote for the Democratic ticket”

44. The Failure of Federal Enforcement

45. A Reign of Terror Against Blacks
In 1870, Congress passed the Force Acts (the “KKK Acts”):
Made interference in elections a federal crime
Gave the president the military power to protect polling places
Allowed for high black turnout & Republicans victories in 1872
“Redeemer” Democrats openly appealed to white supremacy & laissez-faire government

46. A Reign of Terror Against Blacks
The KKK responded by becoming more open with its terror tactics:
Northerners grew impatient with federal Reconstruction efforts & “corrupt” Southern state gov’ts
Grant began to refuse to use military force against KKK terrorist attacks
By 1876, only SC, FL, & LA were controlled by Republicans

47. The 1875 Civil Rights Act
In the Slaughterhouse Cases (1873), the court ruled that the 14th Amendment protects only national citizenship rights & does not protect citizens from discrimination by the states
Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1875 to protect freedmen:
Outlawed racial discrimination in public places & in jury selection
But the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional & weakened the 14th & 15th Amendments, leaving southern blacks defenseless against discrimination
In U.S. v Reese (1876) & U.S. v Cruikshank (1876), the court weakened the KKK Act by stating that the 14th Amendment does not protect against actions by individuals

48. Corruption in Grant’s Administration

49. Corruption in Grant’s Administration
The Republicans experienced rampant corruption during Grant’s 1st term as president:
Grant’s Secretary of War was impeached & Attorney General resigned due to corruption
Grant’s VP & others were ruined by the Crédit Mobilier scandal involving railroad stock in exchange for political favors
These scandals distracted Americans from Reconstruction efforts
Liberal Republicans ran on campaign to reform civil service and advocated laissez-faire economic policies like low tariffs, end to gov’t subsidies for RR, and hard money

50. The Election of 1872
Corruption scandals & the failure of Reconstruction in the South led to a split among Republicans:
Liberal Republicans were tired of the Grant scandals & believed in reconciling with the South, not military intervention
In 1872, Liberal Republicans ran Horace Greeley against Grant

51. 1872 Presidential Election
Republicans suppressed the KKK in time for the election; Southern blacks enjoyed a voting freedom they would not see again for a century
1872 Presidential Election
Grant was the only consecutive, 2-term president from Jackson to Teddy Roosevelt, but is commonly regarded as a failure

52. Grant s 2nd term was plagued by economic depression & corruption
Grant’s Second Term
Over 100 banks collapsed
½ the nation’s RRs defaulted
18,000 businesses closed
Grant s 2nd term was plagued by economic depression & corruption
Panic of 1873 was the longest depression (until 1929); many blamed large corporations & begged Grant to create jobs
Whiskey Ring—Grant’s personal secretary was caught embezzling whiskey taxes
Unemployment reached 15%
The Grant administration did not see job creation or relief for the poor as its duties

53. Essential Question:
What events from 1868 to 1876 led to the abandonment of federal reconstruction attempts in the South by 1877?
Lesson Plan for Monday, November 17, 2008: RQ 17B, Hayes videos, Finish Retreat from Reconstruction notes

54. The New South & the Rise of Jim Crow

55. The Compromise of 1877
In 1876, Republicans ran Rutherford B. Hayes against Democrat reformer Samuel Tilden
Election results were disputed in three Southern states
A special commission gave the disputed votes to Hayes, but Democrats in Congress blocked this decision by filibuster
A filibuster is an attempt to extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay or prevent a vote on its passage

56. 1876 Presidential Election

57. The Compromise of 1877 The Compromise of 1877:
Southern Democrats agreed to end the filibuster & elect Hayes if Republicans agreed to pull U.S. troops out of the South
Hayes’ was elected president & the entire South came under the control of white Democrats
Reconstruction officially ended

58. A Political Crisis: The Compromise of 1877
The “Second Corrupt Bargain”
President Rutherfraud B. Hayes

59. The Rise of Jim Crow
From 1877 to 1910, “Redeemer” Democrats imposed restrictions called Jim Crow Laws to limit the civil rights of African Americans
187 blacks were lynched yearly
A convict-lease system & prison farms resembled slavery
Segregation laws led to separate railroads, streetcars, & public facilities
“Black codes” were laws passed from 1865 to 1877 to keep freed slaves from gaining rights & voting
“Jim Crow laws” were passed after Reconstruction ended to obstruct rights given to black Americans in the 14th & 15th Amendments

61. Conclusion: The “Unfinished Revolution”

62. The “Unfinished Revolution”
Reconstruction lasted only 12 years from 1865 to 1877:
Reconciliation between the North & South occurred only after Reconstruction ended
By the late 1880s, “reunion” was becoming a reality but at the expense of the blacks’ rights
Reconstruction remained an “unfinished revolution”