1. The Politics of Reconstruction

2. What is Reconstruction?
The effort to rebuild the Southern states and restore the Union ( ).
Focused on rebuilding the government and the economy

3. Lincoln’s Plan
Based on the idea that Southern states had never left the Union:
Granted pardons to Southerners if 10% of those who voted in the election took oaths of loyalty to the U.S.
All states had to recognize the ban on slavery.

4. Johnson’s Plan Followed Lincoln’s approach
Appointed temporary governors to help the Southern states rebuild
If states re-pledged loyalty to the Union, withdrew succession, and ratified the 13th Amendment, they would rewrite the Constitution and elect new members to Congress.

5. Congressional Plan Wanted more repercussions for the South
Felt Congress should have a greater say

6. Radical Republicans
Wanted to “punish” the former Confederate States of America
Refused to recognize representatives from the South
Did not accept the south back into the Union

7. New Constitutional Amendments
During the Reconstruction period, the states ratified three amendments to the Constitution:
13th
14th
15th

8. Amendments 13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery
14th Amendment (1868): States must provide equal protection under the law (citizenship)
15th Amendment (1870): prohibits each government in the U.S. from preventing a citizen from voting based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude

9. White Control in the South
Poll Tax: forced people to pay a tax to vote
Literacy Test: had to pass a reading/writing test to vote
Grandfather Clause: Any male could vote if their grandfather was a registered voter on January 1, 1867.

10. “Black Codes” Efforts to restrict African Americans’ lives
Couldn’t carry weapons, serve on juries, testify against whites, marry whites, travel without permits, own land, etc.

11. Ku Klux Klan
White Southerners wanted to frighten African Americans out of voting
Tortured “carpetbaggers” to leave the south
Carpetbaggers: Northerners who came to the south to take part in Reconstruction

13. Freedmen’s Bureau (1865)
Established to help former slaves and some white southerners
Build schools and hospitals, register voters, find jobs, etc.
Protect civil right of African Americans
Vetoed by Johnson!

16. Impeachment of Johnson (1868)
Congress overrode many of his vetoes.
Passed “Tenure of Office Act,” requiring Senate approval before President can fire an official (to protect Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War)
Johnson fired Stanton, and replaced him with Ulysses S. Grant