1. WARM UP – May 20
GRAB THE GUIDED NOTES AND ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS (CAN ANSWER THEM ON THE BACK OF THE GUIDED NOTES)
1. What kind of punishment did Radical Republicans want for the South? What did Radical Republicans want for free blacks?
2. Why was the Southern economy suffering in the years following the end of the Civil War?
3. What methods were used to prevent free blacks from voting? What organization formed that used fear and violence to intimidate free blacks?

2. 9.3 – COLLAPSE OF RECONSTRUCTION

3. Democrats Start to Retake the South
By 1870, Republicans in the South struggled to maintain their power.
1872 – shift of power away from Republicans to Democrats in the South
Grant passed the Amnesty Act which allowed pardoned all Confederates and restored their right to vote and own land  these men would vote for Democratic officials.
Congress let the Freedmen’s Bureau expire, believing it had served its purpose  pleased Democrats

4. Grant’s Scandalous Administration
Prior to being POTUS, Grant had NO experience in politics.
Chose friends to be cabinet members.
Grant was honest and had good intentions, but his friends ended up being corrupt and dishonest.
Grant’s administration was plagued by many scandals and crimes.

5. Election of 1872
Liberal Republican Party – formed in response to scandals in Grant’s administration, did not want to allow Grant a 2nd term
Liberal Republicans AND Democrats – Horace Greeley
Republicans – Grant  reelected!

6. Economic Problems
Industries (factories, businesses, etc) made money during the war  investors became wealthy!
After the war, many Northerners and Southerners viewed investing in industries as the way to make a lot of money  borrowing an increasing amount of money to build factories quickly
Ex: Railroads expanded across the country, but were expensive to build.
Investors could help fund the construction of a railroad and then profit when the railroad made money.
Many investors actually didn’t have the money to invest, and borrowed too much than they could really pay back, thinking they would make a lot of money off their investment.

7. Economic Problems
Panic of Jay Cooke (banker) borrowed WAY too much money to invest in railroad construction.
The railroad didn’t produce enough profit for Cooke to pay back his debts  Cooke’s banking firm went bankrupt!
When his bank went under, it acted as a domino effect, causing other banks to fail  5 year depression
Loss of savings
Loss of jobs
Businesses went bankrupt

8. Economic Problems
After banks began failing, paper money became worthless.
Banks couldn’t back up the paper money with real gold/silver
Specie Resumption Act
All paper money must be backed by actual gold/silver
Helped the economy improve over time

9. Reconstruction Support Fades
Mid 1870s – support for Reconstruction in the South fades
Frustration and distrust of the federal government (Grant’s scandals)
Economic problems (Panic of 1873)
Decrease of Republican activity and influence in the South (realization that government intervention could force moral and social changes in the South – needed to change attitudes which takes generations)
Redemption – term Southern Democrats called their regaining of political power during Reconstruction

10. Election of 1876 Republicans – Rutherford B. Hayes (OH governor)
Democrats – Samuel J. Tilden (NY governor)
Known for fighting government corruption in NY
Tilden won popular vote, but the electoral votes were disputed  Congress appointed a (mostly Republican) commission to decide POTUS  Hayes chosen as POTUS
House of Representatives had to approve decision, but most representatives were Democrats…

11. Compromise of 1877
Democrats and Hayes agreed to the Compromise of 1877 – Hayes can be president if…
All federal troops are removed from southern states
Federal money goes to build a railroad from TX to the west coast and making other infrastructure improvements
A conservative Southern Democrat must be in Hayes’ cabinet
Hayes agreed  19th POTUS!

12. End of Reconstruction
When Hayes removed the federal troops from southern states, Democrat-led governments took over
Achieved home rule – southern states running their governments without federal intervention
Compromise of 1877 officially marked the end of the Reconstruction period
Republicans stop trying to help south rebuild
Does NOT mean tensions are gone or that blacks are consider equal or safe in the south

13. Reconstruction: Success in Rebuilding Nation?
SUCCESSFUL!
UNSUCCESSFUL!
Slavery banned and increased rights for blacks
Establishment and growing of black communities
Increased schools and hospitals in south
End of plantation system
Rights for blacks are in danger in the south
Democrats regain power in the south with no plans for changing prejudiced attitudes
South still in economic ruin

14. Final Thoughts…
Reconstruction is over, but political, social, and economic problems still exist in the nation.
The South is back in the hands of the Democrats and the rights of blacks are in danger.
The North is plagued by corrupt governments and businesses. Also, Northerners are fed up with Southern resistance and realize it will take generations for the attitudes of Southern Democrats to change.
Will the North and South ever reconcile?