1. Reconstruction
After
the Civil War

2. Surrender
On April 8, 1865, General Lee surrendered his army at the Appomattox Court House
Civil War is over

3. Reconstruction The rebuilding and healing of the country after the war
A plan to reunite the country as quickly as possible

4. Reconstruction President Lincoln came up with a plan:
Former Confederate states: 10% of the citizens must swear loyalty to the United States
Representatives from that state would then be sent to Congress and the state would become a part of the U.S. again

5. Reconstruction Congress did not agree with President Lincoln
They wanted HALF of the citizens to swear loyalty
President Lincoln did not sign the plan into law

6. South in Ruins The Civil War destroyed the South
White southerners were angry and resentful
No desire to treat freedmen as equals
“My shoes are gone, my clothes are almost gone. I’m sick. I’m weary. My family have been killed or scattered.” –Confederate General

11. Assassination The murder of a political or government leader
On April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth as he watched a play at Ford’s Theater
He died early the next day

14. Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was quickly sworn into office after President Lincoln died
Johnson blamed the war on wealthy southerners (had tricked poor farmers)
Did NOT believe that blacks should have equal rights
Continued Lincoln’s easy plan and pardoned hundreds of former Confederates

15. Andrew Johnson Declared secession illegal
Passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution
Abolished slavery forever

16. Andrew Johnson
Allowed elections to take place in the South, but only whites could vote
Former Confederates took control again and created Black Codes
Laws that denied African Americans many civil rights

17. Black Codes Black codes took away freedmen’s civil rights
Hoped to return them to slavery
Not allowed to vote
To travel, had to receive permission from white employer
Had to receive permission from a judge to work any other job besides a farmer
Violence broke out throughout the South

18. Freedmen’s Bureau Congress formed the Freedmen’s Bureau in March, 1865
Opened offices throughout the South
Gave clothes, food, and medicine to Freedmen
Established schools and offices
Freedmen now became legally married and searched for lost loved ones
4,000,000 slaves were freed!

19. Freedmen’s Bureau Northerners were outraged by the Black Codes
Congress wanted power to defend blacks against the Black Codes
President Johnson VETOED the bill!
Wanted each state to make their own decisions

20. The Freedmen’s Bureau

21. Congress
Congress continued to push for equal rights and had enough votes to override Johnson’s veto
Johnson claimed that Congress was filled with traitors!
June, 1866, the 14th Amendment was passed
Gave African American’s citizenship and said that states had to provide equal protection for all

22. First Reconstruction Act
Congress took over and changed everything
Passed the First Reconstruction Act
Disbanded all southern state governments
New elections would take place
Ex-Confederates could NOT vote!
Union soldiers marched in the South to keep peace

23. Congress in Charge
Sixteen African Americans were elected to the US Congress
Reforms:
First public schools established in the South
Taxes spread evenly among poor and rich

24. Congress in Charge
Congress tried to impeach Andrew Johnson, but one vote saved him
Impeachment: bringing of charges against an elected official

26. Carpetbaggers Many northerners moved South to start businesses
Called carpetbaggers (“Yankee invaders”)
Southerners said that carpetbaggers made money off of the misery of the South
Southerners who worked with carpetbaggers were called scalawags (traitors)

28. Sharecroppers Poor blacks and whites in the South became sharecroppers
System of farming where farmers rent land and pay the landowner with a share of the crops

30. 15th Amendment In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment was passed
Guaranteed all men the right to vote

31. Reconstruction Ends In 1877, Union soldiers left the South
Reconstruction Success:
Public school system established
Industries expanded

32. Reconstruction Ends Reconstruction Failure:
White Southerners gained control of the South again and Jim Crow laws were passed
Laws that enforced segregation, or separation of blacks and whites
Endured racism, poverty, and segregation until the 1950’s

33. Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
KKK was formed to drive out Republicans, return blacks to a state of slavery, and return southern whites to power
Members dressed in white robes and masks to conceal their identity

35. Reconstruction Link

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