radicals take control

Radicals Take ControlRadicals Take Control

When Northerners realized that African When Northerners realized that African Americans in the South were still being Americans in the South were still being mistreated, Congress worked to find a mistreated, Congress worked to find a solutionsolution

Southern Southern RepresentativesRepresentatives

During the fall of 1865, During the fall of 1865, President Johnson’s plan President Johnson’s plan was implemented in the was implemented in the South.South.

Southerners had elected Southerners had elected former Confederate former Confederate officials to Congress.officials to Congress.

When the Southern When the Southern representatives arrived in representatives arrived in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., Congress refused to seat Congress refused to seat them. them.

Black CodesBlack Codes Black codesBlack codes: laws that aimed to control : laws that aimed to control

freed black men and women. These laws freed black men and women. These laws trampled the rights of freed African trampled the rights of freed African Americans. Americans.

Plantation owners to exploit black Plantation owners to exploit black workers through workers through sharecroppingsharecropping..

Allowed officials to arrest and fine jobless Allowed officials to arrest and fine jobless African Americans.African Americans.

SharecroppingSharecropping In this system, an In this system, an

landowner rented a landowner rented a plot of land to a plot of land to a sharecropper (farmer) sharecropper (farmer) along with a crude along with a crude shack, some tools, and shack, some tools, and maybe a mule.maybe a mule.

SharecroppingSharecropping

Sharecroppers did not pay their rent in Sharecroppers did not pay their rent in cash. They paid a share of their crops- cash. They paid a share of their crops- often as much as ½ to 2/3- to cover rent, often as much as ½ to 2/3- to cover rent, fertilizer, tools, and animals they needed.fertilizer, tools, and animals they needed.

After paying the landowners, After paying the landowners, sharecroppers had little left to sell, barely sharecroppers had little left to sell, barely enough to feed their families. enough to feed their families.

For many sharecropping was little better For many sharecropping was little better than slavery.than slavery.

Black CodesBlack Codes Also, the black codes Also, the black codes

banned African banned African Americans from Americans from owning or renting owning or renting farm land. farm land.

Freed men and Freed men and women, and women, and Northerners saw the Northerners saw the black codes as black codes as slavery in disguise.slavery in disguise.

Fighting the CodesFighting the Codes In 1866 Congress gave the Freedmen’s In 1866 Congress gave the Freedmen’s

Bureau new powers. Southern officials Bureau new powers. Southern officials could now be charged with violating the could now be charged with violating the rights of African Americans.rights of African Americans.

Congress passed a civil rights bill that Congress passed a civil rights bill that overturned (get rid of) the black codes overturned (get rid of) the black codes and gave African Americans full and gave African Americans full citizenship. citizenship.

Radicals have a planRadicals have a plan President Johnson President Johnson

vetoed both bills.vetoed both bills. Congress had enough Congress had enough

votes to defeat both votes to defeat both vetoes, the bills became vetoes, the bills became law and the black codes law and the black codes were abolished.were abolished.

After President After President Johnson’s vetoes the Johnson’s vetoes the Republicans in Congress Republicans in Congress drafted, and passed a drafted, and passed a new Reconstruction new Reconstruction plan.plan.

The 14The 14thth Amendment Amendment Passed in 1868, the 14Passed in 1868, the 14thth

Amendment to the Amendment to the Constitution gave full Constitution gave full citizenship to all people citizenship to all people born in the U.S. born in the U.S.

This amendment This amendment required every state to required every state to grant its citizens “equal grant its citizens “equal protection of the laws.”protection of the laws.”

Also, no former leading Also, no former leading Confederates could hold Confederates could hold national or state officenational or state office

1515thth Amendment Amendment This gave African This gave African

American men the American men the right to vote, right to vote, however, many however, many states denied African states denied African Americans the right Americans the right to vote by such to vote by such means as poll taxes, means as poll taxes, and literacy tests.and literacy tests.

Reconstruction Act of Reconstruction Act of 18671867

The Reconstruction Act of 1867, enacted The Reconstruction Act of 1867, enacted in March by the Republican Congress in March by the Republican Congress organized the South as a conquered organized the South as a conquered land, dividing it (with the exception of land, dividing it (with the exception of Tennessee) into five military districts, Tennessee) into five military districts, each under the command of a Union each under the command of a Union general. Johnson did NOT like this plan.general. Johnson did NOT like this plan.

Military Reconstruction Military Reconstruction Districts, 1867Districts, 1867

ImpeachImpeach ImpeachImpeach: to formally charge a public : to formally charge a public

official with misconduct in office.official with misconduct in office. The Constitution allows Congress to The Constitution allows Congress to

remove from office any federal official remove from office any federal official who has committed serious wrongdoing. who has committed serious wrongdoing. If a majority of the House votes to If a majority of the House votes to impeach, the Senate acts as jury with a impeach, the Senate acts as jury with a 2/3 vote whether to convict and remove 2/3 vote whether to convict and remove the person from office. the person from office.

Impeachment of Andrew Impeachment of Andrew JohnsonJohnson

Secretary of War Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, Edwin M. Stanton, was in a position to was in a position to hurt Johnson's plans hurt Johnson's plans for Reconstruction. for Reconstruction.

Congress passed the Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act, Tenure of Office Act, which prohibited which prohibited Johnson from firing Johnson from firing Stanton.Stanton.

Impeachment of Andrew Impeachment of Andrew JohnsonJohnson

In August 1867, Johnson In August 1867, Johnson suspended Stanton and suspended Stanton and appointed Ulysses S. Grant to appointed Ulysses S. Grant to the position. the position.

Congress overruled Congress overruled Johnson's actions and Johnson's actions and Stanton regained his position. Stanton regained his position.

In 1868, Johnson fired In 1868, Johnson fired Stanton and Republicans Stanton and Republicans brought 11 articles of brought 11 articles of impeachment against impeachment against President Johnson. President Johnson.

Johnson was acquitted of all Johnson was acquitted of all charges but was ineffective in charges but was ineffective in his plans for Reconstruction his plans for Reconstruction and finished his term quietly. and finished his term quietly.

Election of 1868Election of 1868 Republican Republican

candidatecandidate: Civil War : Civil War hero Ulysses S. hero Ulysses S. Grant.Grant.

Democrat candidateDemocrat candidate: : Former governor of Former governor of New York Horatio New York Horatio Seymour.Seymour.

Election of 1868Election of 1868 Grant won the election, gaining 214 of Grant won the election, gaining 214 of

294 electoral votes.294 electoral votes. Grant also received most of the votes of Grant also received most of the votes of

African Americans.African Americans. The 1868 election was a vote on The 1868 election was a vote on

Reconstruction, and voters supported the Reconstruction, and voters supported the Republican approach to the issue. Republican approach to the issue.