end of reconstruction alex welch, heather merrifield, jessica mccarty, josh lindauer, and logan...
TRANSCRIPT
End of Reconstruction Alex Welch, Heather Merrifield, Jessica
McCarty, Josh Lindauer, and Logan Bower
The Depression of 1873Also known as The Panic of 1873
Lasted from 1873-1878
After the Civil War, employment rose and the economy grew because focus returned to the country's economy
Over 30,000 miles of railroad tracks were laid, including the Trans-Continental Railroad via the Union Pacific and Central Pacific
Started the investment in a Northern route
Main Cause of the Collapse
Most friendly firms of the United States invested heavily in the railroad
They ran out of funds before the project was completed and they could not get the money back
Declared bankruptcy
Effects20,000 businesses were shut down over the course of 5 years
100 railroad companies suffered and/or declared bankruptcy immediately
Employment dropped significantly
The 1870s
Reconstruction efforts were stalled when Democrats got majority in the House of Representatives in 1874
Democrats were slowly regaining control of the South
There was a lot of violence used by Democrats to secure power
In some cases, Republicans were murdered in the 1876 election
The Civil Rights Act of 1875
Passed by radical Republicans
Democrats in the House try to make sure it was unenforceable
Democrats in the House
Democrats in the House said African Americans had to file their own claims to protect their rights
They knew many African Americans had no money and couldn't file a lawsuit
Candidates in The Election of 1876
Samuel Tilden: democratic governor of New York
Rutherford B Hayes: republican governor of Ohio
The South hope that Hayes would restrict federal enforcement of reconstruction-era policies
The Election of 1876
Tilden won the swing states of Connecticut, Indiana, New York, and New Jersey
Tilden had the 184 out of 185 electoral votes that he needed to win the election
The Election of 1876
Republicans accused democrat supporters of bribing an intimidating African-American voters to keep them from voting in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina
The Election of 1876
As the votes were added up, numbers kept changing and many thought the numbers were being rigged
Electoral CommissionCongress set up and electoral commission in 1877
It was supposed to consist of 7 Republicans, 7 Democrats, and 1 neutral politician but there were actually 8 republicans and 7 democrats
If Democrats allowed Hayes to win:
Republicans promised to support a bill to subsidize the construction of the Trans-Continental Railroad in the South
They also gave the Post-Master General position to a Southern white man
Federal Troops would be removed from the South
Known as The Compromise of 1877
ResultsTilden's party abandoned him
Hayes is elected president in 1876, becomes president in 1877
Troops are removed from the South, signifying the end of Reconstruction
What caused reconstruction to end?
Loss of interest and passion from the North
Many of their interests turned from strictly Reconstruction to Western expansion, corruption in government, and industrial growth
The North also thought the South should solve their own problems
The economic downturn and caused people to focus on their own financial situations
Congress was frustrated because the Supreme Court struck down a lot of legislation
Primary Source
"After they told us we were free -- even then they would not let us live as man and wife together. And when we would run away to be free, the white people would not let us come on their places to see our mothers, wives, sisters, or fathers. We was made to leave or go back and live as slaves. To my own knowledge there was over two thousand colored people killed trying to get away after the white people told us we were free in 1865."
Failures of Reconstruction
Most legislation passed by Radical Republicans was useless
Removal of troops meant it was easy for rich whites to regain power and return to the Old South policies
Supreme Court rulings undid legislation made by Congress
Civil Rights got put aside until the 1900s
Successes of Reconstruction
The United States maintained the title of The United States
Southern states drafted new constitutions, ratified the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and pledged loyalty to the Union
Settled the debate between states' rights and federalism
Sourceshttp://www.historycentral.com/rec/EndofRec.html
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhibits/reconstruction/section5/section5_intro.html
http://www.umich.edu/~lawrace/votetour4.htm
http://www.authentichistory.com/1865-1897/1-reconstruction/4-1876election/
http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/the-end-of-reconstruction/
http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1866endfocivilwar.asp
http://www.harpweek.com/09cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=September&Date=29
Primary Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/sharecrop/ps_adams.html
http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/usra_end_of_reconstruction.htm