Reconstruction Reconstruction EndsEnds

By 1877 Reconstruction had ended, By 1877 Reconstruction had ended, and the South was undergoing even and the South was undergoing even more changes.more changes.

Loss of Support for Loss of Support for ReconstructionReconstruction

During Grant’s During Grant’s presidency many presidency many northerners believed it northerners believed it was time for the South to was time for the South to solve its own problems.solve its own problems.

Southerners began to Southerners began to protest the “bayonet protest the “bayonet rule”- the use of federal rule”- the use of federal troops in their states troops in their states during Reconstruction.during Reconstruction.

Republican RevoltRepublican Revolt In the early 1870’s In the early 1870’s

people began to charge people began to charge President Grant’s President Grant’s administration and administration and Reconstruction Reconstruction governments of governments of corruption. corruption.

Some Republicans split Some Republicans split with the party and with the party and started their own, calling started their own, calling themselves the Liberal themselves the Liberal Republicans.Republicans.

Amnesty ActAmnesty Act Liberal Republicans Liberal Republicans

called for amnesty to called for amnesty to white Southerners. white Southerners.

In May 1872, Congress In May 1872, Congress passed the Amnesty Act, passed the Amnesty Act, which pardoned most which pardoned most former Confederates. former Confederates.

Nearly all white Nearly all white Southerners could vote Southerners could vote & hold office again.& hold office again.

Democrats Regain PowerDemocrats Regain Power

““Of course he wants to vote Of course he wants to vote the Democratic ticket”the Democratic ticket”

((HarpersHarpers 1867) 1867)

The Amnesty Act The Amnesty Act changed the political changed the political balance in the South by balance in the South by restoring full rights to restoring full rights to those who supported the those who supported the Southern Democrats.Southern Democrats.

In states where there was In states where there was a an equal black & white a an equal black & white population, or a greater population, or a greater black population, the KKK black population, the KKK helped to terrorize helped to terrorize Republican voters.Republican voters.

Democrats Regain PowerDemocrats Regain Power African American leaders urged blacks to vote African American leaders urged blacks to vote

even at the threat of violence. 14 black leaders even at the threat of violence. 14 black leaders wrote a letter to Southern newspapers which wrote a letter to Southern newspapers which stated:stated:

““The success of the Democratic Party will, The success of the Democratic Party will, sound the death knell of all the hopes that the sound the death knell of all the hopes that the colored man has indulged of educating, colored man has indulged of educating, elevating & improving his race in this State…”elevating & improving his race in this State…” From the From the Jackson Pilot, Jackson Pilot, October 4, 1875October 4, 1875

Republicans Losing Republicans Losing PowerPower

By 1876 Republicans held a majority in By 1876 Republicans held a majority in Congress in only 3 Southern states. Congress in only 3 Southern states. (FLA, LA, SC)(FLA, LA, SC)

For the first time since the Civil War For the first time since the Civil War Democrats controlled a part of the federal Democrats controlled a part of the federal government (government (CongressCongress).).

Reconstruction & protecting the rights of Reconstruction & protecting the rights of African Americans began to weaken.African Americans began to weaken.

The Election of 1876The Election of 1876 Republican Candidate:Republican Candidate:

Rutherford B. HayesRutherford B. Hayes Governor of OhioGovernor of Ohio Held moderate views on Held moderate views on

Reconstruction Reconstruction

Democratic CandidateDemocratic Candidate: : Samuel TildenSamuel Tilden

- Governor of New YorkGovernor of New York- Gained national fame for Gained national fame for

fighting political corruption fighting political corruption in New York City. in New York City.

Election of 1876Election of 1876 Tilden received 250,000 more votes than Hayes but lost the election.Tilden received 250,000 more votes than Hayes but lost the election. Disputed returns from Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon Disputed returns from Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon

kept the outcome in doubt. kept the outcome in doubt. First to 185 electoral:First to 185 electoral:

Tilden 184Tilden 184 Hayes 165Hayes 165 Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Oregon= 20 electoral votes.Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Oregon= 20 electoral votes.

Dispute Over Election Dispute Over Election ResultsResults

Congress created a special Congress created a special commission of 7 Democrats, commission of 7 Democrats, 7 Republicans, and 1 7 Republicans, and 1 independent to review independent to review election results. The election results. The independent quit & a independent quit & a Republican took his place. Republican took his place.

The commission voted 8 to 7 The commission voted 8 to 7 to award all 20 electoral votes to award all 20 electoral votes to Hayes. Which gave him the to Hayes. Which gave him the presidency.presidency.

Compromise of 1877- Compromise of 1877- Reconstruction EndsReconstruction Ends

Democrats were angry with the election Democrats were angry with the election commissions decision. They were going to fight commissions decision. They were going to fight the results in court.the results in court.

Republicans didn’t want a long legal battle so they Republicans didn’t want a long legal battle so they say down with the Southern Democrats and made say down with the Southern Democrats and made a compromise.a compromise.

Compromise of 1877Compromise of 1877 Compromise of 1877 settled Compromise of 1877 settled

the election dispute & the election dispute & included lots of favors to the included lots of favors to the South.South.

The new government would The new government would give more aid($) to the South.give more aid($) to the South.

All remaining federal troops All remaining federal troops would leave the South. would leave the South. Reconstruction endsReconstruction ends

Democrats promised to Democrats promised to maintain African Americans maintain African Americans rights.rights.

South After South After ReconstructionReconstruction

At the end of Reconstruction, many African At the end of Reconstruction, many African Americans faced lives of poverty, and despair. Americans faced lives of poverty, and despair.

Conservative SouthConservative South After Reconstruction many white southerners who After Reconstruction many white southerners who

hated Reconstruction took over.hated Reconstruction took over. They called themselves “Redeemers” because they They called themselves “Redeemers” because they

had “redeemed”, or saved, the South from had “redeemed”, or saved, the South from Republican rule.Republican rule.

Redeemers adopted conservative policies such as Redeemers adopted conservative policies such as reduced government regulations, less public reduced government regulations, less public spending.spending.

They eliminated many social services started during They eliminated many social services started during Reconstruction including public education.Reconstruction including public education.

Southern IndustrySouthern Industry Industry in the South Industry in the South

began to make dramatic began to make dramatic gains. The owners of gains. The owners of large plantations began large plantations began to open up textile, to open up textile, lumber, and tobacco lumber, and tobacco mills. mills.

African Americans & African Americans & poor whites began to poor whites began to work at these mills. work at these mills.

Southern IndustrySouthern Industry With no government regulation, workers were With no government regulation, workers were

paid low wages & worked such long hours. paid low wages & worked such long hours. Whole families had to work in the factories just Whole families had to work in the factories just to survive. to survive.

Southern Industry made the rich richer & the Southern Industry made the rich richer & the poor poorer.poor poorer.

Rural EconomyRural Economy Plantation owners retained ownership of large Plantation owners retained ownership of large

areas of land.areas of land. Poor blacks and whites had to sharecrop or Poor blacks and whites had to sharecrop or

tenant farm which was not profitable.tenant farm which was not profitable.

Rural EconomyRural Economy Many poor people working as Many poor people working as

sharecroppers went into debt sharecroppers went into debt because land owners sold because land owners sold credit with extremely high credit with extremely high interest. interest.

The new conservative The new conservative government did not grant government did not grant affordable loans. affordable loans.

Plantation owners became Plantation owners became rich again while the rural rich again while the rural South sank into deep poverty South sank into deep poverty and debt.and debt.

A Divided SouthA Divided South As Reconstruction As Reconstruction

ended, true freedom for ended, true freedom for African Americans African Americans became a distant dream.became a distant dream.

With Reconstruction With Reconstruction gone racism becomes gone racism becomes firmly entrenched, & firmly entrenched, & local governments took local governments took steps to keep blacks steps to keep blacks separated from whites & separated from whites & to deny them their basic to deny them their basic rights.rights.

Voting RestrictionsVoting Restrictions Poll TaxPoll Tax: A fee that people had to pay before : A fee that people had to pay before

voting.voting. Southern states required a poll tax which kept Southern states required a poll tax which kept

many blacks from voting.many blacks from voting.

Voting RestrictionsVoting Restrictions Literacy TestLiteracy Test: A test voters : A test voters

had to read, & then explain had to read, & then explain difficult parts of state and the difficult parts of state and the federal Constitution.federal Constitution.

Grandfather ClauseGrandfather Clause: This law : This law allowed individuals who did allowed individuals who did not pass the literacy test to not pass the literacy test to vote if their fathers or vote if their fathers or grandfathers had voted grandfathers had voted before Reconstruction.before Reconstruction.

Because African Americans Because African Americans could not vote until 1867 they could not vote until 1867 they were excluded. were excluded.

Jim Crow Laws Jim Crow Laws SegregationSegregation: The : The

separation of races.separation of races. Jim Crow laws Jim Crow laws

required blacks & required blacks & whites to be whites to be separated in almost separated in almost every public place. every public place.

Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws In 1896 the Supreme Court In 1896 the Supreme Court

upheld the Jim Crow laws. upheld the Jim Crow laws. Ruling that segregation Ruling that segregation was legal as long as was legal as long as facilities were equal.facilities were equal.

This became known as This became known as “separate but equal”.“separate but equal”.

The problem was that the The problem was that the facilities were in no way facilities were in no way equal. equal.

Southern states spent Southern states spent much more money on much more money on schools for whites than schools for whites than schools for blacksschools for blacks..

Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws The “separate but equal” The “separate but equal”

doctrine segregated the doctrine segregated the South for close to an South for close to an extra 90 years.extra 90 years.

Along with voting Along with voting restrictions & laws to restrictions & laws to segregate society, segregate society, violence against blacks violence against blacks increased. increased.

Lynching common.Lynching common.

Reconstruction’s ImpactReconstruction’s Impact Reconstruction was both a success & a failure. Reconstruction was both a success & a failure. It helped the South recover from the Civil War It helped the South recover from the Civil War

& began to rebuild its battered economy.& began to rebuild its battered economy. Under Reconstruction, the rights of African Under Reconstruction, the rights of African

Americans didn’t last long. Americans didn’t last long. They began to gain greater equality and They began to gain greater equality and

become elected to government but these become elected to government but these improvements stopped when Reconstruction improvements stopped when Reconstruction ended. ended.

Reconstruction’s ImpactReconstruction’s Impact The biggest disappointment of Reconstruction The biggest disappointment of Reconstruction

was that it did not make good on the promise of was that it did not make good on the promise of true freedom for freed African Americans. With true freedom for freed African Americans. With troop withdrawals and the end of troop withdrawals and the end of Reconstruction, African Americans lost most of Reconstruction, African Americans lost most of the gains they had made. The South soon the gains they had made. The South soon created a segregated society. created a segregated society.

The Civil War had ended slavery, but the The Civil War had ended slavery, but the failure of Reconstruction left many African failure of Reconstruction left many African Americans trapped in poverty and deprived of Americans trapped in poverty and deprived of political, & social opportunitiespolitical, & social opportunities