Reconstruction of the Union

An issue of reconstruction –

Who had the authority to take charge of reconstructing the Union –

the President or Congress?

How to Rebuild the Union

What role shouldstates play inregard tofree slaves?

Should the Government protectthe rights of formerslaves?

Did the South actually secede?

How shouldgovernments ofSouthern states be formed?

Should former slaves beallowed tovote?

Should Southernersbe pardonedor punished?

Should theGovernment giveassistance toformer slaves?

Difficulties of Reconstruction

Presidential Reconstruction 1865-1867 Lincoln’s Plan Leniency/forgiveness Pardon all supporters of the

Confederacy-except high officials

10% of pre-war voters take a loyalty oath - establish a state government and reapply for admission

New state constitutions must prohibit slavery

Publicly endorsed limited black suffrage

Radical Republicans

Senator Charles Sumner from Mass

Led by congressman Thaddeus Stevens from Pennsylvania

Insisted black suffrage necessary for Reconstruction

South treated as conquered territories

Passed by Congress because they felt Lincoln’s plan was too lenient

50% of voters to take a loyalty oath States must prohibit slavery States must guarantee equality before

the law = equal rights, rights to a fair trial for all citizens

Lincoln’s uses “pocket veto”

Wade-Davis Bill 1864

Henry Davis

Benjamin Wade

Freedmen’s Bureau Help freedmen adjust from slavery Lincoln creates bureau Provides education, medical care, opportunities to

lease land for farming Bureau also available for poor whites

13th Amendment (1865)

Abolished Slavery

President Andrew Johnson Democrat from Tennessee Anti-Southern aristocracy Indifferent to slave issue Own reconstruction plan

shaped while congress on vacation

Reconstruction Plan: a. general amnesty except for

those in leadership class b. States must ratify 13th

Amendment c. emancipated slaves agree

to work for former owners – not take interest in politics

Congressional Reconstruction(Radical)

Presidential Reconstruction a failure New Southern State Governments passed: black codes = laws designed to regulate lives of former

slaves a. Blacks have limited rights b. Blacks barred from serving on juries, testifying

against whites, cannot bear arms, cannot vote. c. must show written evidence of employment every

January 10th of each year or face arrest

Civil Rights Act (1866)

All persons born in U.S. are citizens guaranteed legal rights, except the right to vote

Civil rights do not include Indians Bill passes Presidential veto because Southern

congressmen not seated – locked out of congress

14th Amendment

All native born or naturalized persons are citizens of U.S. and their state

Prohibits states from denying citizens equal protection under the law

10 out of 11 Southern states reject amendment

Tenure of Office Act

Congress passes to limit Johnson’s ability to interfere with its Reconstruction Plan

Barred President from removing officeholders without consent of Senate

Johnson tries to remove Edwin Stanton because he is ally to Republicans

House votes to impeach Johnson – fails by 1 vote

Ulysses S. Grant Elected President 1868 Republican Had strong support from

black South Lacks political experience

– was a war hero Presidency noted for its

corruption

15th Amendment

Prohibits states from limiting vote because of race

Radical Reconstruction Lasted 10 years - 1867-1877 During time Democrats regain control of South African Americans finally elected to higher office at state

and national level Hiram Revels and Blanch Bruce – Representatives in

Mississippi Senate

Radical Reconstruction

Carpetbaggers = Northerners came South during and after war to reap spoils of public office – carried belongings in luggage called carpetbags.

Many were former soldiers, investors, or volunteers coming to help freedmen

Scalawags = native born Southerners who joined Republican party, negative term, most were white farmers hoping to recover wartime economic losses – hated by Confederates

South Fails to Develop Prosperous Economy

Most slaves do not own land Few employment opportunities: Sharecropping – lease/land: Family rents land, crops

then divided between landowner and sharecropper – farmers exploited by landowners and tied to land in debt

Crop Lien System : Farmers forced to borrow and pledge against future crops – merchants insist that borrowers grow cotton not food crops

South not develop a prosperous and diverse economy

Ku Klux Klan

Formed in an effort to restore white supremacy Used violence, terror, beatings, lynching, and mass

murder to further cause African Americans, scalawags, and Northerners

victims

Enforcement Acts

Aimed at Ku Klux Klan (KKK) Outlawed terrorist societies Authorized the use of the Army against them

Rutherford B. Hayes Elected in 1876 Republican Ran against Tilden a Democrat Tilden wins popular vote Election contested by

Republicans who claim blacks were denied the vote in Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana

Parties agree to compromise

Compromise of 1877

Hayes is declared winner of election As winner, Hayes will declare the end of

Reconstruction Federal troops withdraw from the South Reconstruction officially ends!

The South After The WarRadical Reconstruction1867-1877 Economics Social Issues

•First public schools•African American suffrage•Civil rights laws•Black codes repealed•Railroads and industry financed

•Sharecropping•Crop-lien system•Cotton dominates

•Racist societies (KKK)•Racial violence•US Army arrests terrorists•North loses interest in the south

1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876

Reconstruction TimelineLincoln

2nd

Term

JohnsonImpeach-

ment

15th

Amend.Hayes

Elected14th

Amend.

WarEnds

LincolnKilled

13th

Amend.

GrantTakes Office

GrantRe-elect.

Depres-sion

Tenureof Office

Act

ViolenceResumes