the south during reconstruction

The South During The South During ReconstructionReconstruction

• African-Americans were elected African-Americans were elected to government positions.to government positions.

• Southern whites react to Radical Southern whites react to Radical ReconstructionReconstruction

African Americans in African Americans in GovernmentGovernment In the South, African In the South, African

Americans held major Americans held major positions but never in positions but never in proportion to their proportion to their population.population.

At the national level, 16 At the national level, 16 African Americans African Americans served in the House served in the House and 2 in the Senate and 2 in the Senate between 1869 & 1880between 1869 & 1880

Hiram Hiram RevelsRevels Hiram Revels was an Hiram Revels was an

African American African American senator elected in senator elected in 1870. (Mississippi)1870. (Mississippi)

He started a school for He started a school for freed African- freed African- Americans and Americans and served in the Union served in the Union army.army.

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass campaigned for campaigned for Revels.Revels.

Blanche K. BruceBlanche K. Bruce Blanche K. Bruce Blanche K. Bruce

was an African-was an African-American Senator American Senator elected to the Senate elected to the Senate in 1874. (Mississippi)in 1874. (Mississippi)

He was a former He was a former runaway slave who runaway slave who became educated became educated and taught in an and taught in an African-American African-American school.school.

CarpetbaggersCarpetbaggers Carpetbaggers were black and white Carpetbaggers were black and white

politicians, government agents, politicians, government agents, businessmen, and adventurers from businessmen, and adventurers from the North who traveled to the South the North who traveled to the South during Reconstruction. during Reconstruction.

Some were from the Freedmen’s Some were from the Freedmen’s Bureau and other government Bureau and other government agencies set up to help freed Blacks.agencies set up to help freed Blacks.

Some were humanitarians there to Some were humanitarians there to help.help.

Some were seeking to exploit Some were seeking to exploit political and financial problems in the political and financial problems in the South. South.

Carpetbaggers & Carpetbaggers & ScalawagsScalawags Many carpetbaggers were Many carpetbaggers were

able to broaden black voting able to broaden black voting activity, improve education, activity, improve education, and aid in the restoration of and aid in the restoration of the South.the South.

Some carpetbaggers were Some carpetbaggers were corrupt, looking only to corrupt, looking only to make money.make money.

A scalawag was a southern A scalawag was a southern Unionist who cooperated Unionist who cooperated with carpetbaggers.with carpetbaggers.

Resistance to ReconstructionResistance to Reconstruction Secret societies, such as the Ku Klux Secret societies, such as the Ku Klux

Klan, used fear and violence to deny Klan, used fear and violence to deny rights to freed men and women.rights to freed men and women.

The KKK often wore white sheets and The KKK often wore white sheets and hoods and members killed, beat and hoods and members killed, beat and wounded many blacks and their white wounded many blacks and their white friends. friends.

They burned black homes, schools, They burned black homes, schools, and churches. and churches.

The Freedmen’s Bureau fought to stop The Freedmen’s Bureau fought to stop the KKK and similar organizations.the KKK and similar organizations.

The birth of the KKK

Improvements During ReconstructionImprovements During Reconstruction Reconstruction brought Reconstruction brought

important changes to important changes to education in the South.education in the South.

Education improved for both Education improved for both blacks and whites. blacks and whites.

The Freedmen’s Bureau and The Freedmen’s Bureau and private charities played a private charities played a major role in spreading major role in spreading education.education.

By 1870 about 4,000 schools By 1870 about 4,000 schools had been established, with had been established, with 200,000 students. More than 200,000 students. More than half the teachers were black.half the teachers were black.

Public SchoolsPublic Schools Reconstruction governments Reconstruction governments

began creating public schools began creating public schools for both races, which had not for both races, which had not existed before the warexisted before the war

Within a few years, about 50% Within a few years, about 50% of white children and 40% of of white children and 40% of black children were enrolled in black children were enrolled in public schools. public schools.

Generally, blacks and whites Generally, blacks and whites attended different schools. attended different schools. Louisiana, South Carolina, and Louisiana, South Carolina, and Florida required that schools Florida required that schools be integrated- include both be integrated- include both black and white- but the laws black and white- but the laws were not enforced.were not enforced.

Farming the LandFarming the Land Some African Some African

Americans were able Americans were able to buy land with help to buy land with help from the Freedmen’s from the Freedmen’s bank. bank.

Most failed to get Most failed to get their own land and their own land and had to become had to become sharecroppers. sharecroppers.

SharecroppingSharecropping In this system, an landowner rented In this system, an landowner rented

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

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

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

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