Bell Ringer

• Where did the Civil War end?

• What does Reconstruction mean to you?

• What do you think the goals of a post Civil War America would be? Why?

Bell Ringer

• What were the steps to Johnson’s Reconstruction?

• What were Black Codes?

• What problems could people have had with Johnson’s actions after the Civil War? Why?

Bell Ringer

• What was the 13th Amendment?

• What is the 14th Amendment?

• What is a Presidential veto? Why would the power to veto be important?

Bell Ringer

• What is sharecropping?

• What does amnesty mean?

CH 11 Reconstruction

Reconstruction Era• Two Main Focuses:• 1: Covers the complete history of

the entire country from 1865 to 1877 following the Civil War;

• 2: Focuses on the transformation of the Southern United States from 1863 to 1877, as directed by Washington, with the reconstruction of state and society

• RECONSTRUCTION STARTS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR & ENDS IN 1877!!!

Lincoln Assassinated• Lincoln was re-elected and was

planning to see the Union through Reconstruction.

• Lincoln, however, would be assassinated while watching a play at Ford’s Theater.

• John Wilkes Booth believed killing Lincoln would save the Confederacy

• Andrew Johnson becomes President

Andrew Johnson

• From Tennessee• Only Southern Congressmen

to hold his seat during the Civil War

• Recruited by Republicans to be VP even though he was a life long Democrat

• Was not overly concerned about the welfare of the Slaves after the Civil War.

Johnson’s Reconstruction

Plan

• For a Southern State to Re-enter the Union they needed to complete the following steps:– Write a new State Constitution– Elect a new State Governor– Repeal the act of Secession– Cancel any and all war Debts– Ratify the 13th Amendment

(Abolishes slavery & involuntary servitude)• Though encouraged by many

Republicans Johnson felt no need to make giving freemen the right to vote a requirement.

Slaves with Freedom• Former Slaves would now be known as Freedmen• Many took advantage of new rights that had been denied them as

slaves in the South– Travel– Marriage– Education

• The Freedmen’s Bureau was established to help former slaves, AND POOR WHITES, with food, clothing, education, and medical care.

• The Bureau also helped slaves with any legal matters they may have

Black Codes• As Southern states met

Johnson’s requirements he removed the army.

• Many Northerners questioned what the South would do unsupervised.

• Southern states will pass black codes, or laws specifically designed to limit the freedoms and opportunities of Blacks in the South.

What the Black Codes Allow:Allow

• Can own property• Can work for wages• Marry• File a lawsuit

Don’t Allow• Rights of citizenship• Can not vote• Can not serve on

Juries– Civil Rights

Reason for Black Codes1. Clearly defines rights

of Blacks in the South2. Ensures a workforce

for planters who lost their slaves after the war

3. Limited the social mobility of Blacks after the war.

Congress takes over Reconstruction• With all the Southern

states meeting his requirements Johnson felt Reconstruction was over.

• Radical Republicans, abolitionist before the war, felt reconstruction had just begun.

• Led by Thaddeus Stevens & Charles Sumner

Radical Republicans

• The Radical Republicans were critical of Johnson’s reconstruction plan, and called for equal rights for all peoples.

• Congress will introduce two bills• Extend the Freedman’s Bureau past

it’s 1 year charter.• Civil Rights Act of 1866: takes direct

aim at Black Codes saying that Blacks should receive an equal benefit of the law, the same as whites.

• Johnson will veto both bills

Johnson’s Reasons &

Senates Reaction

• Johnson claimed keeping the Freedman’s Bureau would cost too much money & make people lazy.

• He said the Civil Rights act would violate a State’s rights under the Constitution

• Senate will gather 2/3 of each house, and override the President’s Veto BOTH times.– This was the first time a Congress

had ever overridden a President's Veto

• This actually hurt his public image, and

when Congress won a veto proof 2/3 majority in both houses they took

over reconstruction

• The Congress will take further steps to protect blacks by passing the 14th Amendment (equal protection under the law for all)

• When Running for reelection in 1866 Johnson made numerous speeches against the 14th amendment

Military Reconstruction (Radical Reconstruction)• 1867: Congress creates their own

Reconstruction strategy known as the Reconstruction Acts– The South is divided into 5 military

districts & the Union Returns– Election boards would register white &

black voters– Southerners who supported the

Confederacy were not allowed to vote• Congress will block Johnson by

limiting his Commander & Chief role to Army related issues, and not allowed to fire government employees without approval of Congress

Johnson Impeachment Trial• Johnson claimed both

these rules were unconstitutional, and to prove so fired the Secretary of War.

• Congress brought impeachment charges against Johnson for violating the Tenure of Office Act and contempt

• If 2/3 of Congress found Johnson guilty he would be removed from office.

• Johnson’s lawyers said that his only crime was opposing Congress (but let it be known if he was not impeached he would stop opposing Congress)

• When the votes were cast Johnson was 1 vote short of being impeached

Scalawags & Carpetbaggers• Southerners were upset at the

return of the Union Army.• Three groups register to vote:– Blacks (Duh) and Poor Whites

(???) register as Republicans– Southerners will call whites who

register as Republicans Scalawags.

– Northerners would move South after the war. Southerners would call these Yankees Carpetbaggers. (Republicans)

Election of 1868• These three groups would

be influential in the election of 1868.

• All three groups vote for Ulysses S Grant, who seeks to protect the rights of Freedmen.

• Grant’s opponent will win the majority of the white vote in the South, but Blacks overwhelmingly elect Grant.

15th Amendment

• With Grant winning Republicans realize they need the black vote.

• Congress will pass the 15th Amendment making it a right that all citizens can vote.

• Because of the 14th & 15th Amendment 16 Blacks will be elected to senate between 1869 and 1880

The South• Many Southern states would be

readmitted to the Union by the 1870s.

• Segregation existed but was not extremely common

• Much of the money sent to the South to repair roads, build bridges, and start schools would be taken by corrupt government officials.

• The South did actually start a public school system at this time that educated whites & blacks.

The New Farming System

• Many farmers were suffering after the War.

• Even the previously rich were barely getting by because they could not afford to pay workers. Large plantation owners broke their land into small plots.

• These plots were then rented, and those farmers would grow on their land.

• This idea was known as Tennant farming.

• Some tenants would pay with crops and not cash, this was known as Sharecropping.

• This seemed like a promising idea to whites & blacks.

• In reality tenants had to borrow money for seeds, tools & supplies. They would never make enough money to pay their debt.

• This led to debt peonage, where someone was legally obligated to work for someone until they paid them back.

Reversing Reconstructio

n

• Many Southern Whites opposed Reconstruction calling it illegal (Many former Confederates had been banned from voting)

• Groups would form in opposition to the new order, the best known being the Ku Klux Klan.

• The Klan would terrorize blacks and white republicans by burning schools, attacking Freedmen’s Bureau offices, and through murder to stop people from voting.

Northern Response• Grant will make it a federal crime

to oppress an individuals rights.• He sends the military to break up

terror groups.• This results in a short term drop

in terror• In 1872 Congress will close the

Freedmen’s bureau and give amnesty (a general pardon) to all former confederate members.

Reconstruction Ends 1877• The Election of 1876 was extremely

close.• The vote in SC, FL, and LA were

disputed.• A deal was made:– Rutherford B Hayes will become

President over Tilden who actually WON the popular vote(N)

– A Southerner would be named to his cabinet (S)

– All remaining military forces would be removed from the South (S)

– Federal money will be given to build a better railroad in the South (S)

Reconstruction Undone• Redeemers, or Whites opposed to

reconstruction, start to quickly reverse reconstruction after 1877

• Poll taxes and Literacy Tests were put in place to stop blacks from voting.

• Redeemers inserted a Grandfather Clause which allowed you to be exempt from the taxes and test if your grandfather voted in the 1867 election

Jim Crow & Segregation

• Redeemers would start to legally separate whites & blacks in what became known as Jim Crow Laws.

• Many blacks would attempt to stand up for their rights but would be lynched in the process.

Plessy vs Ferguson• 1890: Louisiana Railroad

companies decide to separate white and black passengers on train cars.

• They find Homer Plessy, and octoroon [1/8 black], to buy a ticket and board the “white” section of the train.

• The company discovering he will do this allow him to board the train, ask him to move, and eventually have him arrested.

• Plessy argues that his 13th & 14th Amendment rights are being violated, but a Louisiana court says the company is within its legal rights inside the state of LA.

• The decision will be fought up to the US Supreme Court where the judges will vote 7 to 1 in favor of the train company as long as the train cars are, “separate but equal.”

• This single ruling opens the door up to legalized segregation in the US & destroys almost all the progress made by Reconstruction and the Civil War.

LAST LAST LAST Thing about Reconstruction

• The time period after Reconstruction ended where white & black relations were at an all

time low is known as the Nadir of Race Relations