Congressional Reconstruction

US History

Objectives

• B3d -Evaluate different Reconstruction plans and their social, economic, and political impact on the South and the rest of the United States

• B3e- Analyze the immediate and long-term influences of Reconstruction on the lives of African Americans and U.S. society as a whole

I. Lincoln

A. Ten Percent Plan/Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction

1. Reconciliation instead of punishmentA. Amnesty to those who took an oath of alliegence to

the UnionB. Once 10% of population took oath a new state govt

could be organized.1. Exception – confederate govt officials and those who had left their posts during war

I. Lincoln

B. Resistance1. Radical Republicans

A. Thaddeus Stevens and others did not want to reconcile with the South

B. Wade Davis Bill – 1. Required an ironclad oath of alliegience2. Punished former Confederate govt officials 3. Congress passed, was vetoed by Lincoln

I. Lincoln

C. Freedman’s Bureau1. Federal agency to help with crisis in the South2. Feeding, clothing and supporting war refugees in

the South.3. Negotiated labor contracts4. Worked to educate former slaves

II. Problems with Johnson

A. Johnson’s Plan1. Closely resembled Lincoln’s plan

A. Pardon those who took oathB. Return their propertyC. Required ratification of 13th amendmentD. Southern voters had elected dozens of Confederate

leaders to Congress

II. Problems with Johnson

B. Black Codes1. New Southern state legislatures passed laws

known as black codes to limit the rights of African Americans in the South.

2. This leads to more Republicans joining the radicals and challenging Johnson.

II. Problems with Johnson

C. Veto1. Congress enacted two bills designed to help

former slaves. Both of these bills were vetoed by President Johnson

A. Civil Rights Act of 1866 – equal benefit of all laws

B. Extending the life of the Freedmen’s Bureau

Johnson

II. Problems with Johnson

D. 14th Amendment1. Defines citizenship as anyone who is born or

naturalized in the United States.2. Prohibits any state from denying citizens due

process or equal protection of the law. 3. Johnson adamantly spoke against the

amendment

14th Amendment

III. Congressional Reconstruction

A. Military Reconstruction Act1. Divided the confederacy into 5 districts2. A Union general was placed in charge of each

district. 3. New state constitutions had to give the right to

vote to all male citizens. 4. States had to ratify the 14th Amendment.

Military Reconstruction

IV. Johnson’s Impeachment

A. Congressional Power1. In the election of 1866, Congress had won

enough power to override any presidential veto.2. Congress passed 2 new laws to prevent Johnson

from interfering with reconstructionA. Command of the Army Act – required all orders to go

through the headquarters of the armyB. Tenure of Office Act – require the Senates approval

of the removal of any government official

Military Reconstruction Act

III. Johnson’s Impeachment

A. Congressional Power3. Johnson fired a key government official without

the permission of the Senate.4. Congress immediately votes to impeach

Johnson. 5. In May of 1868, Senate voted that Johnson was

guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, but was one vote short of impeachment.

Johnson’s Impeachment

IV. Election of 1868

A. Grant1. Johnson remained quietly in office until the

election of 1868.2. Republicans nominated Grant. Who was well in

favor of African Americans in the South3. Grant’s victory led to the expansion of

reconstruction in the South and the passage of the 15th Amendment.

A. 15th Amendment – the right to vote shall not be denied based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

V. Republican Rule in the South

A. Carpetbaggers and Scalawags1. Large number of Northerners traveled to the

south. Southerners referred to these newcomers as Carpetbaggers.

2. Southerners who worked with Republicans and supported Reconstruction were called scalawags

3. Both were not welcome by former confederates.

Carpetbagger

V. Republican Rule in the South

B. Reform1. African Americans worked to improve their lives

through education. 2. Many Southerners had a difficult time adjusting.

Secret organizations were formed to undermine republican rule.

A. Ku Klux Klan – rode in bands at night terrorizing teachers, carpetbaggers, freed men, and those who supported Republican rule

Grant

VI. Reconstruction Ends

A. Grant Administration1. Lack of political experience helped to divide the

political party. 2. Series of scandals helped to damage his

reputation.3. Nation’s economic depression was deepening

and the North grew tired of Reconstruction in the south.

VI. Reconstruction Ends

B. Compromise of 1877A. Disputed electoral votes eventually lead to a

compromiseB. Rutherford B. Hayes received disputed votes

and becomes president and in return he agreed to removed federal troops form the South.

Compromise of 1877

VII. New South

A. African Americans lose ground1. South soon returned to the white mans rule2. African American schools were closed due to lack

of funding3. Freed men were forced in labor contracts

A. Sharecropping Tenant Farming

4. States passed Jim Crowe laws with further segregated blacks and whites

A. Poll taxB. Literacy tests