ReconstructionThe Lost Cause

Lincoln’s Plan

10% of state’s voters took oath pledging loyalty to Union and emancipation

No vengeance

Pardoned all Southerners, except high ranking Confederates

Wade-Davis Bill

Radical Republicans dissatisfied

Two Republican leaders constructed own plan

Goal: punish Confederate leaders, permanently destroy the South's slave society

Stricter expectations to re-enter the Union

High ranking officers stripped of citizenship

Unsuccessful, but placed wedge within party

13th Amendment

Abolishes slavery

No compensation for former slave holders

Leads to establishment of Freemen’s Bureau All-purpose agency Emergency services to south 40 acres and a mule; program of land

distribution Education improved, literacy jumps from 10%

to 30% in 5 years

Andrew Johnson, No Lincoln

Selected as VP because a Southern Democrat loyal to Union

Self made man

Initially spoke of “punishing” ex-confederates

Only Rhetoric

Racist views overpowered all

Lenient policy implemented

Cont…

After all 11 states accepted plan, announced Reconstruction was over

Outraged Republican party

Three Glaring Issues: Many had failed to accept 13th Amendment Dozens of ex-Confederates were being

elected to state offices Creation of Black Codes

Vagrancy

Ending the Slavocracy

If Reconstruction was slowed, opportunities for roots to take hold in south

14th Amendment, federal government key in individual civil rights

Complex amendment Natural born citizens given civil rights, equal

protection, states denying rights to vote penalized

Johnson on the attack

Cont….

March 1867, Republicans ready to go

South divided in five military districts

New state constitutions drawn up, allowing universal male suffrage

Took two full years after Civil War, but a clear Reconstruction plan in place Time for Southerners to recover and fight

Johnson Impeached

Johnson dismisses Secretary of War Stanton

Door opened for opponents

Violated the Tenure of Office Act

Proceedings began, but saved by moderate Republicans

Changes in the South

Carpetbaggers: looking for opportunities in the south

Scalawags: southerners who joined Republican party for political gains, viewed as traitors by some

Former slaves made up most of the population Distinct role in society increasing Engaged in politics, growing churches,

businesses, politics

Reconstruction Under Fire

Charges of mismanagement and corruption flying

Increased taxes bothersome

In reality the charges and tax increases were minimal, enough to create controversy

Grant wins presidency in 1868, tense situation

White Resistance

15th Amendment, black suffrage required “explicit” constitutional guarantee

Women wanted in on the action, rejected, one thing at a time

KKK on the rise Use of violence and intimidation Discouraged African Americans from voting Grant’s Enforcement Acts in 1870 tries have

impact Mississippi plan: campaign of terror, Grant does

not send support

Reconstruction’s End

Panic of 1873, rejection of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, and the election of Rutherford B. Hayes

1877 last federal troops on way out of south