Reconstruction Key Questions 1. How do we bring the South back into the Union? 2. How do we rebuild the South after its destruction during the war? 3. How do we integrate and protect newly- emancipated black freedmen? In 1776, the American colonists decided to declare their independence from England. Thomas Jefferson, a young lawyer from Virginia, was asked to write a Declaration of Independence to inform the English and other nations about this decision. In it, Jefferson wrote: We hold these truths to be self-evidentthat all men are created equal But in spite of Jeffersons words, not all Americans were equal. In fact, about 1/5 of all people in America were slaves. The question of slavery would haunt America throughout its history. After the Revolutionary War was won, the founders gathered to draft a Constitution to form a new government. Here, questions about slavery came up and arguments broke out. It became clear that the Southern states would never join the new United States of America if slavery were outlawed by the Constitution. Both sides made compromises about slavery to try to unite the states. The issue of slavery was finally left openan issue that future generations would have to deal with. Throughout the early 1800s people in the Northern states voiced their beliefs that slavery should be abolished. They were called abolitionists. The abolitionist movement grew, mainly because of the Second Great Awakening. The Second Great Awakening was a Christian religious revival movement during the early 19th century and believed every person could be saved through revivals. The Second Great Awakening stimulated the establishment of many reform movements designed to remedy the evils of society before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Followers of this movement believed that slavery was evil and should be abolished by the U.S. government. The revival also inspired slaves to demand freedom. In 1800, out of black revival meetings in Virginia, a plan for slave rebellion was devised by Gabriel Prosser, although the rebellion was discovered and crushed before it started. Despite white attempts to control independent black congregations, a number of black congregations managed to maintain their separation, even when laws passed requiring them always to have a white man present at their worship meetings. The effect of the Second Great Awakening was a push by both blacks and whites to demand an end to slavery. Every time a new state was added to the union, arguments broke out about whether the state should be a free or slave state. They tried their hardest to have a balance between both to avoid conflicts over slavery. In 1861, war broke out among the Northern and Southern States After the Civil War The Civil War was the most costly war in American History in terms of total devastation. The Civil War was the most costly war in American History in terms of total devastation. At least 618,000 Americans died in the Civil War, and some experts say the toll reached 700,000. At least 618,000 Americans died in the Civil War, and some experts say the toll reached 700,000. These casualties exceed the nation's loss in all its other wars combined, from the Revolution through Vietnam. These casualties exceed the nation's loss in all its other wars combined, from the Revolution through Vietnam. Amazing War LossesAmazing War Losses Lincolns Plan for Reconstruction Lincoln wanted to welcome back the southerners into the Union. Lincoln wanted to welcome back the southerners into the Union. Even though Lincoln had freed the slaves (in the south, with the Emancipation Proclamation) he did not wish to achieve political equality for them. Even though Lincoln had freed the slaves (in the south, with the Emancipation Proclamation) he did not wish to achieve political equality for them. Goal was to bind up the nations wounds Goal was to bind up the nations wounds He never gets that chance He never gets that chance One More Loss: On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, in Ford's Theatre, while watching the play "Our American Cousin. America mourned the loss of the man who upheld the Union. The funeral was seen my millions. After the Civil War ended, Congress passed three new Amendments to the Constitution. 13 th Amendment Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction 14 th Amendment All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. 15 th Amendment The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. And 50 years later, another equal protection Amendment was added 19 th Amendment (1920) The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Amendments to the Constitution 13 th (XIII) ABOLISHED SLAVERY 13 th (XIII) ABOLISHED SLAVERY 14 th (XIV) granted citizenship & due process 14 th (XIV) granted citizenship & due process 15 th (XV) granted voting rights 15 th (XV) granted voting rights Freedmans Bureau Assisted former slaves & poor whites Assisted former slaves & poor whites Distributed food & cloth Distributed food & cloth Established hospitals and job training facilities Established hospitals and job training facilities The South during Reconstruction Black Codes Black Codes Discriminatory laws that severely restricted Afr. Americans lives Discriminatory laws that severely restricted Afr. Americans lives Returned to pre- Civil War society Returned to pre- Civil War society The South during Reconstruction Ku Klux Klan (KKK) Ku Klux Klan (KKK) Founded as a gentlemans club for Confederate veterans Founded as a gentlemans club for Confederate veterans Became a white supremist terrorist organization. Became a white supremist terrorist organization. Carpetbaggers: Northerners who came south for economic reasons after the Civil War. Land Land Afr. Amer. Could not own land Afr. Amer. Could not own land Tenants rented land Tenants rented land Sharecroppers - % of crops were given to landowner, the rest kept by farmer Sharecroppers - % of crops were given to landowner, the rest kept by farmer The South during Reconstruction Disenfranchisement of Freedment (taking away the vote) Disenfranchisement of Freedment (taking away the vote) Poll tax pay money in order to vote (most Afr. Amer. could not afford this) Poll tax pay money in order to vote (most Afr. Amer. could not afford this) Literacy test pass the test to vote Literacy test pass the test to vote Grandfather clause if your grandfather could vote before a certain date then you could too (excluded former slaves) Grandfather clause if your grandfather could vote before a certain date then you could too (excluded former slaves) The South during Reconstruction Election of 1876 Rutherford B. Hayes (Rep.) v. Samuel Tilden (D) Rutherford B. Hayes (Rep.) v. Samuel Tilden (D) Hayes LOST popular vote and electoral vote (although results were contested) Hayes LOST popular vote and electoral vote (although results were contested) Compromise of 1877: Rep. wanted to keep the Presidential office so they agreed to remove troops from the South Compromise of 1877: Rep. wanted to keep the Presidential office so they agreed to remove troops from the South Election of 1876 Compromise of 1877 ENDED RECONSTRUCTION Compromise of 1877 ENDED RECONSTRUCTION South reverted to pre-Civil War society South reverted to pre-Civil War society Freedmen were abandoned to a redeemded SOUTH. LINCOLN PROPOSED HIS PLAN IN 1863: HE OFFERED A PARDON TO ALL SUPPORTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY IF THEY SWORE ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNION AND PLEDGED TO ACCEPT THE END OF SLAVERY. WHEN 10% OF THE MEN ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN 1860 DID THIS THE STATE QUALIFIED FOR REENTRY INTO THE UNION NEW STATE CONSTITUTIONS HAD TO OUTLAW SLAVERY NO PROTECTION FOR FREED AFRICAN- AMERICANS JOHNSON PROPOSED HIS PLAN AFTER LINCOLN WAS ASSASSINATED AND HE ASCENDED TO THE PRESIDENCY AMNESTY TO WHITES WHO SIGNED LOYALTY OATHS STATES MUST ABOLISH SLAVERY STATES MUST PAY WAR DEBTS NO ROLE FOR FREED BLACKS NO VOTE FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS RADICAL REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS PROPOSED THEIR PLAN PROMOTED EQUAL RIGHTS FOR FREED AFRICAN AMERICANS MILITARY OCCUPATION OF THE SOUTH TO OVERSEE CHANGES VOTING RIGHTS FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES 13 TH, 14 TH, 15 TH AMENDMENTS THREE PLANS FOR RECONSTRUCTION Civil War and Reconstruction Linksreconstruction_of_the_south/pages/resour ces.htmlreconstruction_of_the_south/pages/resour ces.htmlreconstruction_of_the_south/pages/resour ces.htmlreconstruction_of_the_south/pages/resour ces.html