Reconstruction and Reconstruction and Changes in the United Changes in the United

StatesStates

Northern Postwar Northern Postwar ProblemsProblems

Economic problems in the Economic problems in the North:North: 800,000 Union soldiers 800,000 Union soldiers

were returning to the were returning to the north where there were no north where there were no jobsjobs

There was no longer a There was no longer a need for so many need for so many factories, so there were a factories, so there were a lot of layoffslot of layoffs

Physically northern Physically northern farms and cities were farms and cities were hardly touched since hardly touched since most battles took place most battles took place in the southin the south

Southern Postwar Southern Postwar ProblemsProblems

Financially the South Financially the South was destroyedwas destroyed

Confederate money Confederate money was worthlesswas worthless

The plantation The plantation economy which had economy which had depended mostly depended mostly on slavery was now on slavery was now endedended

Physically the South was Physically the South was DestroyedDestroyed In some areas all homes, barns In some areas all homes, barns and bridges were destroyed.and bridges were destroyed.

Most of the south’s railroads Most of the south’s railroads were totally destroyedwere totally destroyed

Problems That Would Arise Problems That Would Arise From The RuinsFrom The Ruins

About 4 million former About 4 million former slaves were now free slaves were now free (“Freedmen”) but had (“Freedmen”) but had little opportunity for jobs little opportunity for jobs or any hope of providing or any hope of providing for their families.for their families.

Hundreds of thousands Hundreds of thousands of veterans were also of veterans were also created by the war.created by the war.

Early Steps Toward Early Steps Toward ReconstructionReconstruction

Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan (1863)Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan (1863)

Under this plan, a southern state Under this plan, a southern state could form a new government after could form a new government after 10% of its voters swore an oath of 10% of its voters swore an oath of loyalty to the United States.loyalty to the United States.

The Freedmen’s The Freedmen’s BureauBureau

Government agency formed to help Government agency formed to help former slavesformer slaves

Gave food and clothing to former Gave food and clothing to former slavesslaves

Helped them find jobsHelped them find jobs Helped poor whites as wellHelped poor whites as well Provided health care for more than 1 Provided health care for more than 1

million peoplemillion people

The Freedmen’s Bureau’s The Freedmen’s Bureau’s Most Important TasksMost Important Tasks

Being involved in teaching former Being involved in teaching former slaves and their children to readslaves and their children to read

The agency laid the foundation for The agency laid the foundation for the South’s public school systemthe South’s public school system

It also created colleges for African It also created colleges for African AmericansAmericans

Johnson’s PlanJohnson’s Plan A majority of voters from each A majority of voters from each

southern state had to pledge loyalty southern state had to pledge loyalty to the United Statesto the United States

Each state also had to ratify the Each state also had to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment (1865) which Thirteenth Amendment (1865) which had banned slavery throughout the had banned slavery throughout the nationnation

The South’s Black CodesThe South’s Black Codes

African Americans African Americans couldn’tcouldn’t vote, own guns or serve on juriesvote, own guns or serve on juries

They They could could marry legally and marry legally and own some kinds of propertyown some kinds of property

Congress Takes ActionCongress Takes Action Members of Congress known as Radical Members of Congress known as Radical

Republicans vowed to take control of Republicans vowed to take control of ReconstructionReconstruction

Two main goals:Two main goals: They wanted to break the power of wealthy They wanted to break the power of wealthy

planters who had long ruled the Southplanters who had long ruled the South

They wanted to ensure that freedmen They wanted to ensure that freedmen received the right to votereceived the right to vote

Republicans Start To Take Republicans Start To Take ControlControl

They passed the They passed the Civil Rights Act Civil Rights Act (1866) however, (1866) however, fearing the Supreme fearing the Supreme Court would declare Court would declare it unconstitutional, it unconstitutional, they proposed the they proposed the 1414thth Amendment Amendment

1414thth Amendment Amendment

Defined citizens as “all persons born Defined citizens as “all persons born or naturalized in the United States”or naturalized in the United States”

Guaranteed citizens “equal Guaranteed citizens “equal protection of the laws”protection of the laws”

Forbade states to “deprive any Forbade states to “deprive any person of life, liberty or property person of life, liberty or property without due process of law”without due process of law”

Radical ReconstructionRadical Reconstruction

Under the Reconstruction Act (1867) Under the Reconstruction Act (1867) Congress threw out any state’s Congress threw out any state’s government that did not ratify the 14government that did not ratify the 14thth AmendmentAmendment

To rejoin the Union, states had to write To rejoin the Union, states had to write new constitutions and ratify the 14new constitutions and ratify the 14thth AmendmentAmendment

Johnson Is Almost Johnson Is Almost ImpeachedImpeached

Republicans decided to remove Republicans decided to remove Johnson from office after he tried Johnson from office after he tried to limit what they could do with to limit what they could do with ReconstructionReconstruction

They decided to impeach him, or They decided to impeach him, or bring formal charges against him.bring formal charges against him.

Grant Is Nominated for Grant Is Nominated for PresidentPresident

Republicans Republicans nominate Ulysses S. nominate Ulysses S. Grant for President.Grant for President.

Southern Southern governments allowed governments allowed African American African American men to vote, and as men to vote, and as a result Grant easily a result Grant easily won the election.won the election.

The Fifteenth AmendmentThe Fifteenth Amendment

Proposed in 1869Proposed in 1869

Forbade any state to deny any Forbade any state to deny any citizen the right to vote because citizen the right to vote because of “race, color, or previous of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude”condition of servitude”

Three Groups Step In As Three Groups Step In As Leaders In The SouthLeaders In The South

First were the First were the scalawagsscalawags:: Seen as traitors by someSeen as traitors by some

They were white businesspeople who had They were white businesspeople who had opposed secession in 1860opposed secession in 1860

They wanted to forget the war and just They wanted to forget the war and just rebuild the South.rebuild the South.

Second, were the Second, were the carpetbaggerscarpetbaggers:: Northerners who came to the Northerners who came to the

south after the war hoping to get south after the war hoping to get rich from the South’s miseryrich from the South’s misery

Third, were African AmericansThird, were African Americans They became sheriffs, mayors, They became sheriffs, mayors,

and legislators in the new and legislators in the new governmentgovernment

The Rise of Vigilante The Rise of Vigilante GroupsGroups

These groups were radical in These groups were radical in their way of thinkingtheir way of thinking

The KKK (Ku Klux Klan) The KKK (Ku Klux Klan) frightened, threatened, and frightened, threatened, and killed African Americans that killed African Americans that were not obedientwere not obedient..

A Cycle of PovertyA Cycle of Poverty SharecroppingSharecropping

Freedmen and poor whites who went to Freedmen and poor whites who went to work on large plantationswork on large plantations

They rented and farmed a plot of landThey rented and farmed a plot of land

Planters provided seed, fertilizer, and Planters provided seed, fertilizer, and tools in return for a share of the crop at tools in return for a share of the crop at harvest timeharvest time

Life after ReconstructionLife after Reconstruction Southerners passed Southerners passed poll taxes-poll taxes- requiring requiring

voters to pay a fee each time they voted.voters to pay a fee each time they voted.

They imposed They imposed literacyliteracy teststests that required that required voters to read and explain a section of the voters to read and explain a section of the Constitution.Constitution.

SegregationSegregation became the law in the South became the law in the South Law that would separate whites and blacksLaw that would separate whites and blacks

PlessyPlessy v. Ferguson v. Ferguson

The Supreme Court ruled that The Supreme Court ruled that segregation was legal as long as segregation was legal as long as facilities for blacks and whites facilities for blacks and whites were equal.were equal.

The Gettysburg AddressThe Gettysburg Address Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought

forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.