Reconstruction Comes to Georgia

Georgia HistoryChapter 14

The War Takes Its Toll….

• Georgia is devastated by the War. About 25,000 men were killed or missing. “Sherman’s sentinels” (blackened chimneys) were everywhere. There were no supplies, equipment, money or customers. Most former slaves, the major source of property for some, left their former owners.

• Read the journal on page 223

A Broken State

• Georgia cities were flooded with former slaves looking for food and shelter. Whites were also often homeless.

• U.S. military takes control of many southern states. The intent was to “reconstruct” Confederate states before allowing them back in the Union.

Economic Reconstruction

• Antebellum economy was based on land, labor and capital (money). After the war, whites had only land, and blacks only had their own labor.

• It was necessary for both whites and blacks to find new ways to work together in order to survive.

Land

• White landowners sold land very cheaply, which created many small farm communities. Aid from U.S. Government also allowed blacks to become landowners.

• The days of the large plantations were over. Most blacks and whites could not afford land during this time.

Labor

• Serious labor shortage due to deaths of able-bodied whites and loss of slaves. Some Georgians began traveling west or abroad.

• Whites wanted blacks to stay for pay, but blacks wanted no part of this. Many black Georgians would end up working for some wages, or rent land, or sharecrop with a land owner.

Capital

• Capital from owning slaves was lost. No money was available to buy farm equipment and supplies. Confederate money/bonds were worthless. Most farmers had no U.S. money.

• Georgia banks collapsed, so there was no way to obtain loans or credit.

Rebuilding Begins

• The northeast and southwest part of state escaped war damage, so there were working farms.

• World-wide shortage of cotton after war allowed farmers to sell for higher price.

• Northern banks and new Georgia banks gave loans for this. Northerners began investing in the rebuilding of the South.

Carpetbaggers and Scalawags

• Some Northerners decided to take advantage of the South by coming down to buy cheap land and sell for a profit, or to buy businesses for a cheap cost.

• Some of them bribed federal authorities to get high positions in the Reconstruction governments, where they could make more money off of the desperate Southerners.

Carpetbaggers and Scalawags

• Carpetbaggers were the Northerners who tried to take advantage of the Southerners (their suitcases were made of carpet).

• Scalawags were the Southern whites who sold out to carpetbaggers.

• Both sets of people were greatly despised by the Southern people.

Freedmen’s Bureau

• This agency, set up by the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, provided food, clothing, fuel and supplies to both needy whites and black freedmen.

• Although many whites received aid, the agency realized that the greatest need for help were for the former slaves, who had no education, resources or jobs.

Freedmen’s Bureau

• Due to (understandable) fear from the blacks, the Bureau helped to draw up labor contracts between whites and blacks. This would “guarantee” blacks would received a fair wage and job security, while giving the whites a stable work force.

• The Bureau helped set up schools, provided legal advice, encouraged political involvement and even helped set up churches for freed blacks.

Help for Former Slaves

• In addition to the Freedmen’s Bureau, there were several church-sponsored charitable groups. 367 teachers (80% women) sent to Georgia. Both adults and children were taught.

• In 1867 Atlanta University first predominantly black college was established. Later Morehouse College and Clark College were to follow.

Negative Reactions

• White Georgians did not appreciate work of Freedman’s Bureau or of the other charitable organizations helping blacks (this would make blacks “socially equal to whites)

• Whites believed that Freedmen’s Bureau was to support Republican Party and ignored the whites who were in great need.

Political Reconstruction

“With malice toward none, with charity for all… let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds…..”

This was Abraham Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural address in regards to Reconstruction. Sadly, he would not live to see the nation come back together.

Presidential Reconstruction

• Lincoln’s Plans for Reconstruction included: A provisional governor for each Confederate state; citizens who took oath of allegiance would regain citizenship; once 10% took oath, then they could elect delegates to write a new state constitution.

• New constitution would have to • 1)declare secession null and void, 2)

abolish slavery, and 3) cancel all war debts.

Andrew Johnson

• Only Southern U.S. senator (Tennessee) who did not resign his seat in 1861, was Lincoln’s Vice President when Lincoln was shot by the assassin, John Wilkes Booth, on April 14, 1865.

• On April 15, Johnson became President of the U.S., determined that he would carry out Lincoln’s program from Reconstruction.

Andrew Johnson

• Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1808, Johnson grew up in poverty. He was apprenticed to a tailor as a boy, but ran away. He opened a tailor shop in Greeneville, Tennessee, married Eliza McCardle, and participated in debates at the local academy. It has been said that it was Eliza who taught Andrew Johnson how to read.

Andrew Johnson

• Entering politics, he became an adept stump speaker, championing the common man and vilifying the plantation aristocracy. As a Member of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 1840's and '50's, he advocated a homestead bill to provide a free farm for the poor man.

Andrew Johnson

• After Lincoln's death, President Johnson proceeded to reconstruct the former Confederate States while Congress was not in session in 1865. He pardoned all who would take an oath of allegiance, but required leaders and men of wealth to obtain special Presidential pardons.

• By the time Congress met in December 1865, most southern states were reconstructed, slavery was being abolished, but black codes to regulate the freedmen were beginning to appear.

Andrew Johnson

James Johnson

• A Columbus attorney who had opposed secession, James Johnson was appointed by A. Johnson to be Georgia’s provisional governor.

• A new state constitution was approved by the President and drafted. A new governor and General Assembly was elected, and Milledgeville was, once again the capital.

Georgia’s General Assembly

• December, 1865, Georgia officially abolishes slavery by ratifying the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. (p.230)

• Although blacks were free to do many legal things, only white males could vote or serve on juries. Whites and blacks could not marry each other, nor could blacks testify against whites in court.

The Radical Republicans

• This group of congressmen opposed Lincoln’s plans for Reconstruction. Since Johnson was a former southern democrat, they didn’t trust him. They were angry that Johnson changed Lincoln’s intentions by pardoning many former Confederate officials and military officers (Lincoln did not plan to offer them citizenship).

Punishing the South

• It was the Radical Republicans who wanted the South to be punished, not welcomed back. They feared that, if southerners came back to Congress, then the Democratic Party would take control.

• The new governors appointed by Johnson were almost all white Democrats (and former Confederate officials).

Black Codes

• The Radical Republicans were furious because the new governments of the southern states were passing Black Codes, which limited the political and civil rights of former slaves. These codes were harsh and greatly limited the freedom of freed blacks.

Examples of Black Codes

•      "No negro or freedman shall be permitted to rent or keep a house within the limits of the town under any circumstances. . . . No negro or freedman shall reside within the limits of the town . . . who is not in the regular service of some white person or former owner. . . . No public meetings or congregations of negroes or freedmen shall be allowed within the limits of the town. . . . No negro or freedman shall be permitted to preach, exhort, or otherwise declaim to congregations of colored people without a special permission from the mayor or president of the board of police.. ..

Examples of Black Codes

• No freedman ... shall be allowed to carry firearms, or any kind of weapons.... No freedman shall sell, barter, or exchange any article of merchandise within the limits of Opelousas without permission in writing from his employer In the parish of St. Landry it was required "that every negro [is] to be in the service of some white person, or former owner. ...       

Examples of Black Codes

• In Alabama the Black Codes stipulated that it was the duty of all "Civil officers" of a county to report "the names of all minors whose parents have not the means, or who refuse to support said minors." They might be treated in the same way, arrested, fined, and then sentenced to work off their fines.

Johnson’s Downfall

• Radical Republicans were so angry about the Black Codes that they decided to seize control of Reconstruction. By 1866, Radical Republicans had control of both U.S. House and Senate. They refused to approve the new state governments or to seat their representatives. Johnson was powerless to take back control.

Edwin Stanton

• Lincoln’s Secretary of War who was also attacked the night of Lincoln’s death, blamed the South for Lincoln’s assassination and wanted revenge.

• He refused to leave his Cabinet post (Tenure of Office Act) and told Johnson that the new southern governors would report to Congress, not Johnson.

Tenure of Office Act

• Normally a President appoints his own Cabinet members, and the U.S. Senate must approve them. Lincoln had already received approval from the Senate for his Cabinet.

• The Tenure of Office Act required the consent of the Senate for the President to remove an officeholder whose appointment had been originally confirmed by the Senate. This Act was intended to keep Johnson from changing Lincoln’s original Cabinet members, mostly Radical Republicans.

Secretary of War

• Johnson, furious with Stanton, appointed Ulysses S. Grant as the new Secretary of War. Stanton locked himself in his office and refused to leave. Grant wanted no part of this and told Johnson that he wouldn’t take the post. No one wanted to take the post out of fear of Stanton and the Senate.

Impeachment

• The House of Representatives (majority were Radical Republicans) decided to impeach Andrew Johnson on violating the Tenure of Office act. He was saved by 1 Senate vote. Johnson remained President but decided not to run for reelection.

The Fourteenth Amendment

• To counter the Black Codes, this amendment made it clear that blacks were citizens of the U.S., and had “equal protection under the law.” (yea, right).

• If any southern state denied blacks their rights, those states would loose representation. However, only 6 states in the North permitted blacks to vote.

• The former Confederate states (except TN) refused to ratify the 14th amendment.

Military Occupation

• For refusing to ratify the 14th Amend., the Radical Republicans in Congress decided that those states needed to be under military occupation. The states were divided into 5 military districts, and a U.S. Army general (backed by federal troops) would be in charge of each district. Only states who ratified the 14th Amend. would be free of occupation.

Georgia’s State Constitutionof 1868

• Georgia voters ratified this constitution: - All races could qualify for voting - Georgia would always be a member of the

American Union - All married women could control property - Imprisonment for debts was abolished - Free public school system for all children

(1871)14th Amend. was ratified that summer, and

the troops left (temporarily).

Blacks in Georgia Politics

• In 1867, of 169 convention delegates for the new state constitution, 37 were black.

• Milledgeville refused to give them hotel rooms, so the convention was moved to Atlanta.

• Because of Lincoln, most blacks considered themselves to be Republican and would vote that way. Black males could vote and helped to elect Rufus Bullock as governor (he defeated a popular ex-Confederate general).

Blacks in Office

• Regardless of the progress that was being made, many whites feared and resented the equal opportunities given to blacks.

• As a way to remove blacks from the General Assembly, the white majority voted to expel 28 blacks (they weren’t allowed to hold office). 4 mulatto members (white and black) were allowed to stay.

Homegrown Terrorism

• In 1866 Nathan Bedford Forrest helped to establish the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in Tennessee. This started as an effort by white Democrats to regain control from the Republicans.

• The Klan made claims that they were necessary to protect whites in areas where whites were a minority.

Klan Activities

The Klan would use intimidation tactics to frighten blacks into submission. Blacks were made examples of by being beaten, whipped, having their houses burned, or death.

Klan members would watch during elections for blacks voting Republican. They risked being a target for future violence.

The End of Reconstruction

• Due to this unfair treatment, Gov. Bullock asked Congress for help. Georgia was placed under federal military control.

• Expelled black members were reinstated in the General Assembly. 7 counties were under military control due to Klan activities. Laws were enacted to protect Republican voters.

The Fifteenth Amendment

• Georgia could not become part of the Union until ratification of this amendment.

• 15th protected the voting rights of blacks. • Public schools were to be “for the instruction

of white and colored youth of the district in separate schools.”

• Jefferson Long (former slave) became first black Georgian elected to the U.S. Congress.

Jefferson Long

• First black to ever make a speech in the U.S. House of Representatives.

• Called for an end to terrorism and spoke against bill to allow ex-Confederates to hold office.

The End of Radical Republicans

• Gov. Bullock’s financial records not good- he went back to New York. Democrat James. M. Smith became governor.

• 1872 Congress granted amnesty to all but 500 former Confederates (they could hold office). Freedmen’s Bureau was abolished.

• Gov. Smith was reelected, and only 4 blacks were elected to the General Assembly.