Reconstruction Era: Summary

Reconstruction Era: SummaryThe Reconstruction era, 1863-1877, was a time of political crisis and violence directed against the freed slaves.

The majority of white Southerners believed there would be a quick reunion with the North with white supremacy continuing in the South. They were willing to accept a degree of freedom for African Americans with a few civil rights but no role in governing.

Many Northerners including Vice-President Andrew Johnson, who became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, shared these views.

Opposing this view were black Southerners and a majority of Northern Republicans

They thought that before the Southern States were restored the federal government must secure the basic rights of former slaves. 1In several pieces of Civil Rights Legislation and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the Republican Congress wrote this policy into law.

Unfortunately, violent opposition in the South and a retreat from the ideal of racial equality in the North meant Reconstruction would last less that ten years.

When it ended, the ex-slaves found themselves at the mercy of white Southerners who did everything in their power to turn Black Americans into second class citizens.

It wouldnt be until the middle of the 20th century that the promise of Reconstruction would be fulfilled.Reconstruction Era: Summary2Lincolns Reconstruction Planknown as A pardon to any Confederate who would take an oath of allegiance to the Union and accept federal policy on slavery. Denied pardons to all Confederate military and govt officials & to southerners who had killed African American war prisoners. Permitted each state had to hold a convention to create a new state constitution only after 10% of voters in the state had sworn allegiance. States could then hold elections and resume full participation in the Union. readmit southern states since they never legally left require constitutions to give voting rights to black Americans How does Lincolns 2nd Inaugural Address reflect his ideas about Reconstruction? It sets a tone of forgiveness for the postwar era

1.2.3.4.Did notDid notTen Percent Plan3How did Congress react to Lincolns Reconstruction Plan? Congress saw it as a threat to congressional authority. Lincoln should leave political reorganization to Congress. Radical Republicans viewed Lincolns plan as too lenient.

Congress passed its own, stricter Reconstruction plan, the Wade-Davis Bill (Act). Required ex-Confederate men to take an oath of past & future loyalty & to swear that they had never willingly borne arms against the U.S. 1.2.3.4Johnsons Reconstruction Planknown as Pardoned southerners who swore allegiance to the Union.

Permitted each state to hold a constitutional convention (w/o Lincolns 10% allegiance requirement) States required to void secession, abolish slavery, & repudiate Confederate debt. States could then hold elections and rejoin the Union.

pardons to all Confederate leaders, in reality, Johnson issued pardons to those who asked him personally. the spirit of Lincolns Ten Percent Plan but was more generous to the South.Presidential Reconstruction3.2.4.1.reflecteddenied5 As a team, discuss how the Radical Republicans Reconstruction plan differed from Lincoln and Johnsons plans?

Radical Republicans

wanted to punish white southerners

secure equal rights for African Americans

issue a harsh loyalty test for former Confederate soldiers

Lincoln & Johnson

wanted quick pardons for most former Confederate soldiers

early constitutional conventions for southern states

felt that ending slavery was more important than securing full equal rights for African Americans.

1.2.3.3.2.1.6The Freedmens Bureau was assigned the following tasks: To aid Refugees and Freedmen by furnishing food giving medical care establishing schools supervising labor contracts managing abandoned and confiscated landarbitrating in court disputes between freedmen

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Symbolic portrait of the Bureau acting as a buffer between racist whites and ex-slaves.8The Freedmens Bureau set up schools for ex-slaves and their children who had been forbidden education under slavery.Dedicated men and women came from the North to teach the newly freed slaves.

Booker T. Washington said, "It was a whole race going to school. Few were too young and none were too old."9

A Freedmens Bureau school10

Freed slaves were eager to learn reading and writing, as these had been forbidden under slavery.11

Humorous cartoon portraying a 71-year-old ex- slave woman who had determined to learn how to read and write. She was kept in at playtime for missing a lesson.12Freedmens Bureau accomplishments in Education 1865-18704,239 Elementary schools were established9,307 Teachers employed247,333 Pupils taught74 High and normal schools were built61 Industrial schools were built

13Accomplishments of the Freedmens BureauGave away more than 21 million food rations to both black and white Southerners.Established 45 hospitals and treated 450,000 persons.Settled over 30,000 displaced persons.Negotiated hundreds of thousands of labor contracts between freedmen and employers.Served as an arbiter and mediated disputes between freedmen and others.Set up 4,300 schools that educated over a quarter million ex-slaves.14The Freedmens Bureau was attacked.President Johnson was against the Bureau and twice Congress had to override his vetoes to keep it functioning. Most Southerners hated the Bureau, seeing it as a foreign government forced on them by the Norths military.

By 1869, Congress had ended all the Freedmens Bureau's work except for education, which ended in 1870. Black Civil War veterans received assistance until 1872. 15