End of Reconstruction Alex Welch, Heather Merrifield, Jessica

McCarty, Josh Lindauer, and Logan Bower

The Depression of 1873Also known as The Panic of 1873

Lasted from 1873-1878

After the Civil War, employment rose and the economy grew because focus returned to the country's economy

Over 30,000 miles of railroad tracks were laid, including the Trans-Continental Railroad via the Union Pacific and Central Pacific

Started the investment in a Northern route

Main Cause of the Collapse

Most friendly firms of the United States invested heavily in the railroad

They ran out of funds before the project was completed and they could not get the money back

Declared bankruptcy

Effects20,000 businesses were shut down over the course of 5 years

100 railroad companies suffered and/or declared bankruptcy immediately

Employment dropped significantly

The 1870s

Reconstruction efforts were stalled when Democrats got majority in the House of Representatives in 1874

Democrats were slowly regaining control of the South

There was a lot of violence used by Democrats to secure power

In some cases, Republicans were murdered in the 1876 election

The Civil Rights Act of 1875

Passed by radical Republicans

Democrats in the House try to make sure it was unenforceable

Democrats in the House

Democrats in the House said African Americans had to file their own claims to protect their rights

They knew many African Americans had no money and couldn't file a lawsuit

Candidates in The Election of 1876

Samuel Tilden: democratic governor of New York

Rutherford B Hayes: republican governor of Ohio

The South hope that Hayes would restrict federal enforcement of reconstruction-era policies

The Election of 1876

Tilden won the swing states of Connecticut, Indiana, New York, and New Jersey

Tilden had the 184 out of 185 electoral votes that he needed to win the election

The Election of 1876

Republicans accused democrat supporters of bribing an intimidating African-American voters to keep them from voting in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina

The Election of 1876

As the votes were added up, numbers kept changing and many thought the numbers were being rigged

Electoral CommissionCongress set up and electoral commission in 1877

It was supposed to consist of 7 Republicans, 7 Democrats, and 1 neutral politician but there were actually 8 republicans and 7 democrats

If Democrats allowed Hayes to win:

Republicans promised to support a bill to subsidize the construction of the Trans-Continental Railroad in the South

They also gave the Post-Master General position to a Southern white man

Federal Troops would be removed from the South

Known as The Compromise of 1877

ResultsTilden's party abandoned him

Hayes is elected president in 1876, becomes president in 1877

Troops are removed from the South, signifying the end of Reconstruction

What caused reconstruction to end?

Loss of interest and passion from the North

Many of their interests turned from strictly Reconstruction to Western expansion, corruption in government, and industrial growth

The North also thought the South should solve their own problems

The economic downturn and caused people to focus on their own financial situations

Congress was frustrated because the Supreme Court struck down a lot of legislation

Primary Source

"After they told us we were free -- even then they would not let us live as man and wife together. And when we would run away to be free, the white people would not let us come on their places to see our mothers, wives, sisters, or fathers. We was made to leave or go back and live as slaves. To my own knowledge there was over two thousand colored people killed trying to get away after the white people told us we were free in 1865."

Failures of Reconstruction

Most legislation passed by Radical Republicans was useless

Removal of troops meant it was easy for rich whites to regain power and return to the Old South policies

Supreme Court rulings undid legislation made by Congress

Civil Rights got put aside until the 1900s

Successes of Reconstruction

The United States maintained the title of The United States

Southern states drafted new constitutions, ratified the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and pledged loyalty to the Union

Settled the debate between states' rights and federalism

Sourceshttp://www.historycentral.com/rec/EndofRec.html

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhibits/reconstruction/section5/section5_intro.html

http://www.umich.edu/~lawrace/votetour4.htm

http://www.authentichistory.com/1865-1897/1-reconstruction/4-1876election/

http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/the-end-of-reconstruction/

http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1866endfocivilwar.asp

http://www.harpweek.com/09cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=September&Date=29

Primary Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction/sharecrop/ps_adams.html

http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/usra_end_of_reconstruction.htm