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Reconstruction:Reconstruction:1865-19001865-1900

Richard Jensen & D’Ann Campbell July 2011

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Painful subject for 140 Painful subject for 140 yearsyears

• Who won, who lost?• White vs Black

– Republican vs Democrat

• North vs South• 2nd Reconstruction = Civil Rights

Movement of 1960s• Confederate flag issue today

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What was “reconstruction”What was “reconstruction”

• Rebuilding “a new nation”• Strict adherence to republican

values• Rebel states readmitted only if

proven to be true to republicanism• Until then, ruled by US Army

– = the opposite of democracy

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Three war goalsThree war goals

• 1. Restore Union; destroy Confederacy– Surrender of all Confederate forces

• 2. Complete abolition of slavery– Emancipation Proclamation (Jan 1, 1863)

• 1/3 slaves freed by advancing armies

– 13th Amendment (Feb - Dec 1865)

• 3. Never again = new birth of strong nation; modernization of America

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EmancipationEmancipation

• Lincoln plan: buy the slaves; refused

• Emancipation Proclamation (Jan 1863)– Enforced by US Army

as it moved South

– 1/3 freed by Army; 2/3 by surrender in 1865

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Cost of FreedomCost of Freedom

• Freedom = poverty & unemployment– and massive death toll from disease, hunger

• Freedman Bureau = solve these– also special courts for Freedmen

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Racial Equality a Goal?Racial Equality a Goal?

• Racial equality goal?– Promoted by abolitionists

• Democrats denounce this goal– oppose Lincoln’s war effort– demand Peace & old Constitution As It Was

• Lincoln denies equality as war goal

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RepublicanismRepublicanism

• Constitution “guarantees a republican form of government” to states– Main justification for Reconstruction– i.e. truly republican citizens– loyal to USA , and not to Confederacy

• ALERT: do not confuse with Republican Party. (The Democrats were just as “republican”)

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13-14-1513-14-15thth Amendments Amendments

• Lincoln & 13th: abolish slavery • 15th: all men right to vote• 14th:

– Dual citizenship– Due process– Equal protection

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Lincoln AssassinatedLincoln Assassinated

• His plan to win back white southerners

• His plan for blacks: – recommend vote for veterans & educated

• Strongly opposed by Radicals• Assassination stuns the nations

– calls for vengeance; hang the conspirators– “Hang all traitors!” say Radicals– Lincoln’s coalition leaderless

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Who Was President Who Was President Johnson?Johnson?

• Personality: secretive, incompetent– Hates rich slaveowners– His were seized by

Confederacy– Very poor coalition

builder

• Early 1865: seen as ultra radical

• Southerns beg for pardons & get them

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Johnson’s policyJohnson’s policy

• Criteria:for Victory– Surrender & no guerrilla war– accept 13th Amendment & abolish slavery– repeal secession laws– take oath for future allegiance

• Completed: summer 1865– accepted by southerners & northern Democrats– War’s over! They say. But GOP disagrees

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Johnson proclaims victory re Johnson proclaims victory re 3 war goals3 war goals

• 1. Restore Union; destroy Confederacy– No attacks on US troops or courts

• 2. Complete abolition of slavery– 13th Amendment ratified– Black codes passed to regulate new status

• 3. Never again– Confederate leaders seek and get presidential

pardons

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Who Decides?Who Decides?

• When: when to declare war over?• Who: who would decide, President

or Congress?• Answer: the voters of the North

decided through elections, 1866 through 1876– 1866, 1868 and 1872: not over yet– 1874, 1876: yes it’s all over

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Presidential Reconstruction Presidential Reconstruction 1865-66: Moderate Rule in 1865-66: Moderate Rule in

South, South, • Terrible devastation• High level local violence• Ruined Economy; loss of banks,

railroads, businesses, plantations• Cotton prices down, but only option

– sharecropping system

• Leaders = prewar modernizing Whigs

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1865: Northern 1865: Northern VengeanceVengeance

• Treason trial for Jeff Davis? No• Wartime hatreds, caused by casualties

– But Union soldiers admire Rebs’ courage

• Assassination of Lincoln– hang Booth’s conspirators

• Atrocities, Prisoners– Hang commandant of Andersonville Prison

• Bloody Shirt campaign issue for 20 yrs

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Radical Leaders: Sumner, Radical Leaders: Sumner, StevensStevens

radical rhetoric

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Radicals: NO! war goals Radicals: NO! war goals unmetunmet

• 1. Restore Union; destroy Confederacy– Still rebels at heart; hate the Yankees

• 2. Complete abolition of slavery– Black codes = a sort of slavery– Freedman’s Bureau needed for transition– Civil Rights bill needed

• 3. Never again– US Soldiers must occupy south– Long term: Blacks must share power

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RadicalsRadicals• Dominant in GOP

– Strong religious element– Dominate Congress (but not Army )

• Abolish all forms of slavery– Riots & Black codes = violate this provision

• loyal to USA– repeal secession laws not enough– Rebels will never be true Americans– take “iron-clad” oath of past allegiance

• Control by true “republicans”

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Congress versus PresidentCongress versus President

• Johnson breaks with Radicals (led by Charles Sumner & Thaddeus Stevens)

• AJ Vetoes Freedman Bureau Bill• AJ Vetoes Civil Rights Bill• Prevents passage of 14th Amendment• Critical Election of 1866: Congress wins,

Johnson powerless; almost impeached

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Radical PlanRadical Plan

• Radical Reconstruction begins in 1867• Close down civilian government

– US Army rules throughout South

• New Elections, new electorate: Black vote; disfranchise Confederate leaders

• Radical GOP wins power, 14th Amdt ratified; states readmitted

• Leaders: Rep. Thaddeus Stevens (Pennsy) & Senator Charles Sumner (of Mass.)

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Radicals pass Civil Rights Radicals pass Civil Rights BillBill

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ImpeachmentImpeachment

• Political reasons: Johnson was frustrating will of Radicals in Congress

• Legal reasons: he violated “Tenure of Office” Act (re Secty of War Stanton)

• Fails: some Republicans vote to acquit• Johnson helpless anyway, as Congress

rules over his veto

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Republican Rule in SouthRepublican Rule in South

• Based on 4-way coalition– African Americans– Carpetbaggers (Yankees who moved South)– Scalawags (Southern white Republicans)– Support of US Government: especially Army,

Courts, Congress, & presidential patronage

• Every state had different pattern– Longest in SC, Louisiana, Florida

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Grant Elected President Grant Elected President 1868 and 18721868 and 1872

Democratic songs, 1868

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Radical Rule in SouthRadical Rule in South

• Republican “radical” Coalition = Black voters led by southern Unionists (“scalawags”) & newly arrived Yankees (“Carpetbaggers”)– Timing varies state by state

• Blacks demand more and more power inside bitterly divided GOP

• Quality of government: hotly debated; very high levels taxes & corruption; Railroad deals; public school system

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GOP GOP in Southin SouthCarpetbaggers Carpetbaggers

proppedproppedup byup by

US ArmyUS Army

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Votes for Votes for Black Men:Black Men:

by Law 1867;by Law 1867;by 15by 15thth

Amendment: Amendment:

18701870

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Heroic Heroic image ofimage of

Black Black Voters:Voters:Farmer,Farmer,

BusinessmanBusinessmanSoldierSoldier

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Status of FreedmenStatus of Freedmen• Freedman Bureau in control

– promise of 40 acres & a mule?• Tense relations with whites; separation

– Major political violence in New Orleans, Memphis, etc.

• Labor force behavior– withdraw women & children; reject gang labor– Freedman’s Bureau: must have contracts– not given 40 acres & a mule– Freedman’s Bank -- $$ all lost

• Set up churches; dominant ministers • Status: income higher than in slavery

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Radical Goal: Modernize Radical Goal: Modernize SouthSouth

• Forget past, look to future• Education for all

– Publics schools• Separate for blacks and whites• Create black colleges

• Build railroads• Spend $$$; heavy debts & taxes

– Politicians keep the $$$ for themselves

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Corruption IssueCorruption Issue

• Republicanism violated by high levels of corruption under Grant– very bad in most southern states (GOP)

• 1872: Liberal Republicans reject Grant– half the Radicals decide the war is over

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KKK Murder and threatsKKK Murder and threats

New Orleans Riot 1874

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3 Very Different KKKs3 Very Different KKKs• Same names & symbols, but

not linked• 1: Reconstruction: violent

– attacked Black voters 1866-68– suppressed by Grant & US Army

• 2: 1920’s nationwide, moralistic– pure 100% Americanism– peak in 1923; collapsed by 1925

• 3: Post WW2: fringe groups– David Duke and Louisiana

politics

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Grant’s 2Grant’s 2ndnd term disaster term disaster

• Patronage and corruption more important than republicanism

• Army props up radical Republicans in deep South

• Depression of 1873 hits nation• Democrats come back in 1874• Isn’t the war over yet???

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Redemption, 1870-76: return Redemption, 1870-76: return of conservative white of conservative white

DemocratsDemocrats• Ku Klux Klan tries to stop Black

voting– battles US Army, black state militia– Klan defeated by Grant administration

• Conservatives rally all white voters– and purchase 20-50% of black vote– violence in some cases (Mississippi)– state after state captured by Redeemers

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Compromise of 1877: Hayes Compromise of 1877: Hayes president, troops leavepresident, troops leave

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Compromise of 1877 Ends Compromise of 1877 Ends ReconstructionReconstruction

• Tilden (D) wins more popular votes than Hayes (R)– but Electoral College in doubt

• Compromise commission selects Hayes• He removes all federal troops (they

violate republicanism)– GOP toppled in last three states (LA, SC, FL)

• Bitterness lasts 100 years; “damnyankees”

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Long Term Results: Long Term Results: War goals achievedWar goals achieved

• Slavery ended but blacks become 2nd class citizens; lose the vote after 1890

• Confederacy dead; Rebs = Americans• Modernization speeds up in North

– Business booms; era of Free Enterprise – South becomes poor “Third World” backwater– Texas best off in South, but still poor

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Long Term Results: 13-14-Long Term Results: 13-14-1515thth Amendments Amendments

• Lincoln & 13th: abolish slavery • 15th: all men right to vote

– Not enforced 1890-1964

• 14th: – Dual citizenship– Due process– Equal protection– Most important part of Constitution

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What about three war What about three war goals?goals?

• 1. Restore Union; destroy Confederacy– Accomplished –even die hards agreed

• 2. Complete abolition of slavery– Accomplished. No efforts to turn back– But Blacks got 2nd class citizenship

• 3. Never again = new birth of strong nation; modernization of America– Accomplished, but came slowly to South

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After ReconstructionAfter Reconstruction

• 1872: “Liberal Republicans” revolt • Populist revolt of poor white farmers

fails (1890-96)• PLESSY V. FERGUSON (1896)

Segregation ok’d by Supreme Court Disfranchisement (1890s)

• Lynchings & racial violence (1890-1920)

• NAACP formed (1906)

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Blacks as 2Blacks as 2ndnd Class Class CitizensCitizens

• Loss of Political Power

• Segregation• Poor services

(schools)• Sharecroppers• Some Farm

Owners• Leaders: ministers

& teachers

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Black Belt 1910Black Belt 1910

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Cotton Belt = Black BeltCotton Belt = Black Belt

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LynchingLynching

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Lynchings, 1882-1970by Race

Blue = Black victims; Yellow = white victims

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White South: Heroic Civil White South: Heroic Civil War, Evil ReconstructionWar, Evil Reconstruction

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Ex-Confederate ViewpointEx-Confederate Viewpoint

• Strong sense of defeatism– No taste whatever for secession

– Extremists dead or in exile

– Thousands choose exile (most return)

• Eager to return to normalcy• Massive devastation; all poor now• 100% agreement that slavery is dead• Need Freedmen’s labor…but what legal

status

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Myth of Lost CauseMyth of Lost Cause• Confederate Nationalism vanishes• becomes Myth of Lost Cause

– Myth of Antebellum happy utopia– (True) tales of battlefield heroics– Lee as great hero; Stonewall Jackson as martyr– They fought in defense of their rights and exemplified

republican virtues

• Add: new religiosity (Baptist)• Add: hatred of “damnyankee”• Add: fear of blacks as non-republican• Did it reject American nationalism???

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Heroic Image of KKK in “Birth Heroic Image of KKK in “Birth of a Nation” movie 1913of a Nation” movie 1913