ReconstructionReconstruction

Source: www.digitalhistory.uh.eduSource: www.digitalhistory.uh.edu

End of the Civil WarEnd of the Civil War

620,000 dead, nation scarred620,000 dead, nation scarred A virtual social revolution in the South: 4 million A virtual social revolution in the South: 4 million

slaves freed & 1/5 of white male population had died slaves freed & 1/5 of white male population had died Enter period of Reconstruction:Enter period of Reconstruction:

Rebuild, reunite the NationRebuild, reunite the Nation Questions of the day:Questions of the day:

1. How to restore and treat the South1. How to restore and treat the South Quick and lenient policies or violent and Quick and lenient policies or violent and

punitive?punitive? 2. What will freedom mean for the newly freed 2. What will freedom mean for the newly freed

slave population?slave population?

Reconstruction: Unfinished Reconstruction: Unfinished RevolutionRevolution

In reality, reconstruction is a daring In reality, reconstruction is a daring experimentexperiment

Failed GoalsFailed Goals Guarantee civil & political rights of freedmenGuarantee civil & political rights of freedmen Forge a more just societyForge a more just society

Resulted in:Resulted in: First taste of political power for blacksFirst taste of political power for blacks Constitutional amendments (13Constitutional amendments (13thth, 14, 14thth & 15 & 15thth)) 4 stages 4 stages

1. Wartime Reconstruction1. Wartime Reconstruction

Emancipation ProclamationEmancipation Proclamation Reaction to freedom: internal communityReaction to freedom: internal community

Lincoln’s 10% PlanLincoln’s 10% Plan Former rebel states allowed to form new Former rebel states allowed to form new

governments when 10% of the voting governments when 10% of the voting population swore an oath of allegiancepopulation swore an oath of allegiance

1. Wartime Reconstruction1. Wartime Reconstruction

Freedman’s Bureau Freedman’s Bureau created (1865)created (1865) Aid to assist transition to freedomAid to assist transition to freedom Medical care, education, legal aidMedical care, education, legal aid Goal: “40 acres and a mule”Goal: “40 acres and a mule” Mixed recordMixed record

Expression of freedom-Expression of freedom- Many sought social independenceMany sought social independence

Internal communityInternal community

2. Presidential Reconstruction2. Presidential Reconstruction President Andrew Johnson’s plan President Andrew Johnson’s plan for reconstruction:for reconstruction:

Declare secession illegalDeclare secession illegal Ratify the Ratify the 1313thth Amendment Amendment abolishing slaveryabolishing slavery Repudiate war debtsRepudiate war debts

No role for freedmen, disenfranchised wealthy white No role for freedmen, disenfranchised wealthy white southerners and high ranking Ex-Confed.southerners and high ranking Ex-Confed.

Black Codes: Black Codes: legal codes to return South to pre-war legal codes to return South to pre-war social status social status Ex. Deny right to own/rent landEx. Deny right to own/rent land Deny right to bear arms, marry whites, vagrancy lawsDeny right to bear arms, marry whites, vagrancy laws Insulting gesturesInsulting gestures

1865 Johnson declares Union restored1865 Johnson declares Union restored

Freedom?Freedom?

SharecroppingSharecropping: form of economic exploitation: form of economic exploitation Description Description ““If this is freedom, what did you call slavery?”If this is freedom, what did you call slavery?”

Rise in violence: Mass killings of ex-slavesRise in violence: Mass killings of ex-slaves KKK: KKK: Ku Klux Klan- secret organization Ku Klux Klan- secret organization

founded in Tennessee in 1866: founded in Tennessee in 1866: intimidation techniques against freemen intimidation techniques against freemen and Republican sympathizers and Republican sympathizers

3. Presidential to 3. Presidential to Congressional ReconstructionCongressional Reconstruction

Election of 1866Election of 1866 Civil Rights Act of 1866Civil Rights Act of 1866 Tenure of Office Act: Tenure of Office Act: bars President from bars President from

removing officeholders without consent by Senate removing officeholders without consent by Senate to prevent President from impeding to prevent President from impeding reconstruction reconstruction

Johnson Impeachment trial: Johnson Impeachment trial: Johnson Johnson impeached by House for trying to remove Sec. of impeached by House for trying to remove Sec. of War. Senate votes against impeachment by one War. Senate votes against impeachment by one vote vote

3. Congressional 3. Congressional ReconstructionReconstruction

Reconstruction Act of 1867:Reconstruction Act of 1867: divided South into 5 military districtsdivided South into 5 military districts New State Constitutions ratifying the New State Constitutions ratifying the

1414thth Amendment Amendment (equality before the law, citizenship)(equality before the law, citizenship) Disqualify former Confederates from holding officeDisqualify former Confederates from holding office

Brief period of expanded libertiesBrief period of expanded liberties Thousands of blacks registered voters (5 states majority)Thousands of blacks registered voters (5 states majority) Freedmen in state legislatures (600)Freedmen in state legislatures (600) Hiram Revels: first African American to US SenateHiram Revels: first African American to US Senate 1515thth Amendment: Amendment: passed to protect right to passed to protect right to

votevote Ulysses S. Grant (R) elected President in 1867Ulysses S. Grant (R) elected President in 1867

3. Congressional 3. Congressional ReconstructionReconstruction

Republican Rule associated with Republican Rule associated with corruption at local, state and federal corruption at local, state and federal levellevel ExamplesExamples

Republican reforms in SouthRepublican reforms in South Free public educationFree public education Railroad linesRailroad lines

4. Redemption Period4. Redemption Period

Compromise of 1877Compromise of 1877: disputed election: disputed election Democrats eventually agree to support Democrats eventually agree to support

Rutherford B. Hayes (R) as PresidentRutherford B. Hayes (R) as President in exchange for the withdraw of all federal in exchange for the withdraw of all federal

troops from the southtroops from the south Marks end of reconstruction & return of white Marks end of reconstruction & return of white

supremacist rulesupremacist rule Jim Crow segregation Jim Crow segregation customs and laws customs and laws

maintained for nearly a centurymaintained for nearly a century Deprived of right to vote & other privileges Deprived of right to vote & other privileges

of citizenship of citizenship Literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather Literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather

clauseclause

Conclusion: Unfinished Conclusion: Unfinished RevolutionRevolution

By 1900’s:By 1900’s: Majority lived on land they didn’t ownMajority lived on land they didn’t own 9/109/10thth lived in the south lived in the south 3/43/4thth sharecroppers sharecroppers 44% of adults illiterate44% of adults illiterate

ReconstructionReconstruction failed to:failed to: Establish a less racially divided societyEstablish a less racially divided society Left African Americans without achieving full Left African Americans without achieving full

economic and political equalityeconomic and political equality