1 / 33

Reconstruction

Explore the major questions and issues faced during the Reconstruction era post-Civil War. Learn about the efforts to rebuild the Southern states, determine the rights of African Americans, and address the economic challenges. Dive into the debates between President and Congress and the impact of key legislative acts.

edenk
Download Presentation

Reconstruction

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Reconstruction 1865-1877

  2. Reconstruction: Major Questions Reconstruction: the era in which the federal government struggled in dealing with the issues of the Civil War: • How will Southern states rejoin the union? Treat them like they never left or continue military occupation? Are they equals? • How will the Southern Economy be rebuilt? • What rights will African Americans have? Whose job is it to protect those rights-federal or state government? • Who has authority to decide these answers-President or Congress? *Come up with some ideas to fix these problems!* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nowsS7pMApI

  3. Part 1 Political Plans for Reconstruction

  4. Southern States Rejoin: YOU DECIDE • Should leaders be tried for treason? • How do Southerners claim seats in Congress? • What about the Constitution? • Should Congress or the President lead? • Stipulations to joining-loyalty oaths?

  5. Rights for African Americans • 13th Amendment: abolition of slavery; passed Dec. 6, 1865 • Citizenship? Full rights? • Republican Party supports; Southerners reject (power stance)

  6. Southern Economy Rebuilt • Left to the states; little help given to them • 1860-1870: Wealth declined from 30% to 12% • ¼ of soldiers died in war, land destroyed, no farm equipment, no workforce • Land=most valuable asset; who gets it?

  7. Lincoln’s Stance: 10% Plan • Felt some sympathy for the South; offered 10% Plan: • Full Presidential pardon to southerners who took • An oath of allegiance to the U.S. Constitution/Union • Accepted emancipation of slaves • As soon as 10% of voters took a loyalty oath to the Union, the state could set up a new government • Opposition to 10% Plan: • Thaddeus Stevens/Charles Sumner “Radical Republicans” • Advocated full citizenship for AA and punishment for South

  8. Wade-Davis Bill • Raised in opposition to the 10% Plan; feared disloyalty • Demanded a majority of voters to take loyalty oath to the Union AND guarantee AA equality • Lincoln kills with a pocket-veto

  9. Freedmen’s Bureau • 1865 “Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands” created by Congress • Goal: provide food, clothing, healthcare, and education for black and white refugees in the South • Reunited families separated at wartime • EDUCATION; Oliver O. Howard (3,000 schools) • Negotiated labor contracts • Represented black citizens in court; LEGAL RIGHTS • Fed funding stops 1870, disbands in 1872

  10. Lincoln to Johnson • Lincoln’s assassination puts Johnson in charge • Background: • TN senator • Picked as running mate to show “friendship” during wartime • Problem: white supremacist

  11. Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan • Picks up where Lincoln left off; agreed with Lincoln- desired fast acting restoration of Union • Required states to accept 13th Amendment and abolish slavery in their state constitutions • Did NOT agree that AA should vote- “White Man’s Government” • Supported state’s rights: laws and customs of state can outweigh federal regulations

  12. Black Codes • Laws that sought to limit the rights of African Americans and keep them as landless workers • Could not borrow money • Could not testify against a white man in court • Limited occupations and property rights • Vagrancy laws: any black person who did not have a job could be sent to work as a prison laborer “Who won the war?” -Republicans

  13. Congressional Reconstruction • Round 1: restoration of Union; completed by Presidents • Disagreed with black codes and return of C. officers • Round 2: Congress imposes own version of Reconstruction on South (focus on tmw) • Harsher on whites, protective of freed blacks • Radical Republicans take lead in 1866; Sumner/Stevens • Angry at South; want them to pay • Civil Rights Act of 1866: federal guarantee of civil rights and superseded state laws • Johnson vetoes law

  14. Congressional Reconstruction • With 2/3 majority, Congress overrides President Johnson to pass Civil Rights Act of 1866 • Moderate + Radical Republicans work together • 14th Amendment: equality under FEDERAL law for naturalized citizens • If states refused, they lost seats in the House • South under military control

  15. Congress Tries to Impeach Johnson • Crisis of 1867: Congress and Pres. don’t agree • Tenure of Office Act: Pres needs senate approval for removal of certain offices (is this constitutional?) • 1968: Impeachment debate in House after Johnson dismisses of Sect. of War • failed by ONE vote

  16. Grant and the 15th Amendment • 1868: Ulysses S. Grant is elected president • Wins electoral vote, significant lead in popular vote thanks to African American population • 1869 15th Amendment: no state can deny suffrage on the grounds of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude • Both 14th/15th amendments ratified by 1870 • Loopholes: literacy/property/gender qualifications • Civil Rights Act of 1875: last of civil rights reforms • Guaranteed equal accommodations in public places • Cannot exclude African Americans from juries

  17. Part 2 Reconstruction in the South

  18. REVIEW: POLITICAL RECONSTRUCTION • In your opinion, what was the biggest problem faced at the end of the Civil War? • What was Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction? How did Johnson’s Plan compare? • What group in Congress led the fight against Johnson? What did they disagree on? • What event led to Johnson’s impeachment? • What 3 Amendments were passed between 1865-1870? What did they state? • How did the South get around the 3 Amendments?

  19. VOCABULARY REVIEW • Wade-Davis Bill • 13, 14, 15th Amd. • Freedmen’s Bureau • Civil Rights Act of 1866 • Black Codes • Impeachment • Civil Rights Act of 1875

  20. Congress takes the Power • 2nd round of Recon: Congress leads • Ex-Confederate States: Rep. controlled gov’t under military protection of the US army until “ALL RECONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS ARE MET” • Republicans rule :TN (1 year), FL (9 years) • Southern Government: • Majority in both houses are white men • Only exception: SC • Freedmen control 1873 House of Rep. • Legislators included native-born white southerners, freemen, and northerners

  21. Supporters of Reconstruction • Scalawags: nickname given to Southerners who joined the Rep. Party • Former Whigs • Rival of S. Democrat • Economic development and peace for their state • Formed allies in the north and with whites/blacks in the south

  22. Supporters of Reconstruction • Carpetbaggers: northern newcomers seeking to improve their economic/political situations • “Make a fortune out of the South’s misfortune” • Young, basic education, worked to get political career

  23. African Americans Get Power • 1500 black men help Republicans Party • Superintendents, sheriffs, coroners, police, state legislature • Legislators: well-educated property holders, moderate stance • Blanche K. Bruce, Hiram Revels-Senators (took J. Davis’s seat!) • Loyalty Oaths required to vote-AA men quickly sign up to vote • White southerners struggling to accept-many avoid voting all together • Black majorities rising throughout the South

  24. Reconstruction: Success v. Failure Successes Failures • Freedman’s Bureau • Liberalized state const. • Debt relief • Universal male suffrage • 13, 14, 15 Amendments • Internal growth (roads) • Societal Growth; schools, hospitals/asylums • No woman suffrage • Segregation of schools • End of F.B.; illiteracy, low quality med care, housing, and econ opportunities • Limited protection of legal rights for AA • Political corruption (took $) • Mismanagement of money

  25. Freedmen: New Life Family Life Schools and Churches • AA men and women have legal rights: can build families and get married • Start schools, churches, and social institutions • Issues in the South: • Settle for substandard living conditions • Hard to find jobs • Black codes • Freedmen’s Bureau combats illiteracy • Black Colleges est. • Black churches flourish • Helped build community, employment, political rallies, and schools • Black activists start off as ministers

  26. Southern Economy: Problems • Uneven distribution of land • 90% of land owned by only 50% of the population • Competition between landless whites and blacks • Sherman:“40 acre and a mule” plan did not offer a solution • Did not want to take land from wealthy (Stevens)

  27. Systems for Sharing Land • Sharecropping: landowner chooses the crop AND provides sharecropper with shelter, seeds, and tools in return for a “share” of the harvest • Problems: • Tools: costly, high int. rate • Sharecropper perpetually in debt to landowner; often lied to about debt

  28. Systems for Sharing Land • Share-tenancy: similar to sharecropping BUT worker chose his crop and bought own supplies • More autonomy, could better judge prices, possible to save $$$

  29. System for Sharing Land • Tenant Farming: paid rent to landowner then free to manage his own crops and free to choose where he lives • All depended on management skills

  30. Grant Administration: 1st Term • Concerned with railroads, labor, and money • Gilded Age & Violence • Public obsessed with material interests • From reformers to Spoilsmen: political manipulators (spoils system back again) • Senator Roscoe Conklin, James Blaine • Business/Political bosses scheme to enrich themselves • Boss man Tweed, Jay Gould, James Fisk • Formation of the KKK • Purpose: keep freed people from the polls

  31. End of Reconstruction • Grant is reelected for a 2nd term: Corruption again • Panic of 1873=Economic Depression • Over-speculation and overbuilding (railroads) • Businesses fail, jobless/homeless population • Inflation rampant; farmers in debt REDEEMING THE SOUTH: *Radical Republicans waning, Southern conservatives called “redeemers” take back Southern government • State’s rights, reduced taxes, reduced spending on social programs, white supremacy

  32. Election of 1876 • Federal troops withdrawn from all but SC, FL, and LA • Democrats return to power in other S. states • R: Rutherford B. Hayes (OH) • D: Samuel J. Tilden (NY) • Hayes wins 1876: • “Compromise of 1877”: Immediate end to Reconstruction in South if Democrats vote Hayes

  33. End of Reconstruction • Hayes withdraws all troops from South • 1880s-1890s: Supreme Court strikes down Reconstruction laws that protected blacks • Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 • Blacks remain poor farmers; fall further behind

More Related