Explain why Reconstruction ended because it was undermined by the differences in the Republican Party.

1. Explain why Reconstruction ended because it was undermined by the differences in the Republican Party. Reconstruction ended because it was undermined by differences in the Republican party, caused by corruption and the differing opinions within the party that lessened the support of the party and thus allowed for the Democrats to regain power. Lilly Bussema, Sarah Goss, Madison Guiffre

2. Corruption within the Grant administration caused Republicans to question the honesty of the government and thus created a split. -Although most people viewed President Grant as an honest man, that opinion did not spread to his government as a whole. -Too often Grant made political appointments based on friendship rather than merit, which resulted in widespread corruption across the Republican party. -In 1872 The New York Sun exposed a significant corruption, the Crédit Mobilier affair. The discretion involved Vice President Schuyler Colfax. -The scandal was over large construction companies “[skimming] off large profits from a government railroad contract.”1 -Angered by the corruption, members of the political party began to question the honesty of Republicans in office. -“They formed the Liberal Republican Party in 1872, hoping to oust Grant in that year’s presidential election.”2 -Thus, the split resulted in a division of support for the party and ultimately hindered its power to a lesser state than of when it was unified because now Republican votes would be split between Grant and the Liberal Republican candidate, Horace Greeley. 1. Gerald A. Danzer, The Americans, student text. ed. (Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2005), [397]. 2. Danzer, The Americans, [397].

3. Differences in Opinion in the Republican Party • Not only was the party divide due to differences in opinion regarding corruption... • The population of white and black Republicans were almost evenly divided; not everyone came from the same background with the same opinions. • There were different “types” of people in the party that each wanted different things during reconstruction3 • The was growing opposition to the thinking of Radicals such as Thaddeus Stevens who stated that the southern were “dead carcasses lying within the Union”.4 • There was a growing differing opinion on what needed to be done with the south and the slaves and the general support was no longer given to Stevens and his supporters. • Basic reason for opposition to reconstruction: most white southerners could not accept the idea of former slaves voting, holding office, and enjoying equality before the law • Everything was too new to the former white southerners and did not like where the new direction was leading to • On the other hand, the blacks in the Republican party wanted change; they wanted their rights as American citizens.5 3. Eric Foner, Give me Liberty!: An American HIstory (New York: ww. North, 2005), [33]. 4. Thaddeus Stevens, Speech of December 18 1865 (Wellesley: Wellesley High School History Department, 2013), [16]. 5. Foner, Give me Liberty!: An American, [35].

4. -The differing in opinions and corruption within the party, that ultimately lead to the split, made it so that radical reconstruction laws that had been passed with ease before were no longer being passed. Republican Party has trouble passing laws/maintaining power and the Democratic Party gains influence-- Compromise 1877 6 - The increase in Democratic representation that previously was not present also contributed to the Republican partys difficulty passing laws because they did not control as many seats so it was harder to achieve the ⅔ majority. - Compromise of 1877 was the Democratic Party’s bargaining tool after Rutherford Hayes became president after not winning popular vote.7 - They got federal troops removed from Louisiana and South Carolina, were granted federal money to build a new railroad and improve rivers, harbors and bridges, and got a conservative southerner appointed to the cabinet.8 - By the Republican leaders agreeing to these demands, reconstruction is officially over because they Republican Party has given power back to the southern government.9 6. "The Reconstruction Act of 1867" The Jim Crow Era (1866-1865) (Facts on FIle), [4.07]. 7. Danzer, The Americans, [399]. 8. Danzer, The Americans, [399]. 9. Danzer, The Americans, [399].

5. Bibliography 1. Danzer, Gerald A. The Americans. Student text. ed. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2005. 2. Foner, Eric. Give me Liberty!: An American History. New York: ww. North, 2005. 3. "The Reconstruction Act of 1867." The Jim Crow Era (1866-1865) to African-American Experience on File, 4.07. N.p.: Facts on File, n.d. 4. Stevens, Thaddeus. Speech of December 18 1865. Wellesley: Wellesley High School History Department, 2013.