Transcript The Reconstructed States and New Electorate

THE RECONSTRUCTED STATES AND NEW
ELECTORATE
THE NEW SOUTH
10 States are readmitted under the Radical
Republican Plan
 ¼ of white males are initially excluded from
voting
 Freedmen/African American males get the right
to vote (700,000)
 African American majorities exist in S.C,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida

REPUBLICAN PARTY DOMINATES
The Electorate is turned upside down and the
Democratic Party loses a lot of voters
 3 Groups make up the base of
the Republican Party

CARPETBAGGERS
Northerners who went South to participate in the
Reconstruction governments
 Carpetbaggers were often union soldiers,
businessmen, and government officials
 Why?- power, opportunity, revenge

SCALAWAGS
Southern whites who hoped to profit from
Reconstruction
 Formed coalitions with freedmen and
carpetbaggers in order to get positions of power
 Were viewed as traitors by other white
southerners
 Least stable part of Republican Party (Why?)

FREEDMEN
Former slaves who now have the right to vote
 Made up the backbone of the Republican Party
 Will always vote Republican as long as they can
exercise that right

REPUBLICAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Universal Manhood Suffrage
 Public works projects: roads, bridges, RR’s
 Public School Systems

AFRICAN AMERICANS EMPOWERED
1,500 African American officeholders during
Reconstruction
 Hiram Revels (takes the seat of Jefferson Davis)
and Blanche Bruce elected to US Senate

DEMOCRATIC/EX-CONFEDERATE
RESISTANCE
Criticize wasteful spending of Republicans
 Intimidation- KKK, Home Guard, etc
 Build majorities to overthrow Republican
governments (go after scalawags)
 Propaganda against Republicans, appeal to
racism

PROPAGANDA AGAINST FREEDMEN’S
BUREAU
DID THE RADICALS SUCCEED?
How long will Republicans be in control?
 What happens if the Federal Government leaves?
 How strong is resistance in the South?
