Transcript Ch. 22 PPT
Reconstruction CHAPTER 22 THE PROBLEMS OF PEACE All Confederate leaders were pardoned by President Johnson in 1868 Southern civilization had collapsed Economic difficulties Social structure Transportation was broken FREEDMEN DEFINE FREEDOM Emancipation took effect differently in part of the conquered Confederacy Some were killed by their owners Some remained loyal to their owners Some acted in violence toward their owners The church became the focus of black community life after emancipation Formed their own churches led by their own ministers Education arose Blacks had the opportunity to learn to read & write THE FREEDMAN’S BUREAU Created by Congress in 1865 Reason- most freedmen were unskilled, no property, no money, little knowledge on how to survive as a freed person Purpose- Intended to provide clothing, medical care, food, education Led by Union general Oliver Howard Greatest success- teaching blacks to read Expired in 1872- despised by Pres. Johnson and most white Southerners JOHNSON: THE TAILOR PRESIDENT Was made VP to Lincoln’s Union Party in 1864 in order to gain support from the War Democrats and pro-Southerners Strong supporter of state’s rights and of the Constitution Johnson as a misfit Southerner who did not understand the North Democrat who had not been accepted by the Republicans Tennessean who was not trusted by the South President who had never been elected PRESIDENTIAL RECONSTRUCTION 1863- Lincoln’s “10 percent” Reconstruction plan a state could be reintegrated into the Union when 10% of its voters had taken an oath of allegiance to the US Pledged to abide by emancipation Formal state govt would be constructed within the state State would then be re-admitted into the Union Wade-Davis Bill (1864) Reason- Republican fears over the restoration of planter aristocracy and the possible re-enslavement of blacks Purpose- required that 50% of a state’s voters take an oath of allegiance and demanded stronger safeguards for emancipation Outcome- Lincoln refused to sign the bill DIFFERENCES BETWEEN REPUBLICANS Cause- differences between Lincoln and Congress Majority Republicans- agreed with Lincoln and believed that the seceded states should be restored as quickly as possible Minority Republicans- felt the South should suffer greatly before its re-admittance JOHNSON’S RECONSTRUCTION PLAN Issued on May 29, 1865 Called for special state conventions which were required to: Repeal the decrees of secession Repudiate all Confederate debts Ratify the 13th Amendment REVIEW QUESTIONS Who were the Exodusters? a. Former slaves who, after emancipation, vowed to never pick cotton again. b. A mass migration of blacks from various Southern states in the late 1870s into Kansas c. Newly freed slaves who founded black churches across the South d. Free blacks who shed their old clothes for fine silks The Freedman’s Bureau a. sold land in the West to newly emancipated slaves b. was administered in local communities throughout the South by D.C. agents c. lasted just 2 years before Southerners and President Johnson put an end to it d. was established by Congress to provide food, education and other social services to freedmen THE BALEFUL BLACK CODES The Black Codes was a series of laws designed to regulate the affairs of the freedmen Mississippi passed the first Black Codes in Nov. 1865 Black Codes aimed to ensure a stable and subordinate labor force Blacks were forced to continue to work on plantations Black Codes and race relations Forbade freedmen to serve on a jury or vote Black Codes imposed terrible hardships on blacks who were struggling against mistreatment and poverty. Republicans strongly opposed the Black Codes CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION Dec. 1865- Southern states in Congress were represented with former Confederate generals and colonels Republicans had enjoyed their supreme rule during the Civil War South would have much more control in Congress- freedmen count as a whole person instead of 3/5 Republicans feared that the South would take control of Congress Dec. 6, 1865- Pres. Johnson announced that the Southern states had met his conditions and the Union was now restored. JOHNSON CLASHES WITH CONGRESS Feb. 1865- Johnson vetoed a bill extending the life of the Freedmen’s Bureau Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill (March 1866), which gave blacks the right of American citizenship Congress also passed the 14th Amendment (feared Southerners might someday repeal the Civil Rights Law 14TH AMENDMENT 1. Gave civil rights, including citizenship to the freedmen 2. Reduced the representation of a state in Congress and in the electoral college IF it denied blacks on the ballot 3. disqualified from federal and state offices former Confederates 4. Guaranteed the federal debt, while the Union assumed all Confederate debts Republicans agreed that no state should be welcomed back into the Union without ratifying the 14th Amendment Effect- Congress began to develop into the dominant role in controlling the government SWINGING ‘ROUND THE CIRCLE WITH JOHNSON As President Johnson went on a tour of giving speeches denouncing the radical Republicans in Congress, his reputation dropped. Over 2/3 of the ballots cast in the congressional elections of 1866 had gone to the Republicans REPUBLICANS PRINCIPLES AND PROGRAMS Charles Sumner led the radical Republicans in the Senate for black freedom and racial equality Thaddeus Stevens led the radical Republicans in the House of Reps. Moderate Republicans (majority in Congress)preferred policies that restrained the states from cutting citizens’ rights, rather than policies of direct involvement of the govt. in individual lives RECONSTRUCTION BY THE SWORD Reconstruction Act Passed on March 2, 1867 Divided the South into 5 military districts, each commanded by a Union general and policed by Union soldiers Also required Southern states to ratify the 14th Amendment States’ constitutions must allow former adult male slaves to vote Moderate Republican goal- create voters in Southern states that would vote those states back into the Union and free government from direct responsibility for the protection of black rights 15th Amendment (1869)- granted black men the right to vote NO WOMEN VOTERS Feminists were angered that the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments gave rights to black males, but not to women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony fought hard during the Civil War for black emancipation and wanted the 15th Amendment to also grant women the right to vote. THE REALITIES OF RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION After the 15th Amendment- blacks began to organize politically Strong participators in the Union League Became a network of political clubs that educated members and campaigned for Republican candidates Also began building black churches and schools, recruiting militias, representing black grievances Scalawags- Southerners who were accused of plundering treasures of the Southern states through political influences in the radical government Carpetbaggers- Northerners who had come to the South to seek power and profit THE KU KLUX KLAN Also known as the “Invisible Empire of the South” Founded in Tennessee in 1866 Formed by disgruntled white Southerners who were angered by the success of black legislators KKK worked by intimidating blacks In response- Congress passed the Force Acts of 1870 and 1871 Enabled Federal troops to stop the KKK. Acts came too late. KKK’s violence had already been accomplished JOHNSON WALKS THE IMPEACHMENT PLANK Tenure of Office Act (1867) Passed by Congress Required the president to secure the consent of the Senate before he could remove his cabinet members once the Senate had approved the appointment Purpose- keep Edwin Stanton (Sec. of War) in the cabinet Johnson dismissed Stanton in 1868, House of Reps voted to impeach Johnson for “high crimes and misdemeanors” A NOT-GUILTY VERDICT FOR JOHNSON House of Reps prosecuted Johnson while the Senate served as the court to try Johnson Johnson argued that the Tenure of Office Act was unconstitutional May 16, 1868- Senate voted “not guilty” by one vote Why the not-guilty vote? Fear of creating precedent and opposition to abusing the checks and balances system Presidential replacement would be Ben Wade- disliked because of his economic policies THE PURCHASE OF ALASKA William Seward (Sec. of State) purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million Russia- felt that it was over-expanding in N. America Russia wanted to strengthen the US barrier against its enemy, GB American people did not approve- “Seward’s Folly”, “Seward’s Icebox” Congress supported the purchase because they did not want to offend the Russians (helped us during the Civil War THE HERITAGE OF RECONSTRUCTION Many white Southerners felt that Reconstruction was more of a painful process than war itself. Republican Party wanted to protect the freed slaves and to promote the fortunes of the Republican Party. Would backfire- benefits on the blacks would be minimal, Republicans in the South would be extinguished for the next 100 years The Old South in many ways would be resurrected, not reconstructed. Thaddeus Stevens’ radical program of drastic economic reforms and better protection of political rights was never enacted, but might have benefitted the South.