CHAPTER 6 RECONSTRUCTION AND TRANSITION

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 6 RECONSTRUCTION AND TRANSITION Section 1: After the War - Section 2: Presidential Reconstruction - Section 3: Congressional Reconstruction - Section 4: The Constitution of 1890

2 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition After the War Civil War ends in 1865 Mississippi face great challenges Destruction and disorder were common Roads and bridges were impassable Town buildings burned down Wealth of Mississippi no longer existed Poverty affected everyone - black and white 1/3 of adult white males died during war - unable to work Farms, homes, business - destroyed or badly damaged

3 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition After the War Almost 400,000 freedmen faced greater challenges Freedmen - former slaves Homeless Uneducated Free for first time in their lives Went town to town searching for jobs Searched for spouses and/or children sold

4 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition After the War Civil War broke the chains of slavery. Destroyed the old social order New relationships needed to be built Attitudes of whites and blacks got in the way Blacks feared being re-enslaved Whites found it difficult to accept blacks as free

5 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition After the War Political rights become questioned Freedmen look forward to voting and holding office White Mississippians political questions How would they be treated by federal government Punished for part in the war? Would they be able to vote? Would they be able to participate in government? Would property taken away be returned to them?

6 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition After the War Freedmen regarded: Land, ballot, and education as primary means of independence Congress attempts to help freedmen Created the Freedmen s Bureau Freedmen s Bureau - an agency to help former slaves with food, shelter, education, and health care. It also helped them find jobs and arranged fair wages for them from planters.

7 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition After the War Freedmen believed Freedmen s Bureau would sell or lease land Land that was confiscated or abandoned during war 1865 Rumor that each adult black male would receive 40 acres Over 800,000 acres seized during war Very little permanently given to blacks President Johnson ordered most returned to former owners By 1867 even radical Republicans gave up on giving land Without government help it was difficult for them to acquire land After crop failures in 1866 and 1867 most lost everything By 1870 about 12 percent still had land

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9 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Presidential Reconstruction Reconstruction - a plan to rebuild the South and restore southern states to the Union as quickly and easily as possible. Developed by Lincoln before the wars end Lincoln s plan was was based on two steps All southerners, except high-ranking Confederate officials, would be pardoned after taking an oath of loyalty to the Union 10% of voters take oath, state could form government

10 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Presidential Reconstruction Lincoln s plan dies April 14th, Lincoln is assassinated Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes President Responsible for the reconstruction Plan very similar to that of Lincoln s The difference Expanded the group to all southerners for pardon High ranking positions - owned property over 20,000 Had to apply directly to the President for a pardon All southern states had to develop a new constitution

11 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Presidential Reconstruction State constitutions had to abolish slavery Radical Republicans disappointed Wanted stronger requirements for readmission Johnson adds three more requirements to plan repeal their secession ordinances repudiate (void) their war debt ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Mississippi reconstruction Sharkey named temporary governor Directed to call convention to draft new constitution

12 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Constitutional Convention of 1865 Convention started on August 14, 1865 Nation watched and waited Belief that if Mississippi could write a fair constitution For blacks and whites Met all requirements for readmission to Union Other southern states would follow suit Delegates made few changes Most were prewar ruling class State s relations remained same with blacks Did not want any responsibility for abolition of slavery

13 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Constitutional Convention of 1865 President Johnson sends telegram to Sharkey Encourages delegates to extend suffrage to blacks Suffrage - the right to vote Only to educated blacks Only to those who owned property Delegates ignore Johnson s advice Refuse to give right to vote Only passed resolutions voiding MS ordinances of secession Did not ratify 13th Amendment or void war debt Added after completion of their work

14 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Election of 1865 White Mississippians agreed with delegates Opposed equal participation in state by blacks Planters wanted restrictions forcing blacks back into fields Feared black Union troops still in Mississippi Elections occurred during tension Humphrey opposed secession Fought with the Confederacy rank of General Won election without a pardon Many that won election supported secession Opposed granting suffrage and political position to blacks

15 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Black Codes New legislature meets First and most important issue Civil and political rights of blacks Passed four (4) acts known as the Black Codes Black Codes - codes designed to give the state control over blacks behavior and, particularly, their labor; they placed harsh economic and social restrictions on blacks.

16 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Black Codes First Act Entitled Civil Rights Act of 1865 Provided 2 benefits Legalized marriages Right to sue in state courts Prohibited Interracial marriages Prevented blacks from testifying in court cases involving whites Limited black land ownership Could rent or lease land but only in town

17 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Black Codes Required to have an employment contract Had to be witnessed by two whites Broke contract arrested and returned to employer Prohibited from carrying firearms Provided blacks could be arrested for assembling without permission Unable to pay fine, could be hired out to whoever could pay fine

18 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Black Codes John Richard Dennet while honest and industrious negroes are often arrested and punished, there is no arrest of notorious idle.white men. Black Codes and refusal to ratify 13th Amendment Troubled freedmen Angered white northerners Blacks send petition to governor ask if state has really abolished slavery

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20 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Congressional Reconstruction Several states refuse to ratify 13th Amendment Congress takes control of reconstruction March 2, Reconstruction Act Divides South into 5 military districts MS falls into 4th Military District Maj. Gen. Edward O. Ord in command First task - register all eligible voters Registered any adult male regardless of race Had to live in the state for at least one year September ,000 registered to vote of 160,000

21 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Congressional Reconstruction 61 counties total in MS 32 counties more blacks were registered than white 29 counties more whites than blacks November 1867 first test Voters needed to decide on whether or not to write a new constitution Delegates were to be chosen in same election Opposed by conservative Democrats

22 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Congressional Reconstruction New Republican Party - formed in 1867 People that supported Congressional Reconstruction Scalawags - native whites (turncoats) who supported the Republican party. Carpetbaggers - term for northern whites because it was believed that they came to the state carrying their belongings in suitcases made of carpet.

23 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The Constitution of delegates total - 17 blacks 29 scalawag 25 carpetbaggers 17 conservative Democrats Beroth B. Eggleston (Oh) elected as president of convention 2 Resolutions offered Universal Male Suffrage - extended the vote to male citizens regardless of race or color Provided for a free public education - children 6-18

24 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The Constitution of 1868 Was not accepted by all Mississippians Conservative Democrats Objected to provisions that disfranchise all person who supported secession or aided the Confederacy Disfranchise - to take the right to vote away from an individual or group Did not agree with governor having more power Had to take oath stating all men are created equal

25 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The Constitution of 1868 Constitution was put to voters in 1868 Failed conservative whites refused to vote Ku Klux Klan - militant organization that used violence and intimidation to keep blacks from the polls President Grant resubmits constitution to the people of Mississippi without the disfranchising and an equal oath - Ratified

26 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Republican Rule in Mississippi Election of 1869 Republican James L. Alcorn elected governor (Ill) 1870 Legislature meets Ratifies the 14th and 15th Amendments Elect Adelbert Ames and Hiram Revels to U.S. Senate Hiram Revels was first black to serve on U.S. Senate February 23, Mississippi readmitted to Union

27 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Black Political Power Began with election of 17 blacks as delegates General Ord appoints black planter Justice of Peace - Benjamin T. Montgomery Blacks did not dominate state politics I.D. Shadd and John R. Lynch served as Speaker of the House James Lynch elected as secretary of state 1869 Numerous blacks have held high political offices

28 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition Education Major accomplishment of Reconstruction government Creation of tax-supported public schools % white children attend school 1870 school system in each county allocated more than $1 million One state superintendent One superintendent per county 1875 school enrollment - 89,813(b) 78,404(w)

29 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The End of Republican Rule Democrats opposed Reconstruction Objected to Union troops - especially blacks Charged Republicans with corruption and waste Claimed taxes were too high Resisted public schools - especially for blacks Said blacks were ignorant voters and politicians Considered themselves to be redeemers

30 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The End of Republican Rule Employers Threatened jobs of blacks if they did not vote a certain way KKK used violence to prevent blacks from voting whites gather at courthouse force black sheriff Peter Crosby to resign blacks came to help get job back - riots erupted Federal troops were required to restore order Democratic strategy worked - regain control

31 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The End of Republican Rule Presidential election of 1876 Hayes (R) and Tilden (D) Tilden 184 electoral votes Hayes 165 electoral votes 185 needed for majority Congress appoints commission of 27 to decide Hayes receives all 27 and becomes President Decided only after an agreement to end a filibuster Filibuster - continuous speech making to

32 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The End of Republican Rule Following Reconstruction Democrats reverse many decisions of Republicans Include reducing taxes Decrease in government jobs Dramatically reduce public funds Became to low to support schools and colleges

33 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The Constitution of s calls for change to constitution of 1868 Did not feel that they should be governed by laws created by blacks and carpetbaggers Whites from northern counties wanted reapportionment of the state Reapportionment - redrawing the lines of voting districts throughout the state Felt Delta region was gave to much power to

34 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The Constitution of s calls for change to constitution of 1868 Did not feel that they should be governed by laws created by blacks and carpetbaggers Whites from northern counties wanted reapportionment of the state Reapportionment - redrawing the lines of voting districts throughout the state Felt Delta region was gave to much power to

35 Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition The Constitution of 1890 Section 12 of the Constitution Adult males wanting to vote must Register at least 4 months in advance Live in the state for 2 years district 1 year Pay an annual poll tax of $2 Read any section of the state constitution or understand it when read to them Understanding Clause - added to the constitution to allow illiterate whites to

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