Congressional Reconstruction Packet

Transcription

1 Congressional Reconstruction Packet 1. Andrew Johnson was the first President in American history to be impeached. Some historians claim that his impeachment was politically motivated. Answer A, B, & C a. Briefly describe the differences between Johnson and Congress. b. Briefly describe the Tenure of Office Act. c. Provide one example that either supports or opposes Johnson being impeached. 2. Answer A, B, & C a. Explain one specific historical continuity from to 1865 to 1875 b. Explain one specific historical change from to 1865 to 1875 c. Make an argument that there was more continuity or change from to 1865 to Answer A, B, & C a. Explain one specific cause of the 14 th Amendment. b. Explain one specific cause of the 15 th Amendment. c. Account for a similarity or difference between A & B Write an outline for the following LEQ Question: Compare and Contrast the three major Reconstruction plans: Lincoln, Johnson, & radical Republicans. Use the template provided below: Thesis ualization (Background) Paragraph 2 Focus (With Info) Paragraph 3 Focus (With Info) Paragraph 4 Focus (With Info) Explain how you will get the complexity point, provide an example, and where will you use it.

2 Thaddeus Stevens was a member of the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. He was a leader of the Radical Republicans within the Republican Party during the 1860s. This is a series of excerpts from a speech he delivered to Congress on March 19, The cause of the war was slavery. We have liberated the slaves. It is our duty to protect them, and provide for them while they are unable to provide for themselves. None will deny the right to confiscate the property of the Southern states, as they all made war as the Confederate States of America. The bill provides that each freed slave who is a male adult, or the head of a family, will receive forty acres of land, (with $100 to build a house). Homesteads are far more valuable than the immediate right of suffrage, though they should receive both. Four million people have just been freed from slavery. They have no education, have never worked for money, and don t know about their rights. We must make the freed slaves independent of their old masters, so that they may not be compelled to work for them upon unfair terms, which can only be done by giving them a small tract of land to farm. Source: Thaddeus Stevens, speech to Congress, March 19, Thaddeus Stevens was a Radical Republican. What did Radical Republicans stand for? 2. Based on this document, what were three policies that the Radical Republicans proposed for Reconstruction? 3. Given what was going on in the country at the time, why might Democrats have opposed these plans? Andrew Johnson was a Democrat who served as President of the United States from 1865 to The following is a series of excerpts from a campaign speech that Johnson gave in September 1866 in Cleveland, Ohio. In the speech he discusses the Freedmen s Bureau, which was a federal agency designed to help former slaves with jobs and education. Radical Republicans, like Thaddeus Stevens, supported additional funding for the Freedmen s Bureau.

3 Before the Civil War there were 4,000,000 black people held as slaves by about 340,000 people living in the South. That is, 340,000 slave owners paid all the living expenses of the slaves. Then, the war began and the slaves were freed... Now to the Freedmen s Bureau bill. What was it? Four million slaves were emancipated and given an equal chance and fair start to work and produce... But the Freedmen's Bureau comes and says we must take charge of these 4,000,000 slaves. The bureau comes along and proposes, at a cost of $12,000,000 a year, to take charge of these slaves. You had already spent $3,000,000,000 to set them free and give them a fair opportunity to take care of themselves - then these [Radical Republicans], who are such great friends of the people, tell us they must be taxed $12,000,000 to sustain the Freedmen's Bureau. Source: Andrew Johnson, campaign speech, September 3, Andrew Johnson delivered the following speech to Congress on March 2, 1867, after he vetoed legislation that would have given freedmen the right to vote. The purpose and object of the bill is to change the entire structure and character of the State governments. Blacks have not asked for the privilege of voting. The vast majority of them have no idea what it means. The Federal Government has no jurisdiction, authority, or power to regulate such subjects for any State. To force the right of suffrage out of the hands of the white people and into the hands of the blacks is an arbitrary violation of this principle.

4 1. What reason did Andrew Johnson give for opposing funding to help the freed slaves? 2. The first Johnson document is a campaign speech. How might this influence what he says? 3. What were two reasons why Andrew Johnson opposed giving African Americans the right to vote? Source: Harpers Weekly Cartoon

5 The Case to Acquit Johnson was charged with breaking the Tenure of Office Act, but it is doubtful that he really violated this law. The Act stated that a President may not replace a government official who was appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate without the Senate's approval. Since Lincoln, not Johnson, appointed Stanton, Johnson did not violate the law. Even if Johnson did break this law, it certainly is not very important. The Constitution says that a President can be impeached and convicted only for "high crimes and misdemeanors, not high crimes or misdemeanors. Firing Stanton certainly was not a high crime. It is true that Johnson opposed Congress's plan of Reconstruction, but so did Abraham Lincoln. All Johnson did was to carry out Lincoln s plan. Is that a crime worthy of removal from office? Johnson was seeking to end the Civil War by bringing the South back into the country as rapidly as possible. Congress was trying to punish the South by putting it under a government of ignorant former slaves who, in many cases, could not even read or write. Is that a crime? Johnson was trying to protect the rights of the states to control their own domestic institutions. Congress was trying to force the dictatorial power of the national government on an unwilling people. Furthermore, Congress did not even represent the country. Southerners were kept out of Congress until they submitted to rule by former slaves. Finally, if Johnson were convicted because he disagreed with Congress this country would be in terrible shape. No President in the future would dare to oppose Congress. Presidents would be at the mercy of Congress and we would never again have a strong President such as Lincoln, Roosevelt, or Reagan with the courage to do

6 what he believed is right. Presidents in the future could be removed from office because of some minor offense like wearing the wrong colored tie, or dating an intern. The Case to Convict Johnson broke the spirit if not the letter of the Tenure of Office Act when he fired Secretary of War Stanton (who was appointed while he was Vice-President) and appointed a successor without Congress s consent. Furthermore, the Constitution states that the President must see that the laws are faithfully executed. By failing to enforce the laws passed by Congress Johnson failed to do his Constitutional duty. Since no President should be above the law, Johnson must be convicted for this behavior. Johnson should also be convicted because all of his actions were directed at two objectives, to help the traitors who led this country into a disastrous Civil War, and to hurt the Freedman. First, he pardoned rebel leaders. Secondly, he opposed all attempts to give freedmen their rights. He took land from freedmen and gave it to rebels. He advised southern leaders to disobey the Reconstruction Act, shuffled generals around to prevent enforcement of that Act, and vetoed the Civil Rights Bill and the Freedman s Bureau Act. He allowed rioters in Memphis and New Orleans to kill dozens of freedmen. The Constitution established three branches of government. The legislative makes the law, the executive carries out the law, and the judicial determines whether laws have been broken. Johnson failed to carry out the law. He did not do the job required of him under the Constitution. Not only did he fail to see that the law was faithfully executed,' but he advised others not to obey it, and he broke the law by appointing a successor to Stanton. If the President is permitted to break laws that he is supposed to enforce, we might as well do away with Congress and get a King. Future Presidents could get away with murder. Johnson must be convicted. 1. Answer A, B, & C a. Briefly explain the main point of excerpt 1. b. Briefly explain the main point of excerpt 2. c. Briefly explain the role of moderate Republicans in the outcome of the Andrew Johnson impeachment.