The Politics of Reconstruction. The Americans, Chapter 12.1, pages

Transcription

1 The Politics of Reconstruction The Americans, Chapter 12.1, pages

2 Lincoln s Plan for Reconstruction Reconstruction was the period during which the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War, lasting from 1865 to The term also refers to the process the federal government used to readmit the Confederate states. Complicating the process was the fact that Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnston, and Congress had differing ideas on how Reconstruction should be handled. ~The Americans, page 376.

3 Lincoln s Ten-Percent Plan Lenient Reconstruction Policy Secession Constitutionally Impossible: Confederate States had never left the Union Rebellion consisted of individuals not states Ten Percent Plan Proclamation of Amnesty & Reconstruction 1863 Pardon all Confederates Except those accused of war crimes and those who refuse to swear oath of allegiance 10% Swear Oath of Allegiance Form a new state government Gain representation in Congress

4 Radical Reactions Radical Republicans Thaddeus Stevens Destroy power of former slaveholders Give African Americans full citizenship & suffrage Wade-Davis Bill Congress controls Reconstruction Majority (not 10%) must swear allegiance before readmission Pocket Veto President has 10 days to sign or veto a bill President may kill a bill passed less than 10 days before Congressional session ends by not signing

5 Johnson s Plan Lincoln s assassination in April 1865 left his successor, the Democrat Andrew Johnson, to deal with the Reconstruction controversy. A staunch Unionist, Johnson had often expressed his intent to deal harshly with Confederate leaders. Most white Southerners therefore considered Johnson a traitor to his region, while Radicals believed he was one of them. Both were wrong. ~The Americans, page 377.

6 Johnson Continues Lincoln s Policies Johnson s Plan (pictured) States withdraw secession Annul Confederate War debts Swear Allegiance Ratify 13 th Amendment Fails to address needs of former slaves: land & legal protection Southern Response Relieved & Agree to terms Mississippi does not ratify 13 th amendment New Southern Legislators 58 served in Confederate Congress; 6 in the Confederate cabinet Four had been Confederate generals

7 Presidential Reconstruction Comes to a Standstill 39 th Congress Convenes 1865 Congress refuses to admit Southern legislators Southern States had changed little Reconstruction not complete Freedmen s Bureau Assisted former slaves Distributed clothing & food Set up 40+ hospitals 4,000 Schools, 61 industrial institutes & 74 teacher-training centers

8 Civil Rights Act of 1866 Granted citizenship Forbids discriminatory laws Black Codes Passed by Southern states to restrict African Americans Prohibit carrying weapons No intermarriage May not serve on juries or testify against whites Must have a permit to travel Johnsons Response Vetoes Freedmen s Bureau & Civil Rights Acts Declares them Unconstitutional Alienates Moderate Republicans; angers Radicals

9 Congressional Reconstruction Angered by Johnson s actions, radical and moderate Republican factions decided to work together to shift control of the Reconstruction process from the executive branch to the legislature, beginning a period of congressional Reconstruction ~The Americans, page 379.

10 Moderates & Radicals Join Forces Fourteenth Amendment 1866 Provides Constitutional basis for Civil Rights Act All persons born or naturalized in the U.S. are Citizens Equal protection under the law Bars most Confederate leaders from holding federal & state offices All Southern States but Tennessee reject the amendment Johnson urges them to reject as they had no part in drafting it & too harsh Not ratified until 1868

11 1866 Congressional Elections Reconstruction is central Issue Johnson s Tour Urges support for his reconstruction plan Johnson offends voters Race Riots Memphis & New Orleans 80+ African Americans killed Convinces Northern voters that federal protection is needed Republicans gain a 2/3s majority in Congress

12 Reconstruction Act of 1867 Radicals & Moderates join Forces Reconstruction Act of 1867 Affects all Confederate States except Tennessee Does not recognize state governments Divides states into 5 military districts States must draft new state constitutions Ensure African American suffrage Must ratify the 14 th amendment Congress overrides John s veto

13 Johnson Impeached Radical Republicans Felt Johnson was not enforcing the Reconstruction Act Impeachment President impeached for misconduct in Office by the House of Representatives Then Tried by the Senate Tenure of Office Act 1867 President must have Senates approval to fire cabinet members Johnson s Impeachment Johnson fires Stanton, Sec of War Senate vote is 35 to 19 against Johnson 1 short of required # to remove him

14 Ulysses S. Grant Elected Democrats Realize Johnson is unelectable Nominate Horatio Seymour Republicans Nominate Grant Grant wins by wide margin in electoral college but narrow margin of popular vote 15 th Amendment Suffrage not denied based on race Ratified in 1870 Enforcement act of 1870 gave federal government more power to punish infractions of 14 th & 15 th Amendments

15 Election of 1868 Virginia, Texas, & Mississippi were not readmitted into the Union until 1870 and therefore did not vote