Government agency to help former slaves and poor whites. Many former northern abolitionists risked their lives to help southern freedmen. Called carpetbaggers by white southern Democrats.
Freedman s Bureau
Education
John Wilkes Booth Southerner Opposed Lincoln s policies (especially allowing blacks to vote)
Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865
Jacksonian Democrat Anti-Aristocrat White Supremacist Agreed with Lincoln that states had never legally left the Union
Majority of voters had to pledge loyalty Ratify the 13 th amendment Confederate officials and wealthy southerners had to apply directly to Johnson for amnesty (he pardoned over 7,000!) 1. Former Confederate leaders are elected! EFFECTS? 2. No southern states allowed African Americans to vote! 3. Republicans were outraged that planter elite were back in power in the South! They refused to let them in Congress!
End of 1865 All southern states had created new governments except Texas Congress refused to accept newly elected representatives complaining that they had been leaders of the Confederacy The nation was still divided
Slave Codes Black Codes
Black Codes Freedman could not vote, own guns, or serve on juries. They often had to sign contracts for a year s work, creating working conditions similar to those under slavery.
Radical Republicans Members of Congress who felt that southern states needed to make great social changes (especially giving freedmen the right to VOTE) before they could be readmitted to the Union
Radical Republicans Want the Federal Government to force change in the South Black Codes were cruel Too many Southerners were loyal to former Confederacy Wanted justice for African Americans and poor white southerners
Civil Rights Act of 1866 Provided African Americans with the same legal rights as white Americans by giving them citizenship.
Congress bars Southern Congressional delegates. Joint Committee on Reconstruction created. February, 1866 President vetoed the Freedmen s Bureau bill. March, 1866 Johnson vetoed the 1866 Civil Rights Act. Congress passed both bills over Johnson s vetoes 1 st in U. S. history!!
Supreme Court!!
14 th Amendment: citizenship! (and equal protection of the laws!)
Key issues: Civil rights and African Americans Johnson made a BAD tour around the country to push his plan. Riots break out. The elections were a disaster for Johnson. Republicans won a 3-1 majority in both houses and gained control of every northern state. Johnson s Swing around the Circle
Military Reconstruction Act * Divide the 10 unreconstructed states into 5 military districts with a military general who would govern * Write a new constitutions ratifying the 14 th Amendment and giving AA the right to vote
Command of the Army Act * The President must issue all Reconstruction orders through the commander of the military. Tenure of Office Act * The President could not remove any officials [esp. Cabinet members] without the Senate s consent, if the position originally required Senate approval. Designed to protect radical members of Lincoln s government. A question of the constitutionality of this law. Edwin Stanton
Impeachment Process used by a legislative body to bring formal charges against a public official Ex: House of Representatives charging the President with a crime
Congress is already mad at Johnson. Then Johnson removed Stanton in February, 1868. Johnson replaced generals in the field who were more sympathetic to Radical Reconstruction. The House impeached him on February 24 before even drawing up the charges by a vote of 126 47!
Defense argued that the Tenure of Office Act was NOT violated Stanton was a leftover appointment from Lincoln in 1860 so was not protected by the Act
11 week trial. Johnson acquitted 35 to 19 (one short of required 2/3s vote).
Impeachable offense? Was a Democrat and Congress was mostly Republican Vetoed the Civil Rights Act and the Freedman s Bureau Bill Did not support equality for African Americans (was a white supremacist) Violated the Command of Army Act by removing generals who favored Radical Republicans Support Black Codes Allowed the planter class to come back to power Violated the Tenure of Office Act by firing Sec. of War Stanton without Senate approval
Reasons Republicans didn t like Johnson Was a Democrat and Congress was mostly Republican Vetoed the Civil Rights Act and the Freedman s Bureau Bill Did not support equality for African Americans (was a white supremacist) Support Black Codes Allowed the planter class to come back to power Impeachable Offenses Violated the Command of Army Act by removing generals who favored Radical Republicans Violated the Tenure of Office Act by firing Sec. of War Stanton without Senate approval
15 th Amendment