Reconstruction and its Legacy

Reconstruction and its Legacy

Big Ideas 1. Country is reunited with new opportunities for Blacks but South resisted attempts to change and the North later became indifferent to reform. 2. New amendments 13 th, 14 th, 15th

President Andrew Johnson 1865-1869 National Union Party

Key Questions 1. How do we bring the South back into the Union? 4. What branch of government should control the process of Reconstruction? 2. How do we rebuild the South after its destruction during the war? 3. How do we integrate and protect newlyemancipated black freedmen?

Problems of Peace Ex-Confederate leaders pardoned by Johnson in 1868 South s economy ruined South s attitude - defiant Richmond, Virginia, 1865

Richmond, Virginia, 1865

Emancipation, Thomas Nast, 1865

Freedmen Define Freedom White response to emancipation: Some blacks re-enslaved Emancipation not legal until state legislatures or Sup. Ct says so? Black response: Some still loyal to masters Others whipped masters and stole possessions Families strengthened formalized marriages, made children heirs Exodusters - 25,000 blacks left for Kansas from LA, TX, MS Focus of black life: Church Stopped when steamboat captains refused to transport them across the Miss. River American Missionary Society white women who volunteered as teachers

Freedmen s Bureau Reason: Freedmen are unskilled, unlettered, without property and money, no knowledge of how to survive Intention: primitive welfare agency food, clothing, education, medicine Created March 3, 1865 - headed by General Oliver O. Howard Greatest success education taught 200,000 how to read Authorized to settle slaves on 40 acre tracts taken from Confederates (promised 40 acres and a mule ) Local administration and planters expelled blacks OR made them sign labor contracts Hated by whites upset white racial dominance Johnson tried to kill it repeatedly expired in 1872 Glimpses at the Freedman's Bureau: Issuing Rations to the Old and Sick

Freedmen s Bureau Seen Through Southern Eyes Plenty to eat and nothing to do.

Many Northerners came to the South to help the Freedmen with education A Freedman s Bureau School, Vicksburg Mississippi

Andrew Johnson From Tennessee, poor parents, orphaned early, no school, a tailor s apprentice at age 10 Taught himself how to read, wife helped him with writing Elected to Congress, refused to secede with his state Champion of states rights and the Constitution Misfit doesn t understand North, hated by South, never really elected as president Hotheaded, stubborn, forceful Put on ticket as VP to draw in War Dems and pro- Southerners in North Drunk at inauguration Lincoln hated him

Presidential Reconstruction Lincoln 10% Plan 2 Steps: 1. 10% of voters in presidential election of 1860 have taken an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and pledge to abide by Emancipation 2. Formal creation of a state government Both = readmission into Union Believed South never legally withdrew from Union restoration should be simple Reaction Republicans felt it was too soft Feared restoration of planter aristocracy and slavery

Wade-Davis Bill (1864) Republican bill 50% take oath, stronger safeguards for emancipation Congress believed South DID leave Union and forfeited their rights REACTION: Lincoln pocket-vetoed this = outrage! Showed division between President and Congress Split in Republican party moderates vs. radicals

Republican Party Divided over Reconstruction Plan 1. Moderates (majority) agreed with Lincoln readmit simply and swiftly but on Congress s terms 2. Radicals South should atone painfully Happy with assassination Want social structure uprooted, planters punished, freedmen protected by federal power Thought Johnson would share thoughts - NOPE

Johnson s Plan Agreed with Lincoln South never really left Union President should control Reconstruction Recognized several of 10% govts May 29, 1865 own plan revealed Leading Confederates and those with taxable property over $20,000 = disfranchised Could petition for personal pardons Special state conventions to repeal secession ordinances, repudiate all Confed debts, ratify 13 th amendment States that complied = swift re-admittance EFFECT: Many moved rapidly to organize

Black Codes South passed iron-toothed Black Codes Designed to: regulate affairs of freed blacks Varied in severity (Miss is harshest) All: Aimed to ensure a stable labor supply need cotton and whites want control Restore race relations Labor contracts work for 1 year, poor wages Penalities: forfeit wages, dragged back by a negro-catcher Other stipulations: Can t serve on jury, some can t rent/lease land, punished for laziness = chain gang, denied vote Many poor blacks became sharecroppers due to lack of $/debt, had to become virtual slaves for little money

Freedmen Sentenced to A Chain Gang for Vagrancy due to Black Codes

Sharecropping Landlord furnishes: Land House Fuel Tools Workstock Food for stock Seeds ½ of fertilizers Tenant furnishes: Labor ½ of fertilizers Landlord gets: ½ of crop Tenant gets: ½ of crop

Reconstructing Congress Who was elected to Congress: Dec 1865 many ex- Confed leaders (Generals, colonels, Alexander Stephens (VP) all Democrats) Why were Republicans upset: used to doing what they wanted Southern advantages: had more votes in Congress due to the counting of free blacks Southerners might join with N. Dems and win control of Congress! More Black Codes? Decrease tariffs? Reroute transcontinental RR? Repeal Homestead Act? Dec 6, 1865 Johnson announced that the rebellious states had satisfied his conditions and the Union was restored

The Balance of Power in Congress State White Citizens Freedmen SC 291,000 411,000 MS 353,000 436,000 LA 357,000 350,000 GA 591,000 465,000 AL 596,000 437,000 VA 719,000 533,000 NC 631,000 331,000

What was Reconstruction? The attempt at reunification and reconciliation after the Civil War and to improve the status of former slaves (freedmen). The reality is that it was enormously difficult to satisfy both these goals.

Also on December 6, 1865, the 13 th amendment was ratified 13 th amendment legally abolished slavery

Johnson Clashes with Congress Explosion in Feb 1866 President vetoes a bill extending Freedman s Bureau (later re-passed) Republicans strike back in March passed Civil Rights Act of 1866 gave blacks American citizenship Johnson vetoed on constitutional grounds Congress steamrolled over veto Republicans need to cement bill into Constitution as 14 th amendment before South gets total control of Congress 1. Civil rights for freedmen citizenship 2. Less representation in Congress and Electoral College if blacks denied vote 3. Disqualified former Confederate leaders from federal and state office 4. Repudiated Confederat debt Republicans no state should be welcomed unless they ratify 14 th Johnson tells 11 seceders to reject it all but TN do

The Vote Thomas Nast Harper s Weekly April 14, 1866

Johnson Clashes with Congress Battle grew b/w Congress and President Root differing ideas on Reconstruction Would Reconstruction continue with or without 14 th amendment? Congressional elections in 1866 Johnson wants a majority who are soft on South Johnson spoke in several cities give em hell speeches accused Radicals in Congress of planning riots in the South Hecklers threw insults, Johnson threw them back Republicans ended up getting 2/3 majority in both houses!! Significance: Military Reconstruction

Republican Principles and Programs Republicans had a veto-proof Congress and control of Reconstruction policy Still disagreement over correct course to take Radicals led by Charles Sumner (Senate) and Thaddeus Stevens (House) want racial equality Stevens on Joint Comm. Of Reconstruction devoted to blacks, defended runaway slaves in court w/o fee, black lover, insisted on burial in black cemetery Opposed to rapid restoration of South

Radical Republicans -- Led by Charles Sumner in the Senate -- Led by Thaddeus Stevens in the House Moderate Republicans were a majority in the party -- Favored protection of black rights but not direct federal interference in the South

Radical Reconstruction Reconstruction Acts of 1867 1. Division of South into 5 military districts each commanded by a Union general and policed by Union soldiers 2. Disenfranchised thousands of former Confeds 3. States required to ratify 14 th Amendment to reenter Union 4. State constitutions must give full suffrage for blacks REACTION/EFFECTS: Radicals worried that once back in, southern states would amend Constitution w/o the vote 15 th amendment passed in 1870

State Readmitted Home Rule Reestablished Comments Tennessee July 24, 1866 Ratified 14 th before military Recon Arkansas June 22, 1868 1874 N.Carolina June 25, 1868 1870 Alabama June 25, 1868 1874 Florida June 25, 1868 1877 Fed troops restationed in 1877 Louisiana June 25, 1868 1877 Same as Florida S. Carolina June 25, 1868 1877 Same as Florida Virginia Jan 26, 1870 1869 Mississippi Feb 23, 1870 1876 Texas March 30, 1870 1874 Georgia June 25,1868 July 15, 1870 1872 Returned to military control after expulsion of blacks from legislature

The First Vote Harper s Weekly 1867

Radical Reconstruction Military Reconstruction not really legal took away some of Presidential functions as commander-inchief Sup. Ct case Ex parte Milligan (1866) Peacetime military rule is unconstitutional South began making constitutions at bayonet point 1870 - all govts reorganized Troops remained until new Republican regimes were entrenched After troops left usually went back to Democrats 1877 all fed troops gone

15 th amendment passed in 1870 vote can t be denied based on race, color, or previous servitude

Disappointed Women Women disappointed with 13 th, 14 th, 15 th amendments Felt the fight for blacks and women was the same Stanton and Anthony suspended own demands during war to fight for emancipation Women s Loyal League 400,000 signatures on petitions for amendment prohibiting slavery After 13 th passed women believed their time had come 14 th amend used word male Stanton and Anthony campaigned actively against amendment 15 th amend why not women?

Realities of Radical Reconstruction After 15 th amendment Southern black men began to organize politically Union League network of political clubs that educated members in civic duties and campaigned for Republican candidates Mission of League expanded to building churches, schools, represented black grievances against employers, recruited militias to protect black communities

Realities of Radical Reconstruction Black women attended parades and rallies, helped assemble mass meetings in new churches Showed up at state conventions watched and did informal voting Black men elected as delegates to state constitutional conventions Black political participation increased 1868-76 14 black congressmen, 2 senators Hiram Revels - 1 ST Black Senator State and local government jobs also

Realities of Radical Reconstruction Scalawags White southerners, allied with freedmen former Unionists and Whigs Accused of stealing from South through political influence in radical governments Carpetbaggers sleazy Northerners who came to South after war for profit and power Former Union soldiers and Northern businessmen who wanted to modernize South Radical Republican governments in South established schools, streamlined tax systems, created public works, gave property rights to women Reforms stayed when all-white democratic governments (Redeemers) returned to power Graft (corruption) common in radical govts Used blacks as pawns Bought ridiculous items with tax money Same happening in North - NYC

The Ku Klux Klan The Invisible Empire of the South Founded in Tennessee in 1866 Extremely racist Whites who hated the Blacks Originally an organization that scared Blacks into not voting or not seeking jobs used terror Later resorted to violence against the Blacks in addition to terror mutilation and murder Response: Congress passed the Force Acts of 1870 & 1871 - Federal troops sent in to stop KKK KKK went by other names dancing club, missionary societies White South openly flouted 14 th and 15 th amendments Wholesale disfranchisement of blacks by intimidation, fraud, trickery Found ways around voting literacy tests

The Heritage of Reconstruction South felt Reconstruction was worse than the war Why didn t it work? The problem was that at war s end, there was no clear plan of how to deal with S Needed to enact a program of drastic economic reforms and heftier protection of political rights Still deep racism, resistance to tampering with property rights, loyalty to states rights North became indifferent to plight of blacks Old South was resurrected more than it was reconstructed Republicans wanted to protect freed slaves and promote party Backfired fleeting benefits for blacks, no Rep. party in South for nearly 100 years They were self-seeking? Masked desire to exploit South behind a false front of concern for blacks Advocated vote so Rep. Party could dominate South?

Impeachment Radical Republicans want to get rid of Johnson Tenure of Office Act passed by Congress, 1867 President had to get consent of Senate before removing appointees once approved by the Senate Wanted to keep Edwin M. Stanton, a Republican spy, in office as Sec. of War *IMPEACHMENT Johnson dismissed Stanton in 1868 - Republicans impeached him for high crimes and misdemeanors Charged with various violations of Tenure of Office Act 2 additional articles related to Johnson s verbal assaults on the Congress

Impeachment Johnson s lawyers argued that the Tenure of Office Act was unconstitutional and Johnson was acting under the Constitution May 16, 1868 - Johnson acquitted of all charges by a single vote Why not-guilty? Unstable precedent can the nation survive this? Would ve weakened executive branch Wasn t going against constitution Guilty of bad temper, bad speeches, bad judgment not high crimes Successor Ben Wade, Pres. Pro Tempore of Senate (hated by many Republicans) Johnson promised to stop obstructing Republican policies in order to stay in office

The Purchase of Alaska 1867 - Secretary of State William H. Seward bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million Russia overextended, Alaska has nothing of value left Rather sell to U.S. than anyone Most of the public jeered his act as Seward s Folly or Seward s Ice-box. Friends with Russia didn t want to say no Later - oil and gold were discovered and Alaska proved to be a huge bargain