RECONSTRUCTIORECONSTRUCTIONN

Reconstruction was….Reconstruction was….The federal government’s The federal government’s

controversialcontroversial effort to effort to 1. 1. repairrepair the damage to the the damage to the South and South and

2. 2. restorerestore southern states southern states to the Union to the Union

Timing of ReconstructionTiming of Reconstruction

Lasted from 1865-1877Lasted from 1865-1877

That would be That would be 12 years12 years and involved four and involved four presidents!presidents!

Physical Damage

Farmland, machinery, work animals, livestock, and buildings destroyed

9,000 miles of railroads2/3 of all shipping

Ruined building in the burned district – Richmond, VA

Ruins of a papermill and machinery – Richmond, VA

• Destruction ranges from

buildings and

factories…

Ruins of Gallego Flour Mill - Richmond, VA

Ruins of a paper mill w/ waterwheel - Richmond, VA

Charleston, SC

April 1865

Charleston, SCApril 1865

Charleston, SCApril 1865

Atlanta, GAApril 1865

Vicinity of Atlanta, GA - 1864

…to roadways, bridges, tunnels (infrastructure)

Death Tolls Northern Death Toll

364,000 deaths

(38,000 were African Americans)

Southern Death Toll

260,000 deaths

1/5th of all adult white males were dead

1 out of 3 males were killed or

wounded!

Civil War Aftermath: Devastating Devastating physical toll to the Southphysical toll to the South

Consider This . . . Consider This . . . Who are the workers in Who are the workers in

the economy?the economy?

What now happens to the What now happens to the women and children?women and children?

Southern HardshipsSouthern Hardships

Freed Slaves (Freedmen)Freed Slaves (Freedmen)New life in poor economic New life in poor economic

areaareaHomelessHomelessHungryHungryUnemployedUnemployed

Stay or Go?

Southern Hardships, cont.

Plantation OwnersLoss of slave laborLand was often seized by the

government

Southern Hardships, cont.

Poor White SouthernersCompeting against former slaves

(freedmen) for jobsMany migrated to Mississippi and

Texas for jobs

Plantation Life ChangesPlantation Life ChangesFreedman now have choice – to Freedman now have choice – to

stay or to leavestay or to leave

Plantation owners now have to Plantation owners now have to pay salaries for laborpay salaries for labor

Reintegrating the South

Problem #1

Determine the role of the freedmen

Problem #2

Define the role and acceptable power of former Confederates within their states and within the nation

Problem #3

Determine which branch of government would be

responsible for overseeing reconstruction

3 Plans for ReconstructionLincoln’s Plan (10%)

Johnson’s Plan

Congress’ Plan (Congressional Reconstruction or Radical Reconstruction)

Two Plans for Reconstruction

Lincoln’s Plan

…..Also called the

10% plan!

Lincoln’s Plan

1.Required 10% of white men to swear allegiance (loyalty) to the constitution and the Union.

2.Plan included the emancipation of slaves

Lincoln’s Plan, cont.

3. Former Confederates can run local governments

4. 10% agreement allowed full participation in the Union

Lincoln Plan problems…Lincoln Plan problems…

Republicans in Congress felt Republicans in Congress felt this plan was way too kind!this plan was way too kind!

HE DID NOT PUNISH THE REBELS!HE DID NOT PUNISH THE REBELS!

FELT LINCOLN WAS TOO EASY FELT LINCOLN WAS TOO EASY ON SOUTHON SOUTH

Lincoln’s Plan - PROBLEMS

• No role for

freed men

identified

• No guarantee of rights or future

rights

Lincoln’s Plan is never implemented!

•April 1865 -Lincoln assassinated

Andrew Johnson, (southern democrat, former slave owner) administered his own new policy

The Johnson Plan1.Granted amnesty

(forgiveness) to former Confederates who signed loyalty oath

2.Restored all property, except slaves and confiscated lands

Johnson’s Plan

3. Voided secession laws and ratify the 13th amendment

4. Cancelled war debts

Johnson’s Plan - PROBLEMS

More generous to the south!

1. Amnesty awarded to “certain” southerners

2. Flawed election process (blacks excluded from voting)

Johnson’s Presidency

He lacked• Mandate to

govern• Support of

Congress• Also was anti-

civil rights Would not support 13th Amendment

Consider This . . . Consider This . . . WhoWho are not considered in the are not considered in the

two plans?two plans?

What will the What will the freedmen freedmen do?do?

How did the How did the freedmen’sfreedmen’s lives lives change?change?

Radical = extreme in their beliefsModerates = mainstream views of the

political party, not extreme at all

We had moderate plans for reconstruction (Lincoln & Johnson), but now they change to the RADICAL version called . . .

Radical ReconstructionCongress bypasses President

Johnson and enacts theReconstruction Act of 1867

-passed by radical republicans-state governments declared illegal

1. south divided into 5 military districts

Radical Reconstruction cont…

To rejoin the Union:

2. Adopt a constitution guaranteeing all male citizens the right to vote

3. Elect a new government

4. Ratify the 14th amendment (no white southern who served as conf. soldier/official could vote on new constitution)

Impeachment!- Congressional power growing

- Johnson fires Sec. of War

-The House votes to “impeach” Johnson(to accuse of

wrongdoing and bring to trial)

-President escapes removal by only 1 vote

Civil War Amendments13th

Amendment

Unlike the Emancipation Proclamation, this change to the Constitution ends ALL slavery in the United States

Declared former slaves CITIZENS

Equal Rights for ALL CITIZENS

15th Amendment

Election of 1870 – many angry white southerners refused to (or couldn’t) vote

More than 600 African Americans were elected to southern legislatures and 16 black men were elected to congress

Freedom

The joys of freedom…Freedom of movement, land

ownership, education, etc.

The realities of life…

Food, Clothing and Shelter?

Freedmen’s BureauDeveloped to help former slavesProvided food, schools, legal help, etcUnpopular with many white southerners

Vetoed by Johnson

anger at being forced to submit to the acts of Reconstruction leads to defiance

Fear of loss of power leads to…

BLACK CODESset limits on the rights and

opportunities of African Americanshelped planters find workers to replace

freed slavesbarred freedmen from any job but farm

work and unskilled laborSet curfews Punishments for vagrancy (not

working)Radical Republicans in congress see the codes as a way for white southerners to get around the efforts of congress so…

Here is an edited example of one of the Black Codes:

The Black CodesNow that the slaves have become emancipated, it is necessary to pass regulations that preserve public order. These regulations must also preserve the comfort and correct behavior of the former slaves. Therefore, the following rules have been adopted with the approval of the United States military authorities who have commanded this area.1) Every Negro is required to be in the regular service of some white person or former owner, who shall be held responsible for the conduct of that Negro.2) No public meetings or congregations of Negroes shall be allowed after sunset. Such public meetings may be held during the day with the permission of the local captain in charge of the area.3) No Negro shall be permitted to preach or otherwise speak out to congregations of colored people without special permission in writing from the government.4) Negroes may legally marry, own property and sue and be sued in a court of law.5) Negroes may not serve on juries.6) A Negro may not testify against a white person in a Court of Law.7) It shall be illegal for a Negro or a person of Negro descent to marry a white person.8) No Negro shall be permitted outside in public after sundown without permission in writing from the government. A Negro conducting business for a white person may do so but only under the direct supervision of his employer.9) No Negro shall sell, trade, or exchange merchandise within this area without the special written permission of his employer.10) No Negro who is not in the military service shall be allowed to carry firearms or any kind or weapons of any type without the special written permission of his employers.

Black Code Sample

Rise of KKK – violent response to Radical Reconstruction

Ku Klux Klan

Started in 1866 by 6 former Confederate soldiers

Members wore robes and masks to look like the ghosts of dead Confederate soldiers who returned for revenge against enemies of the South.

The goal of denying African-Americans their rights and keep them in the role of submissive

laborers

A cartoon threatening that the KKK would lynch carpetbaggers, Tuscaloosa, AL, Independent Monitor (1868) 

Sharecropping a landowner allows a tenant to use the land

in return for a share of the crop produced on the land (e.g., 50 percent of the crop).

Tools, seed, mules and other equipment had to be paid for with the remainder of the crop (to the landowner)

Who gets the money?

Tenant Farming Only slightly better…these farmers have

managed to purchase their own equipment and only rent the land.

CarpetbaggersNorthern

Republicans who moved south. Seen as greedy men seeking power and a quick dollar. Most were honest and educated.

Scalawags

a Southern white who joined the Republican Party in the ex-Confederate South during Reconstruction

The End of ReconstructionThe End of ReconstructionWhy did Reconstruction Why did Reconstruction

efforts finally end?efforts finally end? Heavy taxesHeavy taxes CorruptionCorruption Lack of northern Lack of northern

support for racial support for racial equality equality

The Solid South –The Solid South – Southern Democrats Southern Democrats reversed many of the reversed many of the reformsreforms

The Compromise of 1877

Samuel Tilden wins popular vote; a dispute over electoral votes

The Democrats agree to give Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency in return for the removal of all federal troops from the Southern States

Hayes’ removal of troops from the south is regarded as

the end of reconstruction!

How successful

was Reconstruction?