Bell Ringer: Fill in the following chart and then explain how the North’s advantages allowed them to win the war

Advantages of the North Advantages of the South

The Reconstruction EraChapter 5

The Issues of Reconstruction

•When the Civil War ended the South was ruined▫Land/homes destroyed▫Businesses closed▫Properties abandoned

•African Americans did not have citizenship despite being emancipated▫Why would this be an issue? What issues do

people who lack citizenship face today?

The Issues of Reconstruction

•There were three questions that the federal government would have to answer▫How will Southern States rejoin the Union?▫How will the Southern economy be rebuilt?▫What rights will African Americans have?

•From 1865-1877 the United States experienced the Reconstruction Period in which they sought answers to these questions

How will Southern States rejoin the Union?•Would Confederates be tried for treason?•Should the Southern representatives be

allowed to rejoin congress? If so, how?•There is no information in the

Constitution about how to handle these questions ▫Many believed that the states should be

readmitted to the Union, however, they would have to satisfy certain stipulations

How Will the Southern Economy be Rebuilt?• The South’s economy was ruined

▫Factories, plantations, and railroads were destroyed▫Livestock and farm equipment was gone▫About ¼ of men age 20 to 40 were dead▫3 million African Americans were added to the

workforce (unemployed)• Proposals included Sherman’s “Forty acres and a

mule” idea▫Take the lands confiscated from the Southerners

and give them to freed African Americans• Many people did not like the idea of taking away

land to give to someone else

What Rights will African Americans Have?•The Thirteenth Amendment freed slaves

but gave them no rights as citizens•A battle would rage over whether to give

them rights such as voting rights, access to education, or property ownership

•Many Southerners felt that giving African Americans rights would take away their own power and status in society

Lincoln Sets a Moderate Plan• Lincoln’s first goal was to reunify the nation

▫He wanted to allow the Southern States to rejoin without a bunch of hoops to jump through

• He issued the “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction of 1863” (a.k.a. The Ten Percent Plan)▫Once 10% of the state’s voters took a loyalty oath to

the Union the state could reestablish their government▫If their new constitution included abolition of slaver

and provided for education of African Americans the state could send their representatives back to Washington, D.C.

Lincoln Sets a Moderate Plan• Confederate Soldiers

▫He was willing to grant pardons and would compensate them for lost property

• He promised forgiveness▫“With malice toward none, and charity for all, with

firmness in the right as God give us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds…to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

▫Why do you think he wanted to forgive them versus making them pay for what they had done?

Lincoln Sets a Moderate Plan• The Radical Republicans rejected Lincoln’s plan

▫ Insisted that the Confederates had committed crimes (enslaving African Americans and causing war)

• Southerners should face harsh punishment▫Liked Sherman’s plan of taking Southerners’ land

• Passed the Wade-Davis bill▫Required that a majority of the state’s voters swear

an oath of loyalty before rejoining▫Gave African Americans rights and a guarantee of

equality (what does that mean?)• Lincoln “pocket vetoes” this bill

Lincoln Sets a Moderate Plan•African Americans should have full citizenship

and voting rights•Created the Freedman’s Bureau (with support

from Lincoln before he died)▫Provide food, clothing, healthcare, and education

for black and white refugees in the South▫Helped reunite families that were separated by

war▫Represented black people in court (showing that

they had legal rights—overturning Dred Scott)

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

•Gentle on Confederates▫Granted pardons to almost every

Confederate who asked▫Exception: Wealthy plantation owners had

to write a personal letter to apply for a pardon (Johnson resented them)

•All he asked for from the states was that they ratified the Thirteenth Amendment and have a constitution that abolished slavery

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

•No equality for African Americans▫Supported states’ rights allowing states to

create new laws to limit freedoms of former slaves

•By Dec. 1865 most states were eligible for readmission to the Union under Johnson’s plan▫Many moderate and Radical Republicans

were fearful about African American suffrage

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

•The Radical Republicans fears were confirmed ▫Southern states made laws allowing only

white people to vote▫Confederate soldiers were allowed to take

their seats back in Congress▫Every Southern state instituted black codes

which were laws attempting to keep black people as landless workers

Black Codes

•African Americans could only work in certain jobs (servants or farm labor)

•Couldn’t own land•Any black person who didn’t have a job

could be arrested and forced to work as prison labor

•Southerners used violence and intimidation to enforce the black codes (despite Northern troops still being in the area)

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan• When Southern representatives showed up to

take their seats in Congress the Radical Republicans refused them access

• Johnson accused them of “Africanizing the Southern half of the country”

• After Johnson vetoed a bill attempting to give civil rights to freed slaves they Congress created the Civil Rights Act of 1866▫Said that federal guarantees of civil rights

superseded any state laws▫ Johnson vetoed it too—openly defying Congress

Congressional Reconstruction•Congress did something never seen before—

they overrode the President’s veto with a 2/3rd majority▫The Civil Rights Act of 1866 became law without

the President’s signature•Congress passed the Fourteenth Amendment

▫Guarantees equality under the law for all citizens▫Any state that refused black people the right to

vote would lose seats in Congress▫Banned former Confederate officials from

holding federal or state offices

Congressional Reconstruction

•Military Reconstruction Act▫Vetoed by Johnson, overridden by Congress▫Divided Southern States that were not

readmitted into 5 military districts to be governed by Union generals

▫Declared that the state must ratify the Fourteenth Amendment in order to reenter the Union

Congressional Reconstruction

•Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act▫Required the President to get Senate

approval before removing certain officials from office Johnson was trying to remove Sec. of War

Edwin Stanton (a Radical Republican)•When Johnson tried to remove him

anyways, Congress impeached Johnson▫What does impeachment mean?▫Was he removed from office?

Congressional Reconstruction•The trial lasted through the spring of 1868

▫He kept his job by 1 vote▫Several moderate Republicans backed off

because they didn’t want to use the power of impeachment simply because of a disagreement with the President

▫What harm could come from using impeachment to get rid of a president you don’t agree with?

• Johnson promised that if he was not impeached he would support the Reconstruction Acts▫He upheld that promise

Congressional Reconstruction• Needless to say, Johnson would not be elected for

another term▫Ulysses S. Grant was elected President▫The fact that Grant’s opponent got the majority of the

white vote was enough to convince Republicans that black people needed to be guaranteed the right to vote

• They passed the Fifteenth Amendment▫Forbids denying anyone the right to vote based on

color, race, or former servitude▫Loophole—could still forbid people right to vote based

on literacy tests or other qualifications that the Southerners soon implemented

Republican Governments Bring Change•Approx. 1500 black people helped bring

the Republican Party into the South▫Some served as superintendents, state

legislatures, even lieutenant governors▫Millions were now voters

•Their power of vote was even stronger in areas where white Confederates had yet to take a loyalty oath (therefore they still didn’t have voting rights)

Republican Governments Bring Change•Others also sought to reform in the South

▫Scalawags—men who were prevented from having power in the South by rich Southerners were welcomed by the Republican Party

▫Carpetbaggers—men who sought to prosper from the South’s misfortune Called carpetbaggers because of their

luggage made out of carpet Often they came down to buy land and start

political careers (usually they were also young)

Republican Governments Bring Change•Who is represented

in this cartoon?•What do the soldiers’

weapons represent?•What is the woman

doing? What does that represent?

•What is the cartoonist’s view of Reconstruction?

Republican Governments Bring Change• Who is represented in this cartoon?

▫ The North (carpetbaggers) on top▫ Union Soldiers▫ The South (the woman)

• What do the soldiers’ weapons represent?▫ The military involvement of the

North in the South• What is the woman doing? What does

that represent?▫ Carrying a heavy load, the burden

the South carried in dealing with Northern policies

• What is the cartoonist’s view of Reconstruction?▫ The North’s reconstruction plans

were very corrupt and damaging to the South

Republican Governments Bring Change