Reconstruction: Laws

Congress vs. the President

Warm Up: In your lifetime, have you any examples of Congress being against the President? What are they if any? If none, who is the Congress

and how is the President elected?

Reconstruction

1865-1877—the 12 years following the Civil War

During this time battles waged in Congress over who should lead reconstruction policy.

13th Amendment

1863: Emancipation Proclamation

1865: 13th Amendment repeals slavery in ALL states.

Lincoln’s 10% Plan

Proposed in 1863: Forgiving to the South

Offered a pardon to any Confederate who would take an oath of allegiance to the Union

Denied ALL pardons to Confederate military and government officials

States could hold constitutional conventions after 10% had taken oath.

States could then hold elections and rejoin Union.

Radical Republicans

Thought Lincoln was too lenient and that the South should be punished for Civil War.

Wade-Davis Bill (1864): A majority of voters would have to

swear loyalty before statehood could be returned.

State constitutions had to abolish slavery

Confederate military leaders could not hold political office

Pocket veto: president neither signs nor outright vetoes a bill.

Presidential Reconstruction

President Johnson implemented his own plan when Congress was in recess in 1865.

Said he was upholding Lincoln’s vision buy it was more lenient on the South. Pardoned southerners who swore

allegiance It permitted states to hold a

constitutional convention States had to void secession, abolish

slavery and repudiate confederate debt. Then states could hold elections and

rejoin the Union

Black Codes

Many Southern states enacted black codes: laws that restricted freedmen’s rights: Curfews Vagrancy laws (not

working=punishment) Labor contracts Land restrictions (could only rent land in

rural areas, forcing them to live on plantations)

Could not testify against whites Could not own weapons

Congress outlaws black codes by passing a Civil Rights Act (1866)

Congress Acts

1st Reconstruction Act (1867): Set up military rule in the South All qualified male voters could vote Equal rights to all citizens Required states to ratify 14th

Amendment

2nd Reconstruction Act: Union military in charge of voter

registration.

Goal= more Republicans in office in South; protect freed slaves right to vote

Impeachment

Tenure of Office Act (1867): President could not fire Cabinet posts without the Senate’s approval.

1868: Johnson tries to fire Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Congress find this unconstitutional House of Representatives impeaches Johnson Senate tries Johnson, he narrowly escapes conviction (1

vote)

1868: Ulysses S. Grant is elected President

Constitution

13th Amendment (1865): Prohibits slavery

14th Amendment (1868): former slaves citizens of U.S. and the state they came from

15th Amendment (1870): extended right to vote to black men.

Exit

WILT:

What I learned today: 3-5 sentence summary about Reconstruction using today’s work.