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The Ordeal of Reconstruction 1865 - 1877

The Ordeal of Reconstruction 1865 - 1877. The Problems of Peace 1 in 20 Southerners were either wounded or killed Yankees had either taken, destroyed,

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Page 1: The Ordeal of Reconstruction 1865 - 1877. The Problems of Peace 1 in 20 Southerners were either wounded or killed Yankees had either taken, destroyed,

The Ordeal of Reconstruction

1865 - 1877

Page 2: The Ordeal of Reconstruction 1865 - 1877. The Problems of Peace 1 in 20 Southerners were either wounded or killed Yankees had either taken, destroyed,

The Problems of Peace 1 in 20 Southerners were either wounded or killedYankees had either taken, destroyed, or burned anything they could find that might have been useful to the Confederates2/3 of the Southern railroad system was unable to operate because of damageInflation was as much as 300% & Confederate issued war bonds were worthless

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Agriculture in the SouthHopelessly crippled Slave-labor had collapsed Seed was scarce Livestock had been driven out by Yankees

Gov’t confiscated any cotton left in warehousesPlanter aristocrats were reduced to proud poverty

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Freedmen Define Freedom13th Amendment (1865) freed ALL slaves Resisted by slaveowners

Master-Slave Relationship Loyalty caused some to stay while others left

immediately Some violence

Many blacks began traveling to test their freedom Searched for family members Looked for economic opportunities

Many changed their names

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Life for the FreedmenExodusters (1878 – 1880) 25,000 blacks from Louisiana, Texas, & Mississippi went to Kansas Slowed only when steamboat captains refused to

transport black migrants across the Mississippi River

Church became the focus of black community Set up their own churches

Education became very importantEstablished societies for self-improvement Raise funds to purchase land, build

schools, & hire teachers

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The Freedmen’s Bureau Created by Congress on March 3, 1865Controlled by the War Dept.Developed to help ex-slaves who were uneducated, unskilled, without money or property, & with little knowledge of how to survive as free peoplePrimitive welfare agency Provide food, clothing, medical care, & education

both to freedmen and white refugees

Lead by General Oliver O. Howard Founded Howard University, Washington,D.C.

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The Freedmen’s Bureau Purpose Helped find homes & jobs Negotiated labor contracts Built hospitals Set up schools & provided teachers Provided legal help

Provision stated that land confiscated from former Confederates would be given to former slaves -- “forty acres and a mule”

Pres. Johnson vetoed bureau & returned all land to former owners

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President Andrew Johnson (D)

Never attended school Champion of the poor whites Elected to Congress (Tenn) Refused to secede with his own state

Nominated for the Vice Pres to ensure support from War Democrats & other pro-Southern elementsDogmatic champion of state’s rights & the Constitution Description p. 493

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Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan

10% Plan (1863) 10% of each states’ voters had to

take an oath of allegiance to the US New state gov’t with emancipation

Goal: rapid readmission of the southern states Based on forgiveness

Most ex-Confederates would be granted amnesty after oath was taken

High-ranking ex-Confederates would have to ask the president personally for pardon

Lincoln believed that the South had never actually seceded

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Republican Reconstruction Plan

Wade-Davis Bill (1864) Required 50% of state’s voters take an oath

of allegiance Demanded stronger safeguards for

emancipation

Pocket-vetoed by LincolnRepublicans believed that the states should be admitted as “Conquered Provinces” Based on punishment

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Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

May 1865 Supported Lincoln’s policy but required more Disfranchised certain leading Confederates

with property over $20,000 However, they could petition to the

President personally for pardon Pardons were granted in abundance

Special state conventions – required to repeal the ordinances of secession

Repudiate all Confederate debts Ratify the 13th Amendment Pardoned all rebel leaders 12- 1868

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The Baleful Black Codes

Laws to regulate the affairs of ex-slavesNov. 1865 – Mississippi passes the first codes Varied in severity from state to state

Purpose: Ensure stable & subservient labor force Penalties for those who “jumped” their labor

contracts Codes aimed at restoring the race relations to

pre-Civil War Forbade blacks from serving on juries, from renting or

leasing land, & voting

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Results of the Black CodesThousands of former slaves became sharecroppers (landless whites also) Became slaves to the soil and to their

creditors

Not favored in the North Was the war pointless?

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Congressional Reconstruction

Southern states presented themselves in the Capitol in Dec. 1865 Voters in the South had reelected former

statesmen Many were Confederate leaders

Republicans were infuriated by “whitewashed rebels”

Republicans feared that the South would be stronger than ever Slaves would now count as one whole person 12 more votes in Congress & 12 more

electoral votes

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Republican FearsSouth would join with Northern Democrats & win control of Congress & the White House Virtually re-enslave the blacks Dismantle the economic program Reroute the transcontinental railroad Repeal the Homestead Act

Republicans were alarmed that Johnson announced on Dec. 6, 1865 that the Union had been restored

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Johnson Clashes with Congress

Feb. 1866 – Johnson vetoed bill extending live of the Freedmen’s Bureau (later repassed)March 1866 – Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill Citizenship for African Americans

Johnson vetoed on constitutional groundsApril 1866 – Congress overrode vetoCongress pushes to add the Civil Rights Bill to the constitution as the 14th Amendment

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14th Amendment4 parts: Citizenship & civil rights to freedmen When a state denies citizens the vote, its

representation shall be reduced Disqualified Confederate leaders from holding

office Debts incurred in aid of rebellion were made

void

Ratification was required in order for states to reenter into the Union*** Did not grant the right to vote ****

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JohnsonSummer of 1866 -- “Swing ‘round the circle” Series of speeches given by Johnson accusing

the Radical Republicans of planning riots & murder in the South

Goal was to take votes away from radicals in Congress DID NOT WORK!!

Republicans won 2/3 majority in both houses

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Republican Principles & Programs

Republicans now had a veto-proof Congress & control over ReconstructionRadicals in Congress Charles Sumner – Senate Thaddeus Stevens – House

Radicals - social & economic transformation of the SouthModerates - policies that prevented violations of citizens’ rights Both wanted black suffrage

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Military Reconstruction map page 490

Reconstruction Act – March 2, 1867 Divided the South into five military districts Each district was commanded by a Union

general & policed by soldiers Temporarily disfranchised former Confederates States required to ratify the 14th Amendment &

give full suffrage to black adult males

Radicals were still concerned that the South would be readmitted & then withdraw black suffrage

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Results of Military Reconstruction

15th Amendment – Ratified in 1870 Gave suffrage to all black males

By 1870, all Southern states had reorganized their governments & had been accorded full rights1877 – All of the federal troops were removed from the South However, once the troops were

removed, the white “Redeemers” took control again

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What About The Women?Women were upset because they were left out of the Reconstruction amendmentsSusan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton Many women were fighting for slaves & their

rights

Woman’s Loyal League – helped petition for the 13th Amendment14th Amendment used the word “male”15th Amendment did not include the word “sex”

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Realities of Radical Reconstruction

Black suffrage Both Lincoln & Johnson proposed limited black

vote Education, property ownership, or military service

15th Amendment was hypocritical North denied blacks the vote

Blacks began to organized politically Union League – assisted by Northern blacks

Taught civic duties & campaigned for Republicans Later built churches & schools, helped with

grievances, & recruited militias to defend black communities

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Blacks Get Elected Some were elected as delegates to state constitutional conventionsBetween 1868 – 1876: 14 black congressmen 2 black senators:

Hiram Revels Blanche K. Bruce

1890 – complete disfranchisement of blacks in the South/ literacy test used

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Scalawags & Carpetbaggers

Scalawags – Southerners were former Unionists & Whigs/ supported RepublicansCarpetbaggers – sleazy Northerners who had moved South to seek personal power & profit

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Outcomes of Reconstruction

Radical Legislatures: Took steps toward adequate public schools Tax systems were streamlined Launched public works Property rights guaranteed to women

Corruption Used politically inexperienced

blacks as pawns

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Ku Klux KlanMany whites resented the success & ability of black legislators as much as they resented alleged “corruption”“Invisible Empire of the South” Founded in Tenn in 1866 by Nathan Bedford

Forrest Successful in intimidation Purpose was to keep blacks in their place

Force Acts of 1870 & 1871 passed by Congress

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Johnson’s Impeachment1867 – Congress passes the Tenure of Office Act Required president to have the consent of the

Senate before removing appointees once they had been approved

Purpose was to keep Edwin M. Stanton in office

Johnson violated Act when he dismisses Stanton in 1868House voted to impeach for “high crimes & misdemeanors”May 1868 – Senate failed to convict by 1 vote

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Purchase of Alaska1867 – Russia wanted to sell Alaska to USUS did not want to offend RussiaSec of State William Seward signed treaty Purchase price - $7.2 million “Seward’s Folly” “Seward’s Icebox”

Territory was rumored to have furs, fish, & gold Found to be full of natural resources - oil

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