Libertyville HSLibertyville HSLibertyville HSLibertyville HS

Key QuestionsKey Questions

1. How do we1. How do webring the Southbring the Southback into the back into the

Union?Union?

1. How do we1. How do webring the Southbring the Southback into the back into the

Union?Union?

2. How do we 2. How do we rebuild the rebuild the

South after itsSouth after itsdestruction destruction

during the war?during the war?

2. How do we 2. How do we rebuild the rebuild the

South after itsSouth after itsdestruction destruction

during the war?during the war?

3. How do we3. How do weintegrate andintegrate andprotect newlyprotect newlyemancipatedemancipated

black freedmen?black freedmen?

3. How do we3. How do weintegrate andintegrate andprotect newlyprotect newlyemancipatedemancipated

black freedmen?black freedmen?

4. What branch4. What branchof governmentof governmentshould controlshould controlthe process ofthe process of

Reconstruction?Reconstruction?

4. What branch4. What branchof governmentof governmentshould controlshould controlthe process ofthe process of

Reconstruction?Reconstruction?

Republican Conflict• President Lincoln viewPresident Lincoln view

– Saw war as “rebellion of Saw war as “rebellion of individuals”individuals”

– Believed Southern states never Believed Southern states never legally left Union (unconstitutional legally left Union (unconstitutional act)act)

– Second Inaugural Second Inaugural address

• Republican Congress viewRepublican Congress view– ““Radical Republicans”Radical Republicans”

– Saw war as rebellion of statesSaw war as rebellion of states

– Moral dimension to war: ending Moral dimension to war: ending slaveryslavery

– Punish the South!Punish the South!

Radical Congressional Radical Congressional RepublicansRepublicans

• Sen. Thaddeus StevensSen. Thaddeus Stevens– South committed “state South committed “state

suicide”suicide”

• Sen. Charles SumnerSen. Charles Sumner– Southern states were Southern states were

“conquered provinces”“conquered provinces”

President Lincoln’s 10% Plan

President Lincoln’s 10% Plan* Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction

(December 8, 1863)

* Replace majority rule with “loyal rule” in the South

* Pardon to all but the highest ranking military and civilian Confederate officers.

* When 10% of the voting population in the 1860 election had taken an oath of loyalty and established a government, it would be recognized.

* Lincoln didn’t consult Congress regarding Reconstruction

Wade-Davis Bill (1864)Wade-Davis Bill (1864) Required 50% of the number of

1860 voters to take an “iron clad” oath of allegiance (swearing they had never voluntarily aided the rebellion )

Required a state constitutional convention before the election of state officials

Enacted specific safeguards of freedmen’s liberties.

SenatorBenjamin

Wade(R-OH)

Congressman

HenryW. Davis(R-MD)

Wade-Davis Bill (1864)Wade-Davis Bill (1864)

PresidentPresidentLincolnLincoln

PresidentPresidentLincolnLincoln

Wade-DavisWade-DavisBillBill

Wade-DavisWade-DavisBillBill

PocketVeto

PocketVeto

Pocket veto: if Congress sends a bill to Presidentwithin 10 days of adjournment, and President does

not act on the bill, it automatically dies

Freedmen’s Bureau (1865)

Freedmen’s Bureau (1865) “Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen,

and Abandoned Lands”

Purpose = help black freedmen adjust to freedom (food, clothing, schools)

Congress authorized Bureau for one year only; it existed from 1865-1868 (Johnson killed it)

Northerners who came to help (or profit) from effort called “carpetbaggers” by white southern Democrats (INSULT!)

“Scalawags” = white, southern Republican

Freedmen’s Bureau School

Freedmen’s Bureau School

Assassination of LincolnAssassination of Lincoln• Civil War ended April 9, Civil War ended April 9,

18651865• Lincoln attended Ford’s Lincoln attended Ford’s

Theater on April 14, 1865Theater on April 14, 1865• Assassin: John Wilkes Assassin: John Wilkes

BoothBooth– Background– ConspiracyConspiracy– Death of BoothDeath of Booth

• Lincoln died April 15, Lincoln died April 15, 18651865

President Andrew Johnson

President Andrew Johnson Jacksonian Democrat

Slave owner Anti-Aristocrat White Supremacist Only Southern Democrat senator

to remain in Congress after secession

Agreed with Lincolnthat states had neverlegally left the Union

Picked to be VP by GOP in 1864 as reward, appeal to Democrats

13th Amendment13th Amendment Ratified in December, 1865.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

President Johnson’s Plan (10%+)

President Johnson’s Plan (10%+) Johnson became President while

Congress was in recess, for 8 months

His plan was VERY generous to South

Offered amnesty upon simple oath to all except Confederate civil and military officers

Civil, military officers and Southerners with property worth more than $20,000 had to apply to give loyalty oath to Johnson, directly

Allowed special congressional elections, in 1865

President Johnson’s Plan President Johnson’s Plan (10%+)(10%+) Named provisional governors Named provisional governors

in Confederate states and in Confederate states and called them to oversee called them to oversee elections for constitutional elections for constitutional conventions (NO 10% loyalty conventions (NO 10% loyalty requirement)requirement)

In new constitutions, States In new constitutions, States had to accept minimum had to accept minimum conditions: rejecting slavery, conditions: rejecting slavery, secession and state debtssecession and state debts

EFFECTS?

1. Disenfranchised certain leading Confederates.2. Pardoned planter aristocrats were brought back to political power to control state organizations.3. Republicans were outraged that planter elite were back in power in the South!

Growing Northern Alarm!

Growing Northern Alarm! Southern states met Johnson’s easy

requirements to re-join union Johnson granted 13,500 special

pardons to Southern white leaders

Revival of southern defiance: white leaders passed laws to restrict African Americans’ rights

BLACK CODES BLACK CODES

Black CodesBlack Codes Purpose (for White South)

* Guarantee stable labor supply now that blacks were emancipated

* Restore pre-emancipationsystem of race relations

* Effect: re-establish slavery (curfews, labor ks, only live in rural areas = plantations)

* Forced many blacks to become sharecroppers [tenant farmers]

Congress , President SplitCongress , President Split Congress refused to seat Southern

congressional delegations in early 1866

Joint Committee on Reconstruction created

February, 1866: President vetoed continuing the Freedmen’s Bureau bill

March, 1866: Johnson vetoed the 1866 Civil Rights Act, designed to overturn Black Codes

Congress passed both bills over Johnson’s vetoes: 1st in U. S. history!!

14th Amendment14th Amendment Ratified in July, 1868.

* Declared all persons “born or naturalized” in US citizens

* Prohibited states from making laws interfering with rights of citizens

* Also prohibited states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process

* Assured equal protection of laws to all citizens

Southern states would be punished for denying the right to vote to black citizens

Confederates disenfranchised

The 1866 Congressional Election

The 1866 Congressional Election

Johnson’s “Swing around the Circle”

A referendum on Radical Reconstruction

Johnson went on a propaganda tour around the country to push his reconstruction plan (bad idea)

Republicanswon a 3-1majority in both houses and gained control of every northern state.

The Balance of Power in South

The Balance of Power in South

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

Radical Plan: Reconstruction Acts of

1867

Radical Plan: Reconstruction Acts of

1867 1866 - Southerners had rioted

against blacks, killing hundreds Congress: civil authorities (police,

etc) in the South were subject to military supervision

Required new southern state constitutions to include black suffrage and ratification of the 13th and 14th Amendments

In March, 1867, Congress authorized the military to enroll eligible black voters to begin the process of constitution making

White Southerners disenfranchised

Reconstruction Acts of 1867

Reconstruction Acts of 1867 Military Reconstruction Act

* Restarted political Reconstruction in the 10 Southern states that refused to ratify the 14th Amendment (Tennessee excepted)

* Divided the 10 “unreconstructed states” into 5 military districts.

Reconstruction Act of Reconstruction Act of 1867: Southern Reaction1867: Southern Reaction• Southerners resented Southerners resented

Reconstruction governmentsReconstruction governments– GraftGraft– CorruptionCorruption

• Southerners couldn’t fight Southerners couldn’t fight back with ballots, cback with ballots, chose violence– Knights of the White Knights of the White

CamelliaCamellia– Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan

Increasing TensionIncreasing Tension Congress prepared for showdown with

President Command of the Army Act

* The President was required to issue all Reconstruction orders through the General in Chief, Ulysses Grant

Tenure of Office Act* The President could not remove

any officials, esp. Cabinet members, without the Senate’s consent, if the position originally required Senate approval

Designed to protect radicalmembers of Lincoln’s government.

Unconstitutional actEdwin Stanton

President Johnson’s Impeachment

President Johnson’s Impeachment Johnson removed Stanton in February, 1868 (as secretary of war,

Stanton in charge of military in south)

Johnson replaced generals in the field who were more sympathetic to Radical Reconstruction

The House impeached him on February 24, before even drawing up the charges

by a vote of 126 – 47!

The Senate TrialThe Senate Trial

11 week trial

Impeachment political

Johnson acquitted 35 to 19 (one short of required 2/3 vote)

The Election of 1868• Johnson cast aside

by GOP

• They enlist U.S. Grant instead

• GOP strategy– ““Wave the bloody Wave the bloody

shirt”: draw shirt”: draw connection between connection between democrats, CSAdemocrats, CSA

– ““Vote as you shot”Vote as you shot”– And the winner is…And the winner is…

ResultsGrant: 214 ECV / 3,012,833Seymour: 80 ECV / 2,703,249

500,000 freedmen voted!

Note: “Unreconstructed states” had not metCongressional requirements to participate inelections

President Ulysses S. GrantPresident Ulysses S. Grant• Born in OHBorn in OH

• West Point graduate, 1843West Point graduate, 1843

• Career military until 1854Career military until 1854

• He and his wife owned five He and his wife owned five slaves (released one, 1859)slaves (released one, 1859)

• Worked for dad in leather Worked for dad in leather shop in Galena, IL until CW shop in Galena, IL until CW

• Lincoln promoted Grant, rose Lincoln promoted Grant, rose quickly in Western theaterquickly in Western theater

• Became General in Chief, Became General in Chief, 18641864

• Difficult relationship with Difficult relationship with JohnsonJohnson

Grant and his familyGrant and his family

Grant Administration Scandals

Grant Administration Scandals Grant presided over an era

of unprecedented growth and corruption

Credit Mobilier Scandal

1867-68: trans-continental RR stock and bond swindle (Grant’s VP, cabinet involved)

1872 “Salary Grab”: 50% Congressional pay raise, retroactive two years prior!

Grant Administration Grant Administration ScandalsScandals• ““Treasury Department Treasury Department

Scandal” (Whiskey Ring)Scandal” (Whiskey Ring)– Profiteering on overdue Profiteering on overdue

taxestaxes

• Erie Railroad Scandal (NY Erie Railroad Scandal (NY state)state)– Bribes to state legislatorsBribes to state legislators

• City scandalsCity scandals– ““Tammany Hall Ring”Tammany Hall Ring”

– William Marcy TweedWilliam Marcy Tweed

– Big city machine Big city machine corruption

Politicians

Business Labor

1872 Presidential Election

1872 Presidential Election• Many GOP disgusted by Many GOP disgusted by

corruption of Grantcorruption of Grant• Eight candidates, Eight candidates,

including splinter party, including splinter party, Liberal GOP (Greely)Liberal GOP (Greely)

• Democrats also Democrats also nominated Greely!nominated Greely!

• Greely dies Nov. 24Greely dies Nov. 24• Grant re-electedGrant re-elected

The Panic of 1873The Panic of 1873 Raised “the money question”

* Debtors seek inflationarymonetary policy bycontinuing circulation of greenbacks (paper $)

* Creditors, intellectuals support hard money (primarily gold coinage)

1875: Specie Redemption Act

Country put back on hard money basis

Favored creditors

Blacks in Southern PoliticsBlacks in Southern Politics Core voters were black veterans

Blacks were politically unprepared

Blacks could register and vote in states since 1867

The 15th Amendment guaranteedfederal voting.

15th Amendment15th Amendment Ratified in 1870.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Women’s rights groups were furious that they were not granted the vote!

Black Senate & House Delegates, 1872

Black Senate & House Delegates, 1872

The Failure of Federal Enforcement

The Failure of Federal Enforcement Enforcement Acts of 1870 & 1871

First protected freedmen voters Second allowed federal

supervision of southern elections Third increased penalties vs.

attacking blacks & their voting rights – Pres. Could suspend habeus corpus (KKK Act)

Amnesty Act of 1872

Allowed re-enfranchisement of all but 500 top Confederate leaders

Allowed white home rule (white supremacy)

“Solid South” voted Democratic in reaction to Radical GOP Reconstruction, for 90+ years

The Failure of Federal The Failure of Federal EnforcementEnforcement• Result of Amnesty ActResult of Amnesty Act

– Poll taxPoll tax– Literacy testsLiteracy tests– ““Grandfather clause”Grandfather clause”– Collectively known as Collectively known as

“Mississippi Plan”“Mississippi Plan”• Jim Crow lawsJim Crow laws

– Segregation of races in Segregation of races in public placespublic places

– Plessy v. FergusonPlessy v. Ferguson (1896) (Separate but (1896) (Separate but equal upheld) equal upheld)

Emergence of the “New Emergence of the “New South”South”

• Diversified farmingDiversified farming– One crop economy One crop economy

brokenbroken– Tenant farmingTenant farming– SharecroppingSharecropping

Tenancy & the Crop Lien System

Tenancy & the Crop Lien SystemFurnishing Merchant Tenant Farmer Landowner

Loan tools and seed up to 60% interest to tenant farmer to plant spring crop.

Farmer also secures food, clothing, andother necessities oncredit from merchant until the harvest.

Merchant holds “lien” {mortgage} on part of tenant’s future crops as repayment of debt.

Plants crop, harvests in autumn.

Turns over up to ½ of crop to land owner as payment of rent.

Tenant gives remainder of crop to merchant inpayment of debt.

Rents land to tenant in exchange for ¼ to ½ of tenant farmer’s future crop.

Triumph of SegregationTriumph of Segregation• Barriers such as poll Barriers such as poll

taxes, etc resulted in taxes, etc resulted in disenfranchisement of disenfranchisement of BlacksBlacks

• Blacks economically Blacks economically powerless to resistpowerless to resist

• Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. Washington– ““Atlanta Compromise”Atlanta Compromise”– Emphasis on economics, Emphasis on economics,

not politicsnot politics– Rejected as “Uncle Tomism”Rejected as “Uncle Tomism”

The Civil Rights Act of 1875The Civil Rights Act of 1875 Crime for any individual

to deny full & equal use of public conveyances andpublic places

Prohibited discrimination in jury selection

Shortcoming: lacked a strong enforcement mechanism

No new civil rights act was attempted for 90 years 16 African American Senators, Reps in 1875

Northern Support WanesNorthern Support Wanes “Grantism” & corruption Panic of 1873 [6-year

depression] Concern over westward

expansion and Indian wars With Civil Rights Act, North

felt job in South was done Key monetary issues

* Should the government retire $432m worth of “greenbacks” issued during the Civil War?

* Should war bonds be paid back in specie orgreenbacks?

1876 Presidential Election

1876 Presidential Election• One of the most disputed & One of the most disputed &

vicious elections in historyvicious elections in history• Democrat: Sam TildenDemocrat: Sam Tilden• GOP: Rutherford HayesGOP: Rutherford Hayes• Issues in electionIssues in election

– End corruptionEnd corruption– End ReconstructionEnd Reconstruction– Civil Service reformCivil Service reform

• Rampant fraud in FL, LA, Rampant fraud in FL, LA, & SC (total 19 ECV)& SC (total 19 ECV)

The Political Crisis of 1877

The Political Crisis of 1877

• Each party announced it won the disputed states• All votes went to Hayes after bitter dispute• Back room deal to end dispute

• In return for Southern states votes, GOP agreed to pull troops out of south• Referred to as “Compromise of 1877”

Reconstruction was over!