Download Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction IV Unit 7 Reconstruction: The

CRISIS, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION IV
UNIT 7
RECONSTRUCTION: THE PROBLEMS WITH PEACE
With the Civil War fought and done, the South was left devastated and embittered by the war. Farms, railroads, and
factories were destroyed throughout the South by Union forces and Richmond and Atlanta lay in ruins. Now, the
nation faced the problem of figuring out where to go after the war and how to begin the healing and restoration of a
nation nearly divided.
RECONSTRUCTION
Reconstruction – period from 1863-1877 in which the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War
Freedman’s Bureau – organization created to help newly freed slaves adept to their new freedom
former slaves were sometimes offered “40 acres and a mule” to get started.
most blacks stay in the south and become tenant farmers who rent land from the white landowners
other blacks would become sharecroppers who paid rent from shares of their crops
Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan – issued full pardons to all Confederate citizens who swore allegiance to the United
States (except those who owned property over $20,000)
call constitutional conventions to repel secession, cancel war debts, and ratify the 13th Amendment
th
13 Amendment – slavery was abolished permanently in the United States*
under this plan many former high-ranking Confederated officers were able to return to Congress 
angered many Radical Republicans
Radical Republicans – those members of Congress who favored harsh Reconstruction of the South
Thaddeus Stevens – leader of the Radical Republicans
black codes – laws passed by states and local levels to limit the civil rights and civil liberties of African Americans
Civil Rights Act of 1866 – granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States*
allowed all African-Americans to own property
all African-Americans were to be treated equally in court and allowed the federal government to sue
those who violated these laws
President Andrew Johnson vetos the act which angers the Radical Republicans
Election of 1866 – Congressional election in which Radical Republicans gained a two-thirds majority in Congress 
could now overturn presidential vetos
14thAmendment – granted citizenship to natural-born or naturalized people in the United States
forbid any states to deny any one “life, liberty, or property” or equal protection under the law
if Southern states ratified it they would be admitted back into the Union
President A. Johnson advised Southern states not to ratify it believing it to be unfair  only Tennessee
ratifies it
Seward’s Folly (1867) – nickname, given by critics, of the United States purchase of Alaska from the Russian
Empire for $7.2 million
named after the Sec. of State, William Seward, who signed the treaty
RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION
Unhappy with Pres. Johnson’s handling of the reconstruction of the South, Congress begins to take control issuing it
own form of reconstruction for the South that was much harsher than Johnson’s Plan
Military Reconstruction Plan (1867) – the Radical Republicans’ harsh plan to reconstruct and readmit the South
back into the Union
divided the South into 5 military districts headed by a Union general
states had to ratify the 14th Amendment before being readmitted to the United States
Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans clashed repeatedly over the issue of civil rights for freed slaves,
eventually one side would have to do something about the other.
The Radical Republicans had already supporters in Johnson’s administration (Sec. of War, Edwin
Stanton) and would act first
Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction IV
1
Tenure of Office Act (1867) – required the removal of any government official be approved first by the Senate
Johnson challenged this act by firing Edwin Stanton in 1868
this was enough for the House of Representatives to demand Johnson be impeached for breaking the
law  first president to be impeached
after being on trial for two months, Johnson avoids being removed from office by one vote!
After being saved by one vote, Johnson soon became a lame-duck president (president that doesn’t do anything). For
the next three decades presidents feel into the shadows as Congress and big business began making the decisions for
the nation including the future of Reconstruction.
Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction IV
2