Download Chapter 19 Reconstruction Section 1 Restoring the Union

Chapter 19
Reconstruction
Section 1
Restoring the Union- planning for reconstruction in the 12 year period following the
civil war, known as Reconstruction, Americans struggled to rebuild the South and to
reunite their torn nation. Reconstruction lasted from 1865-1877
Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan- Northern people believed the South should be punished,
because they rebelled against the union. Lincoln thought that he needed to restore the
union gently. He wanted the Southern states to rejoin the Union as quickly as possible.
Lincoln announced his plan known as the Ten Percent Plan. He offered amnesty or
official forgiveness of crimes to Southerners who pledged an oath of loyalty to the US
and accepted the elimination of slavery. Once 10 percent of voters swore loyalty they
could set up government.
Congress Disagree- Congress didn’t like Lincoln’s plan. Congress believed under the
Constitution only Congress had the power to admit territories or states to the union. For
this reason, Congress believed the legislature, not the President should control
Reconstruction.
Radical Republicans- ideas extreme or radical they opposed slavery and saw the war as
a chance to use federal power to force major changes in the South and protect the rights
of African Americans.
Wade-Davis Bill- proposed putting the South under military rule, and when the majority
of the white males (not 10%) of the state pledged their allegiance to the union, and then
steps for them to be readmitted would be taken. Lincoln refused to sign the bill because
he considered it too harsh.
The Thirteenth Amendment- would abolish slavery throughout the U.S. Lincoln
wanted to insure that slavery would never divide the nation again.
The Election of 1864- in 1864 Abraham Lincoln became the first President since
Andrew Jackson to win a second term in office. Lincoln welcomed the chance to end the
conflict for which many Southerners blamed him.
The Assassination- on the night of April 14, 1865, Lincoln and his wife relaxed by
attending the play Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. John
Wilkes Booth, entered the box from the rear and shot Lincoln in the head.
Reactions to Lincoln’s Death- some radical republicans viewed the President’s death
with relief. They had feared that former southern leaders would regain power under
Lincoln’s generous terms. Now they could enforce their own harsher policies.
Most others viewed Lincoln’s death as a tragedy. The President became one of the final
casualties of the war.
Section 2
President and Congress Clash- on April 15 Vice President Andrew Johnson took the
presidential oath of office. Radical republicans and Andrew Johnson though, had little in
common.
Johnson’s Plan for Reconstruction- true to his word, Johnson went along with much of
Lincoln’s policy. Johnson offered two proclamations:
1. Amnesty and return of property-except slaves to all who would take an oath of loyalty
to the union.
2. Organization of each south state into local government and appointing a temporary
governor- in other words territorial got it.
In addition the states had to ratify the 13th amendment, declare secession illegal and agree
no to pay confederate debts.
The Black Codes- restrictive laws that applied only to African Americans. These laws
were a way for the south to re-establish white control over slaves, even though they were
now free. In some southern states, black codes- deny African Americans the right to vote,
an opportunity to learn, and freedom to work.
Although many Northerners also treated African Americans unfairly, the black codes
outraged them. These laws made a mockery of the 13th amendment.
Civil Rights Laws- Freedom Bureau- worked to provide education, housing, and other
improvements for African Americans in the south.
The Fourteenth Amendment- defined citizenship to include African Americans and
required that to no state deny any person the equal protection of the laws.
In the 1866 congressional elections neared it became clear that they would reveal whether
the President or Congress would control the direction of Reconstruction. The election
provided an overwhelming victory for the radicals, who gained control of both the House
and Senate. They now had enough strength to override any presidential veto.
Reconstruction Legislature- in March1867, Congress passed a reconstruction act that
abolished the south’s’ new state government and placed the states under military rule. To
be restored into the union, each of the states had to frame and ratify a state constitution
that gave African Americans the right to vote. The state must ratify the 14th amendment,
and then the state would be re-admitted.
Johnson Impeachment- President Johnson had long wanted to remove Secretary of War
Edward Stanton, the only cabinet member who sided with radicals Stanton refused to be
fired. Thaddeus Steven of the House filed charges against Johnson for misconduct, to
impeach him.
If a President is found guilty they have a 2/3 vote by Senate and The House of
Representatives. The final vote was 35 to 19, one ballot shy of the two-thirds needed to
convict. Andrew Johnson remained President.
The Election of 1868- General Ulysses S. Grant the north war hero was elected.
Section 3
The South During Reconstruction- the devastation of war and reconstruction policies
affected all levels of southern society. Thousand of African Americans and southern
whites suffered from disease and hunger.
The Plight of Workers- poor African Americans and whites realized that to have social
and economic status in the south they needed land.
Two choices:
Tenant Farmers- rented the land from a owner and usually paid rent with crops. More
freedom than sharecroppers.
Sharecroppers- persons who worked the owners land and received a share of the crops in
return.
The Freedmen’s Bureau- General Oliver O. Howard, the bureau distributed food to
millions of former slaves. The Bureau tried to find jobs for African American. The
Bureau’s greatest achievements lay in education. It started free public schools for African
American men and women and children.
White Southerners Resist Change- by recruiting members from all classes of white
Southern society the KKK became the most powerful of the protective societies. They
launched a reign of terror and began whipping and murdering blacks, leaders and voters.
President Grant used the Civil Rights Act of 1871 to arrest 5,000 Klansmen across the
South. He wished to destroy the Klan and restore law and order in the south.
Fifteenth Amendment- the right to vote to all American males over the age of 21
regardless of race. Many African Americans in the north and west still did not have that
right.
African American in Government- during reconstruction African Americans served as
lieutenant governors, secretaries of state and treasurers in the state government of South
Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana. In the North during this same period not
one African American served political office.
Reconstruction Government
Scalawags- southerners who joined the Republican Party during reconstruction and
supported economic development of the south.
Carpetbaggers-northerners who moved in the south after the Civil War looking for
business opportunities from the poor.
Section 4
Reconstruction Ends
All across the south conservative Democrats regained political power. Success made
them work even harder. For many white southerners, destroying the Republican Party
became a crusade.
Terrorism at the Polls- Democrats published names of Republican voters, both African
American and white in the newspapers, so that employers would know whom to fire or
not hire. More and more African Americans stayed away from the polls.
The Election of 1876- Republican Rutherford B. Hayes won a very controversial
election. On March 5, 1877, Hayes became the 19th President. By the end of April the last
federal troops had left the south. Reconstruction ended.
Aftermath of ReconstructionNegative Results1. Fell short of providing newly freed African Americans protection and rights.
2. African Americans lost most of the gains they had made.
3. Southerners implemented methods of keeping African Americans from voting.
4. New State and Government closed schools and ended other programs that helped.