Download Diplomacy and Wartime reconstruction

Diplomacy and Wartime
Reconstruction
(1865-1877)
BY: ABBEY WILLISON
Reconstruction (1865-1877)
 The plan was to originally
rebuild society by ending
slavery, paying back land
owners, and keeping
order among the people.
 Many people disagreed
with the movement,
especially the South who
relied on slaves to work
their farms.
Reconstruction
 Republicans took firm hold of reconstruction in the South.
 Congress passed the Reconstruction Act in 1867.
Temporarily divided the South into five military districts
and outlined how governments, based on universal, male
suffrage were to be organized.
 Law also required southern states to ratify 14th amendment
before they could rejoin the Union. 14th amendment
broadened the definition of citizenship, granting “equal
protection” of the Constitution to former slaves.
 February 1869, Congress approved 15th amendmentguaranteed a citizen’s right to vote no matter of “race,
color, or previous condition of servitude”- but not gender
so women could still not vote.
87 years later….
 The Civil Rights Act (1964)
ended segregation in public
places and banned
employment discrimination,
87 years later.
 One year later Congress
expanded the act and passed
additional legislation aimed at
equal voting.

Voting Rights Act of 1965
King Cotton
 Slogan summarizing the strategy used by the
Confederacy to show that succession was feasible
and there was no need to fear a war by the United
States.
 Impact on Foreign affairs: control of cotton exports
would make an independent confederacy
economically prosperous.
 Control the cotton-control the war
“The Cotton Kingdom”
cottonslavery.voices.wooster.edu
King Cotton
 Jefferson Davis wanted to secure an alliance with Britain
and France for the Confederacy. However Abraham
Lincoln did not want this because he wanted to keep
Europe out.
 Controlling the cotton meant having power, and was
important in Southern diplomacy. Europe was in need of
cotton and relied on the Americas to supply it.
King Cotton
 The textile industry was important to the economy and
over 75% of the cotton Europe used came from the
confederate states.
 Union blockades eventually decreased British cotton
imports to 3%, and by 1863 throughout Europe there was
a “cotton famine.”
 This disrupted the European economy and put them on
edge. So when the South needed fast ships to run the
blockade, and were ready to spend more money on ship
building, the British were happy to furnish and build the
needed ships.
King Cotton and Europe
 Napoleon III, recognized that his relationship with America
was weak, and thought that if he got France involved with
the cotton industry that France could reconnect with the
U.S and potentially Mexico.
 Cotton wasn’t the only material that Europe relied on. In
1862 over half of the grain export came from the Union.
There had been many crop failures early in the war, and so
the North stepped up and resupplied the failing crop.
Trent Affair (1861-1865)
On November 8th, 1861 the USS San Jacinto, captained by Charles Wilkes, stopped the
Trent and seized James Mason of Virginia and John Slidell of Louisiana, two Confederate
diplomats. Their original destinations were Britain and France in hopes of seeking help
for the Confederation. They were taken to Boston, where they were imprisoned in Fort
Warren.
 Britain soon got word and immediately sent a message over that they wanted Mason and
Slidell released. They started sending troops over to Canada to prepare for war with
America. France also got involved and said that they would support Britain in the fight
against America. Their mission was to remove the American fleet that was blockading the
South.
 To avoid another war, Lord Lyons, and William Seward met and decided the fate of
Mason and Slidell. In the end the two diplomats were released and further conflict with
Great Britain was avoided. Abraham Lincoln quotes, “One war at a time.”

Trent Affair
 Jefferson Davis deployed the envoys in hopes of getting
Britain and France’s full diplomatic recognition. Before this
incident, Britain and France did not see the Confederate states
as a sovereign nation, and thus far maintained their
diplomatic relations with the U.S.
 Since Captain Wilkes did not wait to receive orders from
Washington, the British saw this act as a violation of their
neutrality. It was a major diplomatic disagreement, but luckily
did not end in war
Trent Affair
 The “Trent Affair” proved that the British were willing to
defend their neutrality in the American Civil War, which was a
position that both the Union and the Confederacy were
hoping to change.
 This decision became a source of controversy, with the British
claiming that the boarding of the San Jacinto had violated
international law by removing persons from a ship without
taking the ship to a prize court for adjudication.

A prize court is a court that is authorized to consider whether or not a
ship has been lawfully captured or seized in time of war. They can
return the seized ship back to its owner if the capturing of the ship was
un-lawful.
 Fought in South, Wednesday
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September 17th, 1862
AKA: Battle of Sharpsburg
Fought at Antietam Creek
The single bloodiest day in American
military history
George McClellan led the Union
army
Robert E. Lee led the Confederate
Army.
This battle was anticipated to be the
decisive Confederate victory over the
Union.
Union victory
Battle of Antietam-Fun Facts
 Total of 131,000 soldiers engaged
 87,000 Union soldiers
 45,000 Confederate soldiers
 22,717 Causalities
 Union- George B. McClellan
 2,108 killed
 753 missing and captured
 9,540 wounded
 12,401 total
 Confederacy- Robert E. Lee
 1,546 killed
 7,752 wounded
 1,018 MIA
 10,316 total
General George B. McClellan
Robert E. Lee
Antietam and the Effect on Europe
 Europe did not want to get involved in war that was
being fought to keep slavery alive, since they banned it
themselves; thus, intervening in the war was neither
economically or politically smart. However America
made the argument that the fighting was to preserve and
build the Union back up. It wasn’t until a few years later,
during the Trent Affair that Britain and France would be
interested in getting involved in the war in the U.S.
 With a Northern victory, Lincoln could issue the
Emancipation Proclamation without looking desperate or
forceful over the Confederate states.
Factors that kept Europe from recognizing South
 Britain had banned slavery, so assisting in a war that
fought for slavery was not favorable.
 The only reason Europe would have for getting into the
war would be to put down a rebellion
 After 1862 chances of Great Britain favoring the
Confederacy got slimmer and slimmer, and eventually
vanished, giving Europe no reason to be interested in
America and its problems.
Europe
 During the 1860’s France was also busy with occupying
Mexico, and in Great Britain Jews were allowed to vote.
 In 1861 Tsar Alexander II issued his Proclamation
Emancipation towards Russian serfs.
 Prussia, 1862, Otto von Bismarck becomes ministerpresident, he declares that his government is to rule
without a parliament.
 Germany, 1861, mirror workers have been losing all their
teeth due to mercury poisoning.
Lincoln’s 10% Plan
 December 8th, 1863
 Lincoln’s plan was to reunify the Northern and Southern states by
offering pardons to Confederates who would swear to support the
Constitution and the Union.
 When he was elected President his goal was to re-build the Union and
bring the country together. He did not like the pace of reconstruction
and so wrote a letter to General Nathaniel Banks, about “what I would
like Louisiana to do.” He had a wish list that included a new
constitution, adoption of the emancipation proclamation, and a system
to ease the transition from slavery to freedom.
10% Plan
Part I:
 A full pardon and restoration of property to all engaged in the war with the
exception of all Confederate officials and military leaders.
Part II:
 New state governments could be formed for the Confederate states when at
least 10% of the eligible voters had taken an oath of allegiance to the U.S.

Lincoln chose 10% because it was small enough to make it easy for states to rejoin the Union.
Part III:
 Southern states who were admitted through the second half of the 10% plan
were encouraged to enact plans to deal with the freed slaves only if the
condition of their freedom was not compromised.
Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction (a piece)
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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A PROCLAMATION.
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I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, do proclaim, declare, and make known to all persons who have, directly or by implication,
participated in the existing rebellion, except as hereinafter excepted, that a full pardon is hereby granted to them and each of them, with restoration
of all rights of property, except as to slaves, and in property cases where rights of third parties shall have intervened, and upon the condition that
every such person shall take and subscribe an oath, and thenceforward keep and maintain said oath inviolate; and which oath shall be registered for
permanent preservation, and shall be of the tenor and effect following, to wit:–
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“I,
, do solemnly swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the Union of the States there under; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully
support all acts of congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves, so long and so far as not repealed,
modified, or held void by congress, or by decision of the supreme court; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully
support all proclamations of the President made during the existing rebellion having reference to slaves, so long and so far as
not modified or declared void by decision of the supreme court. So help me God.”
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President:
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
OPCVL
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O- Proclamation given by Abraham Lincoln on December 8th, 1863.
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P- The purpose was to get 10% of the southern states to swear the oath, so that they can become part of the Union.
“…Participated in the existing rebellion, except as hereinafter excepted, that a full pardon is hereby granted…” It was
meant to be an easy task, and was one of Lincoln’s original goals as president.
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V- This piece is highly valued because it is written from Abraham Lincoln himself and shows the faith he had in the
southern states. He wanted to keep the Union strong and therefore put his faith within the people, even when they did
not come through for him, he would try to come through for them. Although the people committed treason,
confiscation of property, and liberation of slaves, participated in rebellion, and continue to resist alliance with the
Union Lincoln still expresses a second chance. “I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, do proclaim,
declare, and make known to all …”
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L: The only issue with Lincoln’s proclamation is that he is from the Union and does not know the side of the
confederation or the people in it. He has his goal in mind but does not know what the goal of the people is, and why they
want to keep slavery. Even though slavery would seem to be against natural law, people will still have their opinions and
extremities. ““I, ________, do solemnly swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support,
protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of the States there under…” Lincoln assumes
that the people believe in god, and will up stand their promise to the U.S.
Radical Republicans
 Radical Republicans were a faction of American politicians
within the Republican party from 1854-1877. Their beliefs
included same political rights and opportunities for blacks as
whites. In 1886 they introduced the Civil Rights Bill.
 The Republicans wanted to punish the South whereas Lincoln
just wanted to bring them back together.
 They thought the plan was too soft on the South.
 Radical Republicans introduced the Wade-Davis Bill. Showed
that the United States government would not tolerate their
behavior and to show the seriousness of introducing states back
into the Union, they made it so that 50% of the states had to take
the oath.
Wade-Davis Bill
 Guaranteed certain states, whose governments had been used
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to usurp or overthrow the Union, a republican form of
government.
Had plan to restore the states in rebellion to their proper
practical relations in the Union.
50% of the states’ white males were required to pronounce
their loyalty by taking the oath in order to become part of the
Union.
Require that states extend the right to vote to African
Americans. (This was unconstitutional at this time because
the Congress had no power to deal with slavery within each
state).
Bill was passed in Congress, but killed when Lincoln vetoed it.
Lincoln’s Veto
 He feared the bill would destroy what he had been working
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for in states like Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee.
He treated the Confederacy as if they were still part of the
Union and wanted to keep that relationship with the people.
He thought that the Wade-Davis bill treated the people as
traitors, and if he was to pass it, the relationship he had
fought so hard to get would be jeopardized.
After he vetoed the bill, it was not resurrected.
Davis was not happy with Lincoln and accused Lincoln of
using reconstruction to secure electors in the South and
that they would "be at the dictation of his personal
ambition.”
Lincoln was assassinated on April 14th, 1865.
Bibliography

"Wartime Diplomacy." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, 4 July 1995. Web. 17
Sept. 2015. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/34b.asp>.

"Antienam." Council on Foreign Relations. Ed. James Lighthizer. Council on Foreign
Relations, 14 Sept. 1987. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/antietam.html?gclid=CK-SotuCMcCFQmVfgod_20EWQ>.
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"Antienam." Council on Foreign Relations. Ed. James Lighthizer. Council on Foreign
Relations, 14 Sept. 1987. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/antietam.html?gclid=CK-SotuCMcCFQmVfgod_20EWQ>.

“Reconstruction and the South.” gilderlehrman.org. Institutute Institute of American
History, 13 March 1866. Web. 2012. http://www.gilderlehrman.org
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Ferris, Norman B. "The Trent Affair." The Trent Affair. U.S. Department of State, n.d.
Web. 20 Sept. 2015.
<http://future.state.gov/when/timeline/1861_timeline/trent_affair.html>.
Bibliography
"Trent Affair". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 20 Sep. 2015
<http://www.britannica.com/event/Trent-Affair>.
 http://www.american-historama.org/1860-1865-civil-war-era/ten-percent-plan.htm:
Linda Alchin
 U.S., Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations of the United States of America, vol.
13 (Boston, 1866), pp. 737–39.
 Lincoln, Abraham. "The Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction." Proclamation of
Amnesty and Reconstruction, December 8, 1863. Steven F. Miller, 25 Apr. 2015. Web. 20
Sept. 2015. <http://www.freedmen.umd.edu/procamn.htm>.
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