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Reconstruction
The yearsbetween1865and 1877 arecalled Reconstruction. This was the period of
time after the Civil War, when the Southwas rebuilt, with the help of the Federal
Government.
The South After the War
All of the battles except for Gettysburg and Antietam were fought in the South. The
Southwas devastatedby the Civil War. Cities,farms,bridgesand railroadswere
destroyed.A quarterof a million Confederatesoldiersdied in the war and thousands
more were disabledby their wounds.
(killed) only five daysafter the war was over. He was
PresidentLincoln was assassinated
attendinga play called "Our American Cousin" at the Ford Theater. He was shot in the
headby John Wilkes Booth. His vice-president,Andrew Johnson,becamePresident.
Plans for Reconstruction
Lincoln's Plan for Reconstruction
PresidentLincoln wantedthe Southto rejoin the Union quickly and peacefully. His plan
was calledthe "l 0o/oPlan". Underthis plan...
. l0o of the state'sgovernmenthad to swearloyalty to the United States
. new stategovernmentshad to abolishslavery
If thesetwo requirementswere met, peoplein the statescould elect membersto Congress
and be part of the Federal Government.
Important Lesislation
13'hAmendment
bannedslaverythroughoutthe nation
14thAmendment
grantedcitizenshipto all personsborn in the U.S.A
l5th Amendment
forbadeany statefrom denyingAfrican Americansthe right to vote
becauseoftheir race
Freedman'sBureau
. establishedby the governmentto help freed slavesin the South
. provided food and clothing
. helpedto createjobs
. one of the most importanttaskswas to set up schools
Radical Republicans
' (Northerners)thought Lincoln's l0% Plan was not strict enoughfor the Southto
rejoin the Union
. angeredthat PresidentAndrew Johnsonallowed southerngeneralsto hold Senate
positions
. therewas a power strugglebetweenthe RadicalRepublicansof the North and
PresidentJohnsonover the plan for Reconstruction
Radical Reconstruction
. RadicalRepublicanshad control of Congressand passedlaws that madeit more
difficult for the Southto participatein the Federalgovernment. They senttroops
to the Southto make surethey were following the laws
' PresidentAndrew Johnsontried to veto theselaws, but Congressoverrodethe
veto
. RadicalRepublicansin the Houseof Representatives
impeached (brought
chargesagainst)PresidentJohnson,eventhough he did not break the law. He was
not thrown out of office.
SouthernReactionto Reconstruction
White southernerswere angry and resentful about Radical Reconstructionand were
determinednot to give up their power
Scalawags-
any southernerwho helpedthe Republicanswas thought of as a traitor and
called a scalawag
Carpetbaggers- white northernerswho traveledSouthafter the war to get rich
Ku Klux Klan - secretsociety that was determinedto restorethe South to the way it was
before the war by:
. keepingBlacks and white Republicansout of office and from voting
. using terrorism and intimidation tactics
Southernstatesfound ways to keep African Americansfrom exercisingtheir rights by:
Poll taxes
requiredvotersto pay a fee eachtime they voted. Most African
Americans did.not have the money to pay thesetaxes, so they
couldn't vote.
Literacy Tests
voterswere requiredto readand explain difficult partsof
the Constitution. Freedmenhad little education.so such
testskept them away from the polls.
Grandfather Clauses
statedthat if a person'sgrandfatheror father had the
right to vote, so did he. This allowed poor white
peopleto vote even if they couldn't pay poll taxes
or passthe literacy tests.
Sharecroppins
SinceAfrican Americanswere poor, many could not afford to buy land. They rented
land from White landownersand had to borrow money for supplies. In return, they had
to pay the landownersback with a portion of their crops. Sharecroppersoften did not
grow enoughto pay offtheir debts and they grew further and further in debt.
Jim Crow Laws
Southernstatespassedlaws that segregatedBlacks and Whites in public places. These
laws saidthat Blacks and Whites had to use separatebathroomsand water fountains,and
ride in different placesin trains and buses. Thesefacilities were supposedto be "equal",
but really were not.
Plessvv.Ferguson
. Homer Plessy,an African American,was arrestedbecausehe refusedto move out
of a train car that was for Whites only.
.
The SupremeCourt sided with the statelaws which supported"separatebut
equal" facilities for Blacks and Whites.
.
This decision was important becauseit supportedsegregationof Blacks and
Whites.
.
For 60 yearsstatesusedthis decisionto continuea systemof segregation!
The End of Reconstruction
The electionof 1876was so corrupt and closethat nobody knew who the clear winner
was. So, a compromise was made. SouthernDemocratsaccepteda Northern man,
RutherfordB. Hays, as presidentIF troopswere removedfrom the South. This ended
Reconstruction.
How was Reconstructiona success?
' . Freedmenhad the right to vote
. Blacks could attendschoolsand receivean education
. The Freedmen'sBureauhelpedformer slaves
How was Reconstructiona faitureZ
. Terror groups such as the KKK preventedBlacks from taking advantageof their
newly gainedrights.
. Laws were passedto keep Blacks separatefrom Whites
. Sharecroppingwas really a legalizedform of slavery. It kept African Americans
indebtedto White landowners