The Ordeal of Reconstruction

1
The Ordeal of Reconstruction

• Chapter 22

2
The Problems Of Peace

• Major questions facing the country
• How would the south be rebuilt
• How would the liberated Blacks be converted to
  free citizens
• How would southern states be reintegrated into
  the Union
• Who would direct reconstruction, the southern
  states, the President or Congress
• What to do with confederate leaders?

3
Major Problems InThe South

• Social and economic system had collapsed.
• Key Southern cities were devastated.
• Banking system had collapsed under run-away
  inflation.
• Factories were destroyed
• Transportation system completely broken down
• Agriculture, major economic force of the south,
  totally collapsed.
• Southern rich were suddenly much poorer.
• Many Southerners were beaten but still defiant
  and were not yet emotionally prepared to
  reintegrate with the north.

4
Freedmen Define Freedom

• Immediately after war, freedom for Blacks
  depended on where the army was
• Many in South rejected validity of Emancipation
  Proclamation
• Reaction of Blacks
• Blacks hit the road
• Exodusters
• Black schools
• Black churches

5
The Freedmens Bureau

• Congress creates the Freedmens Bureau March,
  1865.
• Purpose?
• Greatest success?
• Failed to provide land, as authorized
• Blacks and labor contracts

6
Freedmens Bureau School
7
Southern View of Freedmens Bureau
8
Southern View of Freedmens Bur.

• Southerners resented the Bureau as northern
  intrusion.
• Pres. Johnson didnt support it. Why?
• It died in 1872.
• One of many failures of reconstruction.

Plenty to eat and nothing to do.
9
Johnson The Tailor President

• He had started from very humble beginnings.
• Never attended school.
• Enters politics in Tenn.
• Champion of poor whites and mountain whites.
• As Tenn. Congressman he refused to secede with
  Tenn.
• Forced to flee Tenn.

10
Johnson The Tailor President

• Appointed War Governor after Tenn. partially
  redeemed by Union Army.
• Appointed VP when Lincoln needs to cement the
  Union Party and keep the vote of border states
  and Union democrats.
• Dogmatic believer in States Right and the
  Constitution.
• See John Tyler

11
Presidential Reconstruction

• Lincoln plan proposed before war over.
• What is Lincolns basic theory
• What is the basic condition for states to be
  redeemed?
• Who does Lincoln think should be in charge or
  reconstruction? Why?
• How does Congress feel about his plan? Why?
• Lincolns 10 Plan. Details

12
Congress Reacts

• Congress disagreed with Lincolns approach.
• Congressional Republican theory?
• Who in charge of readmission?.
• Radical Republican Goals.
• Congress passes the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864
• What does it say?
• What happened to this bill?

13
Johnsons Plan for Reconstruction

• Johnson agreed with Lincolns 10 plan.
  Recognized several 10 governments.
• Introduced his plan 8/1865.
• Disenfranchised southerners with property over
  20,000.
• They could petition him for a pardon
• called for special state conventions
• to repeal declarations of secession,
• repudiating confederate debts and
• ratifying 13th Amendment prohibiting slavery
• Who deals with former slaves?
• How does Congress React? Why?

14
Black Codes

• New states passed Black Codes
• Harsh
• Purpose?
• Southern concerns and motives?
• Consequences
• For blacks
• politically

15
Congressional Reconstruction

• 1865. States readmitted by Johnson start sending
  Congressmen to Washington.
• Many are former Confederate politicians and
  Generals.
• Republicans outraged
• Why?
• Congress reaction?
• This sets up a monumental show-down with Johnson

16
Johnson Clashes With Congress

• Johnson reacts strongly to Congress
• What is his concern?
• Johnson announces that South had satisfied his
  conditions and Union was restored.
• Vetoed extension of Freedmans Bureau.
• Civil Rights Act.
• What does the Act do?
• What does Johnson do to the bill. What does
  Congress do in response?

17
Fourteenth Amendment

• Why does Congress propose?
• What does it say?
• Conferred Civil Rights except the vote on
  Freedmen.
• Reduced representation in Congress of states that
  did not give the freedmen the vote.
• Disqualified from federal and state office former
  confederates who had previously sworn oath to
  Const. of the US and, thus, had violated it.
• Repudiated the confederate debt.
• Extended Due Process to all citizens.
• Ratified in 1868

18
Johnsons Back-firing Campaign

• 1866 Johnson and Congress battle over whether
  reconstruction would continue with or without the
  14th Amendment.
• The battle-ground became the Congressional
  elections.
• Johnson hoped for a majority in favor of his soft
  approach.
• Republicans sought a congress that was
  veto-proof.
• Johnson goes on a give-em-hell campaign swing
  to try to marshal votes.
• Johnsons efforts backfire. Why?
• Result?

19
SWINGING AROUND THE CIRCLE WITH JOHNSON
20
Republicans In Charge

• Republicans now in the drivers seat, but split
  between the radicals and the moderates.
• Radicals led by Charles Sumner in the Senate and
  Thaddeus Stevens in the house.
• Aims of Radicals?
• Aims of Moderates?
• Moderates had the upper hand
• Eventual policies showed influences of both
• Both recognize that federal power necessary to
  ensure enfranchisement of blacks.

21
Military Reconstruction

• Reconstruction Act (March 1867)
• What did it do?
• Temporarily disenfranchised many
  southerners10,000
• Stringent conditions for the readmission of the
  seceded states
• States required to ratify Fourteenth Amendment to
  come back in
• State constitutions must guarantee vote for
  slaves
• Stopped short of giving blacks land or requiring
  education.
• Johnson vehemently opposes. What does he do in
  response?

22
Military Reconstruction Act
23
Military Reconstruction

• 15th Amendment passed 1869 (ratified in 1870).
• Why necessary after Reconstruction Act?
• Military reconstruction questionable
  constitutionally. Why?
• By 1870 all states readmitted under terms of
  Reconstruction Act.
• Last federal troops leave in 1877.

24
Radical Reconstruction In The South

• Evolution of attitude toward black
  enfranchisement.
• Blacks voting, but many whites werent.
• Union Leagues
• 14 Black Congressmen 2 Black Senators. Height
  of black political power until mid 20th Century.
• Carpetbaggers and Scalawags.
• Assessment of reconstruction governments in the
  South

25
Ku Klux Klan

• KKK (Invisible Empire of the South)
• Used intimidation, fear and force to get upstart
  Blacks and carpetbaggers to get back in their
  place.
• Founded by Nathan Bedford Forrest.
• Undermined the civil rights given to blacks.
• Force Act
• Effective?

26
Johnson Impeachment

• Radical Republicans frustrated with Johnson and
  out for his hide.
• Tenure in Office Act (1867). Provisions?
• How does Johnson violate the act?
• Constitutionality of act?
• House vote for impeachment
• Factors impacting the Senate vote

27
The Purchase Of Alaska

• One of Johnsons few successes was the purchase
  of Alaska.
• Why were Russians looking to unload Alaska?
• Sec. of State Seward agrees to purchase for 7.2
  Mil in 1867. Dubbed Sewards Folly.
• Why was US willing to purchase?