Restoring Texas to the Union

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Restoring Texas to the Union

• Chapter 11 Notes, pages 216-234
• Texas History
• October 7, 2004

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I. Introduction

• Reconstruction lasted from 1865-1874
• North wanted to assure its objectives
• 1. Preservation of the Union
• 2. Abolition of slavery
• 3. Establishment of government by and for all the
  people
• Texas faced with unique problems
• Many refuges, white and black had come to Texas
• Some of these contribute to social unrest
• Civil government collapses

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• Reconstruction has to answer 3 questions
• Under what terms would former Confederate states
  be restored to the Union?
• What steps must be taken to assure that the
  rebellion was truly crushed?
• What was the political, social, and economic role
  of former slaves

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II. Reconstruction 1st Steps

• As Southern states were being liberated,
  reconstruction was taking place- battle between
  president and Congress
• Lincolns plan
• 10 of those who voted took oath of allegiance
  to U.S.
• Accepts all acts concerning slavery- could form
  state government
• After Lincolns death, Johnson followed same plan

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III. Emancipation

• June 19, 1865- all slaves were freed in Texas
• Took time to free slaves, some owners resisted,
  some didnt get the word, some took them to Cuba
  or elsewhere
• Slaves reacted joyfully to news- some leave to
  find families
• About half end up working for their former master

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IV. The Freedmens Bureau

• Set up to help the former slaves to adjust to
  freedom
• 1. Labor contracts registered and fair
• 2. Relief work among blacks
• 3. Intervened in courts
• B. Many problems
• Whites were hostile
• Program never funded fully
• Army could not really help
• C. Some success- set up black schools, help in
  courts

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V. Presidents Johnsons Plan for Reconstruction

• Goal- to establish provisional government backed
  by military to insure federal presence
• New governments elected
• Most states, including Texas, tried to send
  former Confederates to Washington
• Texas, 13th Amendment- free the slaves, was not
  ratified
• Black codes set up to control former slaves
• Attempts to control military

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VI. Radical Reconstruction

• Congress takes over in 1867
• Refuses to seat the Southern choices
• Radical Reconstruction
• Declared new Southern governments illegal
• Divided the South into 5 military districts-
  military law set up
• Former rebels could not vote
• New state constitutions with blacks voting
• Ratify the 14th Amendment- blacks given
  citizenship
• 15th Amendment- black right to vote

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VII. The Constitution of 1869

• 3 major issues-
• Issue of ab initio laws passed during
  Confederacy not legal- did not pass
• Attempts made to divide Texas into 3 states )see
  p. 227)- did not pass
• Civil rights- give blacks a chance to escape
  bonds of discrimination- some concessions here
• Racial violence consumes much of state- KKK
• March, 1870- military control of Texas ends

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VIII. E.J. Davis and Radical Rule in Texas

• Actions alienated white Southerners
• Showed the struggle of power between Southerners
  and Radical Republicans
• Used state militia and martial law extensively
• Success will be short lived
• Some good things- taxes for a public road system,
  homestead law, bureau of immigration to attract
  Europeans, help with the fight for the frontier

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IX. The Effects of Reconstruction

• Many wealthy Southerners lost everything
• New system of labor had to be established
• Cotton loses its value
• Public indebtedness increased
• Republican party will lose power in state for 100
  years
• Blacks did not achieve equality- most will remain
  poor