Civil War and Reconstruction

Black Codes

Restricted rights of African Americans such as not being able to rent or borrow money to rent land; testify against whites in court; sign work agreements for deferred wages

Carpetbaggers

Name for Northern newcomers who went to the South with interest in setting up businesses or fulfilling humane goals

Scalawags

A name for Southern Republicans that came from Democratic opponents, usually interested in peace and economic development

Sharecroppers

Landlords that would provide a seed needed for farming in return for a share (half) of the harvest

Radical Republicans

Republicans that believed in civil rights for black citizens

Freedman’s Bureau

An important welfare agency that provided food, shelter, and medical aid for black and white refugees after war 

Wade-Davis Bill

A bill that required 50 percent of a state’s voters to take a loyalty oath and permitted only non-confederates to vote for a new Constitution, pocket-vetoed by Lincoln 

Homestead Act

Encouraged families on the Great Plains to live on 160 acres of land for five years bringing about immigrant and native families 

Morrill Land Grant Act

Encouraged states to use the sale federal land grants to found and maintain agricultural and technical colleges

Literacy Tests

Used to measure a person’s knowledge of reading and writing, discriminated African Americans from voting

Poll Tax

Tax that African Americans were given to discriminate and prevent them from voting

Civil Rights Acts

1866: granted citizenship of all African Americans and attempted to shield black codes

1875: allowed equality in public places and prohibited courts from excluding African Americans in juries

Tuskegee Institute

Institute founded by Booker T Washington to provide vocational and practical training, such as manual and agriculture jobs, for African Americans

Hampton Institute

One of the first higher education black university’s as a result of freeman’s bureau

Ku Klux Klan

Secret white society founded by Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, caused Congress to pass the Force Acts of 1870 and 1871, tried to revolt against freed slaves by undermining reconstruction and public intimidation

How did radical republicans view Johnson?

didn’t like Johnson, he was racist, lenient towards south, allowed ex-confederate back into power

How did Johnson lose power?

vetoed key reconstruction laws (freedmen’s bureau, civil rights act, military reconstruction, tenure of office act)

Why wasn’t Johnson removed?

Senate fell 1 vote short, Johnson promised to not veto as many laws

Andrew Johnson background

• Slave holder from Tennessee 

• Born poor

• Tailor until he married his wife

• Chosen after Lincoln’s assassination to be president based on ability to unite with South, “Southern Simpalizer” 

Main purposes of Emancipation Proclamation

• All persons held as slaves within any states or designation 

• Reforms “military necessity”Loyal border states included: Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri 

• Allows for men of color to serve in war - relates to MA 54th Regiment  formed 

• Exempts parts of Confederacy under Union control (Louisiana and Virginia)

• Did not outlaw slavery or make it illegal - completed by 13th Amendment 

• Did not offer compensation for slave owners 

• Did not immediately grant freedom 

• OVERALL GAVE HOPE

Second Inaugural Address

Lincoln aimed to unite North

Slavery was main cause of civil war

Moral divide between North and South

Saw war on a faith level as God’s Will and test of faith

End goals: end slavery, bring forgiveness, national healing

Gettysburg Address

Questioned if nation could endure civil war

Answers by saying they will go through with a new birth of democracy

Reminds American principles and liberties

Johnson’s Plan

aimed for of Southern states into the Union after the Civil War,

ratify the 13th Amendment

abolish secession while granting amnesty to Confederates who swore an oath of loyalty

Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plans

• Wanted to “revolutionize Southern institutions, manners, and habits”

• Lincoln wanted a reasonable policy to reunite South with the Union instead of punishing South for treason (10 percent plan)

3 Goals of Reconstruction Plans

1. Prevent Confederate leaders from returning to power

2. Strengthen Republican Party in the South

3. Federal government should help African Americans achieve political equality (right to vote in south)

Radical Republicans Objectives

• Led by Representative Thaddeus Stevens and MA Senator Charles Summer

• Ensure civil and voting rights for Black Americans

• Abolish slavery

13th Amendment

abolished slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the United States, with the sole exception of punishment for a crime for which someone has been convicted (abolishment of slavery)

14th Amendment

grants citizenship to anyone born in the U.S., forbids states from denying anyone "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law," and requires states to provide "equal protection of the laws" to all people (citizenship and civil rights)

15th Amendment

grants the right to vote for all male citizens regardless of their ethnicity or prior slave status (rights of suffrage)

Lincoln’s Assassination

• April 14, 1865

• Lincoln and his wife were originally meant to be with US Grant and his wife, however, his wife did not like Mrs Lincoln

• Our American Cousin was the play they attended

• People did not initially know what happened

• Also attending were Major Rathbone and his fiancee, Rathbone also got injured

• To have gone with Lincoln, Lincoln sick in bed with William Seward

• Four people will be charged and hanged for conspiracy

• Booth is shot by Boston Corbett

End of Reconstruction

• Grant became president in 1868

• Panic of 1873: banks failed, jobs lost. economy crashed

• Federal troops left south and reconstruction ended 

• “New South”: industrial growth (railroads, iron, steel, cotton, tobacco)

• Tenant farmers/sharecroppers: freedmen rented or paid with crops instead of cash

Executive Branch

enforce laws, led by president and cabinet

Impeachment

a charge of misconduct made against the holder of a public office (treason, bribery, etc)

How to can one be impeached?

House of Reps vote to impeach, senate holds trial, 2/3 of senate must agree to impeach

CLINTON

TRUMP