Reconstruction: Challenges and Changes in the Post-Civil War South

Class #1

Presidential Reconstruction

The early phase of Reconstruction under President Andrew Johnson, characterized by leniency towards former Confederates and the establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau.

Freedmen's Bureau

A government agency established in March 1865 to assist newly liberated African Americans by providing education, legal assistance, and help in rebuilding their lives.

13th Amendment

The constitutional amendment passed in 1865 that abolished slavery in the United States.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Vision

Emerson believed the South's defeat was necessary and foresaw ongoing complexities regarding African American progress following the Civil War.

Black Codes

Laws enacted by Southern states in 1865 to restrict the freedoms of African Americans and maintain the pre-war racial hierarchy.

Sharecropping

An agricultural system where Black families farmed white-owned land in exchange for a share of the crop, often leading to economic dependency.

Economic Devastation in the South

The aftermath of the Civil War left Southern economies and infrastructures in ruins, with per capita income halved and many cities destroyed.

Casualties of the Civil War

Around 700,000 deaths and over 500,000 wounded, representing the human toll of the conflict.

Andrew Johnson's Policies

The Reconstruction plans of President Johnson, which were lenient towards former Confederates and did not promote civil rights for African Americans.

Northern Prosperity Post-Civil War

After the war, the Northern economy thrived, with per capita wealth doubling between 1860 and 1870.

Emancipation

The act of freeing enslaved people, resulting in the liberation of approximately 4.5 million individuals after the Civil War.

Complex Problems Ahead

Emerson's belief that the post-war United States would face significant challenges concerning race relations and civil rights.

Civil War's Impact on Economy

The war's destruction of agricultural lands and factories severely impacted the Southern economy, while the North experienced industrial growth.

Black Labor Control

Southern states used Black Codes to enforce labor regulations on freed African Americans, restricting their rights and freedoms.

Congressional Response to Reconstruction

The reaction of Northern leaders to Southern defiance, leading to a shift from Presidential Reconstruction to Congressional or Radical Reconstruction.

Education for African Americans

A primary aim for newly freed African Americans, who sought education to empower themselves, supported by institutions like the Freedmen's Bureau.

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

The House of Representatives impeached Johnson in 1868 for violating tenure laws but he was acquitted by the Senate.

Vagrancy Laws

Harsh laws under Black Codes that criminalized idleness among Black individuals, often leading to their arrest.

Freed People Priorities

Post-emancipation focuses for African Americans included family reunification, independent living, and education.

Confederate Money

The currency used by the Confederate States during the Civil War, which became worthless after the war's conclusion.

Historical Black Colleges

Institutions like Fisk and Howard University established to provide higher education for African Americans.

Southern Defiance

The resistance by Southern leaders to Reconstruction efforts, including the introduction of Black Codes to reassert control over Black labor.

Labor Contracts

Agreements that sharecroppers had to adhere to, often leading to exploitation and perpetual debt.

Congressional Reconstruction

A more radical phase of Reconstruction initiated by Congress in response to Southern defiance, focusing on civil rights and political equality for African Americans.

New Dwellings for Freed People

The movement of newly freed African Americans into independent housing, seeking autonomy from former slave quarters.

Civil Rights Opposition

The widespread resistance, particularly from white Southerners, against the civil rights of African Americans post-Emancipation.

Reintegration of Former Confederates

The process by which former Confederate leaders were re-admitted into positions of power during Reconstruction.

Civic Engagement of Freedmen

The efforts made by newly freed African Americans to participate in civic life, including seeking legal recourse and education.

Agricultural Economy Monopoly

The control exerted by white merchants over the agricultural economy that disadvantaged Black sharecroppers.

Radical Republicanism

A faction within the Republican Party that sought more severe measures against the South and stronger protections for freedmen during Reconstruction.

Hope vs. Caution in Freedom

The mixed emotions of African Americans post-emancipation, balancing optimism for new opportunities with the realities of systemic oppression.

43rd Congress

The Congress during which many former Confederates were elected, causing outrage among Northern leaders.

Southern Labor Restrictions

Legislative measures passed in the post-war South to limit the employment opportunities of Black individuals.