Reconstruction after the Civil War

Abraham Lincoln

-Wanted to reunite the nation as quickly as possible

-The Ten Percent Plan offered Southerners amnesty (official pardon) for all illegal acts supporting the rebellion

-To receive it they had to swear an oath of loyalty to US, and agree that slavery was illegal

-Once ten percent of voter in a state made these pledges they could form a new government

Robert E. Lee

was willing to take risks and make unpredictable moves to throw Union forces of balance

Hiram Revels

born free in North Carolina and went to college in Illinois

William Tecumseh Sherman

provided a fatal victory in the war

Winfield Scott

was a general who developed a two part strategy.

1. destroy the South

2. gain control of the Mississippi River

13th Amendment

made slavery illegal throughout the United States.

14th Amendment

defined all people born or naturalized in the United States, except Native Americans, as citizens. It guaranteed citizens equal protection of the laws. It said that states could not “ deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” It banned many former Confederate officals from holding state or federal offices. It made state laws subject to federal court review. It gave Congress the power to pass any laws needed to enforce it.

15th Amendment

gave African American men the right to vote.

Appomattox Court House

Lee surrendered to Grant, thus ending the Civil War

Election of 1876

Republicans selected Ohio governor Rutherford B. Hayes as their 1876 presidential candidate. He believed in ending federal support of the Reconstruction governments. The Democrats nominated New York governor Samuel J. Tilden. During the election, Democrats in the South again used violence at the polls to keep Republican voters away.

Emancipation Proclamation

the order to free the Confederate slaves

First Battle of Bull Run

the first major battle of Civil war and the Confederates victory

Freedman’s Bureau

agency providing relief for freedpoeple and certain poor people in the South.

Battle of Gettysburg

The Union won, no more attacks launched on the North, Gettysburg Address, Britain and France refused to provide aid to the Confederacy, turning point of the war.

Battle of Antietam

The Union Won, Lee’s northward advance had been stopped, both sides suffered major casualties, McClellan was convinced that Lee was massing reserves for a counterattack, Antietam was an important victory.

Battle of Vicksburg

The Union won, claimed “ the fate of the Confederacy was sealed when Vicksburg fell.”, used up resources on both sides.

Compromise of 1877

Democrats agreed to accept Hayee’s victory.

Gettysburg Address

Lincoln praised the bravery of Union soldiers and renewed his commitment to winning the Civil War.

Secession

the election of 1860 caused 7 states to leave the union.

Sherman’s March to the Sea

The union won, led to anger and resentment toward the people of the North, lasted for generations, speed the end of war.

Wade Davis Bill

-Believed congress had the power to admit a new state

-Ten percent plan didn’t go far enough

-A state had to ban slavery and a majority of adult males had to take the loyalty oath in order to rejoin the union

-Much stricter than the ten percent plan

-It would make them rejoin the union more slowly

-President Lincoln refused to sign the bill into a law

Abolition

people against slavery

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

-His plan was different from Lincoln because he required wealthy Southerners, and confederate soldiers to get presidential amnesty

-Worked and got over 7.000 people pardoned

Anaconda Plan

The North’s plan to attack all of the South at once and get rid of all reasources.

Black Codes

laws that greatly limited the freedom of African Americans

Border States

slave states that did not join the Confederacy

Literacy Test

African Americans had to take this test to make it harder to vote

Poll Tax

special tax people had to pay before they voted

Scalawags

Southern democrats referred to white southern republican citizens; greedy rascals

Secede

to formally leave

Carpetbaggers

office- holders were northern-born Republicans who had moved to the South after the war

Share Cropping

African Americans who stayed on plantations often became part of a system, or sharing the crop

Emancipation

the freeing of slaves

Total War

destroying civilian and economic resources

Motivation of the North

Wanted to restore the Union

Motivation of the South

wanted to be recognized as an independent nation

Strengths of the North

larger population, navy, artillery, more resources

Weakness in the North

lacked knowledge of terrain, some confederate officers were trained in the US army

Strengths in the South

experienced leaders, fighting spirit, knowledge of the terrain

Weakness in the South

less money, less resources, smaller population

Experiences on Southern homefront

You most likely could see a battle in front of your house. Your house could be used for battlefield, and a military base.

Experiences on the northern homefront

Was normal life, and was unlikely to have any fighting outside.

African Americans serving in the Army

were excluded at first, the union allowed enlistment, union regiments resented them and confederate strictly attacked them

Events of Reconstructing the South