Politics 1865-1890 (Reconstruction)

AQA A-Level US History - Reconstruction

What was reconstruction?

The 12 years after the US civil war

Who were the presedents during reconstruction?

• Lincoln (Republican) - 1964+1965

• Johnson (Democrat) - 1965-1968

• Grant (Republican) - 1868-1877

What are the two main time periods during reconstruction?

Presidential reconstruction - 1864-1868

Radical reconstruction - 1868-1877

How did Lincoln try to reunite the union?

Introduced a 10% plan -allowed a Southern state to be readmitted to the Union when 10% of its voters swore an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and accepted the abolition of slavery.

How did Lincoln help slaves/ex-slaves

• Freedmen’s Bureau → help to emancipate African Americans and establish schools for black children

• 13th amendment 1865 - freed slaves

Problems Lincoln faced

• Many in his party were unhappy with his moderate approach - wanted harsher approach to the south

• Gov size → didn’t have the means to carry out its policies nation-wide - power mainly at state leve;

  • Unable to see his plan through - was assasinated in April 1865 by John Booth (unhappy with his support for black citizens)

Who was Johnson and was he chosen as vice-president?

• Becuase he matches well with the Northen gov

  • Was a southener + democrat

Why was Johnson opposed by congress?

• He vetoed a congress bill (Civil Rights Act 1866) attempting to strengthen the Freedman’s Bureau (the overturned his veto)

• doubts about his leniency towards the south

  • He was unwilling to compromise

Which bills did Johnson veto?

Civil rights act 1866 which gave black people minimum civil rights - his veto was overturned

What was the 14th amendment?

Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including formerly enslaved people, and guaranteed equal protection under the law.

What acts were introduced as part of radical reconstruction?

• Military reconstruction bill 1887 - Imposed military rule on each state

• The command of the army act - reduced johnson’s military power

• Tenure of Office Act → stopped johnson removing many office holders

Why was Johnson impeached?

• Ignored the tenure of office act and dismissed Stanton → reason for 1868 impeachment

  • 11 articles of impeachment were filed against him

  • He remained president

What was the 15th amendment 1870?

The right to vote cannot be denied based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude

• passed 144/44

• no democrats supported it, 3 republicans opposed it

Weaknesses of Grant’s presidency

Became associated with scandals - was reelected in 1872 but there was a very tight election in 1876 leading to the compromise

What and when was the Black Friday Scandal

1869 - financial crisis caused by Jay Gould and James Fisk’s failed attempt to manipulate the gold market, leading to a financial panic in 1873

When and what was the Whiskey Ring Scandal?

1875 - government officials and whiskey distillers conspired to defraud the federal government of liquor taxes, with some profits allegedly used to fund Republican campaigns

What was the political opposition in the South? - The Redeemers

• Southern wing of the democratic party & aimed to gain control in the south and reinforce white supremacy

• Carpetbagger: A Northerner who moved to the Southern states after the Civil War, often to participate in Reconstruction and support the Republican government.

• Scalawag: A white Southerner who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party after the Civil War.

What was the viotent opposition in the South? - supremacist groups

• Louisiana white supremacy violence 1868

• 1873 - 3 whites and approx 150 pro-republican freedmen were killed in the colfax massacre

What were the pros for the south from the Republican reconstruction policies?

• First public school systems (state finded schools)

• successful in rebuilding the South’s railraods - North carolina expanded 984miles → 1356miles by 1875

• Provided debt relief and expanded womens rights

• First institutions for higher enducation for blacks established in the South

  • Howard Uni 1867

What were the cons for the south from the Republican reconstruction policies?

• Loss of political influence → 1864 to 1914 only one elected southern president

• Corruption - e.g. a state legislature awarded $1000 to a memeber to cover a lost bet

• Many in poverty by 1870 - average income was 2/5 of a Notherner’s

  • 1870s - sharp rise in cotton = fall in prices

Political success for African Americans

• Black votes were a majority in many states - Mississipi = 53%

• 2 black senators elected & 15 black representatives elected to congress by 1877

• Mississipi - 226 blacks held public office

Social success for African Americans

• Freedman’s bureau 1865

• 14th amendment gave them citizenship

• Civil Rights act passed 1975 - aimed to guarantee equal treatment

• Education opportunities - by 1963 - 1,700 AA students nd 45 teachers in S.Carolina

Economic success for African Americans

• Freedman’s bureau helped AAs to navigate labour contracts

• Black polititians secured laws that ensured black labourers were paid before crops were sold - stopped them being fired after the harvest but before the payment

• S.Carolina - state land comission 1869 which helped 14,000 families acquire land

Political failure for African Americans

• Loopholes to 15th amendment

• Intimidation by white supremacist groups - 34 AAs killed when trying to vote 1866

• Divisions between freeborn and ex-slaves caused tensions in the black community - weakened their cause

Social failure for African Americans

• KKK established 1866

• KKK had approx 40,000 members in Tennessee & 500,000 across whole of South

• 1873 - colfax massacre - 300 white men attacked blacks deffending officials in the courthouse

Economic failure for African Americans

• Labour contracts reinforced the pattens of blacks slavery

• Blacks workers paid less that whites

• By the 1870s - most were sharecroppers - keep 1/3 to ½ of what they grew - seen as form of slavery

Why did reconstruction fail? - Southern resistance and opposition

• Opposition from white terrorists and ex-confederate soldiers

• Redeemers introducd racists test to stop blacks from voting

• Redshirts - openely attacking people

• Black sheriff shot by own deputy

Why did reconstruction fail? - Actions and Failures of the Presidents

• Johnson lost political war with congress & impeached

• Grant dominated by battles over reconstruction and scandals

• Hayes oly able to take office after disputed election

• Tilden won only succeeding with democrats - who wanted to end reconstruction

Why did reconstruction fail? - 1876 election and 1877 compromise

• Tilden won popular vote, allegations of fraud let to hayes

• Electoral College → 20 votes awarded to hayes to he ‘won’

• Compromise 1877 → Hayes only serve 1 term 20,000 troops removed from south etc…

Why did reconstruction fail? - declining support for Northern Republicans

• Reconstruction govs are corrupt

• SC divisions weakened protections for black americans - harder to enforce civil rights laws

• Republicans began to lose interest

• Panic 1873 shifted focus from south