Chapter 18 The Reconstruction Era

Reconstruction

1865-96 period of rebuilding the south after the Civil War

10% plan

Abraham Lincoln’s reconstruction plan

10% Plan said

voters in each Southern state had to take an oath of loyalty to the union. Amnesty for all except Confederate leaders. When 10% of the people in the state took oath states could come back in USA

Radical Republicans

Members of Congress who wanted to punish the south.

Wade Davis Bill

Radical Republicans Reconstruction Plan

Wade Davis Bill

Majority of white males must pledge loyalty to USA . Only white makes who didn’t fight in Confederacy could vote. All new states had to ban slavery. No former Confederates could hold public office.

Freedman’s Bureau

Created by Lincoln and Congress in March 1865 to hep blacks adjust to free life after slavery.

Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

Gave amnesty to most Southerners who took oath. High ranking Confederates could only receive pardon from president. Had to ratify 13th Amendment

Black codes

Passed by southern states. Laws were created to control free blacks.

14th Amendment

Grants US citizenship to anyone born in the USA

Impeach

formally charge with wrong doing

President Johnson impeached

He hired and fired people against Congress wishes. Trial lasted 3 months. He remained president until the end of his term.

15th Amendment

State and Federal Governments could not deny to any male citizen the right to vote.

Carpetbagger

Northern republicans who moved South during Reconstruction

Scalawags

Southern whites who supported the Republican Party

Sharecropping

Landowners rented land. Sharecroppers gave a percentage of crops to landowners. Little better than slavery.

Ways southern states kept freed African Americans from voting

Poll tax - fee to vote

Literacy tests

Grandfather clause - couldn’t vote if your grandfather didn’t vote before Reconstruction

Impact of Reconstruction

Success and failure. Helped the South rebuild economy. South remained poor. African American gain greater quality but advances didn’t last