APUSH Period 5 Reconstruction 5.10
Reconstruction (1865 - 1877)
Essential Question
What were the effects of government policy during Reconstruction on society from 1865 - 1877?
Context
The Civil War (1861-1865) ended, leaving challenges in national rebuilding.
Over 4 million freed black Americans needed to be integrated into society.
Key issues included:
Treatment of former Confederate states.
Responsibility for assisting freed black Americans.
Authority responsible for making such decisions.
Challenges faced by freed enslaved individuals included:
Lack of money, jobs, or training.
Devastation of the South's infrastructure and economy.
Persistence of regional differences among North, South, and West.
The traditional belief in limited government hindered potential sweeping federal actions.
Presidential Reconstruction
Lincoln’s Plan
Lincoln viewed the South as a disloyal minority that never genuinely left the Union.
Initiated presidential reconstruction with the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction (1863).
Full pardons were granted to Confederates who:
Took an oath of allegiance to the Union and U.S. Constitution.
Accepted the emancipation of slaves.
Government reestablishment depended on 10% of the population taking the oath (known as the 10% Plan).
Each Southern state was required to rewrite its state constitution to abolish slavery.
Wade-Davis Bill (1864)
A Congressional response to Lincoln’s leniency, proposing stricter conditions:
50% of voters in a state had to take an oath.
Only non-Confederate individuals could vote on the new constitution.
Lincoln pocket-vetoed the Wade-Davis Bill, preventing its enactment.
Freedmen's Bureau (March 1865)
Created to provide food, shelter, and medical aid to both Black and White Americans left destitute due to the war.
Initially aimed to resettle freedpeople on land, but these efforts were undermined when Johnson pardoned Confederate landowners.
Major success attributed to education efforts:
Before federal funding ceased in 1870, about 200,000 African Americans learned to read.
Johnson and Reconstruction
Andrew Johnson, a Southern Democrat, was selected to gain Democratic support for Lincoln.
Johnson’s approach conflicted with Congressional Republicans as he favored:
Disenfranchisement of all ex-Confederate leaders and those with a taxable income over $20,000.
Granting pardons to wealthy Southerners, which he did frequently.
Johnson’s Vetoes
Johnson vetoed 29 bills in his first term, exceeding the total vetoes of the prior three presidents.
Key vetoes included:
Expansion of Freedmen’s Bureau protections.
Civil Rights Bill, which nullified Black Codes and granted full citizenship and equal rights to African Americans.
In response, Southern states enacted Black Codes to restrict rights of former slaves.
Congressional Reconstruction
Radical Republicans
Republican Party was divided between moderates (focused on economic opportunity for whites) and radicals (championed civil rights for Black citizens).
Notably radicalized in 1866 due to fears of Democratic dominance.
Charles Sumner became a leader among Radical Republicans.
Post-emancipation, Southern representation in Congress increased, leading to calls for reform efforts, including women's suffrage and civil rights.
Advocacy for military control in the South began as part of the second round of Reconstruction, which was stricter on Southern whites and protective of freedpeople.
Key Amendments
Thirteenth Amendment (1865)
Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude (except as punishment for crime).
Freed four million enslaved people and provided constitutional protection.
Civil Rights Act of 1866
Congress sought to override Johnson’s vetoes, resulting in:
Legal recognition of African Americans as U.S. citizens.
Nullification of the Dred Scott decision.
Protection against Southern Black Codes.
Fourteenth Amendment (June 1866)
Mandated state and federal recognition of:
All individuals born in the U.S. as citizens.
Equal protection and due process for all citizens (though not a voting right).
Reconstruction-related stipulations included:
Ineligibility of former Confederate political leaders to hold office.
Punishment for states that prevented citizens from voting.
Report of Joint Committee (1866)
Rejected Lincoln’s presidential plan for Reconstruction.
Established that only Congress holds the power to readmit states.
Declared former Confederate states were not entitled to Congressional representation.
Midterm Elections of 1866
Johnson faced off against Congress, who aimed for a majority sympathetic to a more lenient policy towards the South.
Johnson's campaign faltered, culminating in:
Accusations against radicals of instigating anti-black riots.
Johnson resorting to ad hominem attacks during speeches.
Accusations of drunkenness.
Republicans secured a significant victory, gaining more than a ⅔ majority in Congress.
Reconstruction Acts of 1867
Congress passed three acts despite Johnson's vetoes, which:
Placed Southern states under military control.
Divided the Confederacy into five military districts controlled by Union army forces.
Required ex-Confederates to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment and guarantee male voting rights.
Johnson’s Impeachment and the Election of 1868
Johnson’s Impeachment
Resulted from the passage of the Tenure of Office Act, which prohibited the President from removing federal or military commanders without Senate approval.
Intended to secure radicals in Johnson's Cabinet, particularly Edwin Stanton (who managed military governance in the South).
Johnson contested the law's constitutionality and dismissed Stanton, leading to impeachment by the House.
In the Senate, he was acquitted, falling short of removal by just one vote.
The impeachment occurred during an election year, limiting Johnson's remaining influence.
Election of 1868
Republicans nominated Ulysses S. Grant, who narrowly won with only 300,000 more votes than the Democratic challenger.
Significant factor: Approximately 500,000 African Americans voted for Grant.
Republicans recognized the need to strengthen the rights of Black citizens, leading to the proposal of the Fifteenth Amendment.
Fifteenth Amendment (1869)
Stated: "The right of citizens… to vote shall not be denied … on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
Despite this, states continued to pass measures aimed at disenfranchising African Americans.
Civil Rights Act of 1875
The final civil rights reform passed during Reconstruction, targeting:
Equal accommodation of public spaces.
Prohibition of exclusion of African Americans from juries.
Unfortunately, these laws were poorly enforced.
In 1877, federal commitment to Reconstruction diminished, leading to its abandonment due to fatigue from forcing Southern compliance.
Reconstruction in the South
Republican Dominance
During the second round of Reconstruction, Republican governments dominated former Confederate states.
In 1867, these governments were maintained under military protection, with troop withdrawal contingent on meeting Reconstruction standards.
The duration for meeting these conditions varied: from 1 year for Tennessee to 9 years for Florida.
Political Environment
Except in South Carolina, where freedmen influenced the lower house of legislatures, whites dominated Southern legislatures.
Most elected freedmen were educated property owners, significant figures included:
Blanche K. Bruce.
Hiram Rhodes Revels (who filled Jefferson Davis' former Senate seat).
This led to resentment among ex-Confederates.
Political Groups
Scalawags: Southern Republicans who supported Reconstruction.
Carpetbaggers: Northern newcomers in the South, including investors, ministers, teachers, and others. Some were perceived as opportunists.
Southern whites who supported Republicans were primarily former Whigs advocating for peace and economic development.
African Americans Adjusting to Freedom
Many freed individuals established black communities emphasizing:
Education.
Family reunification.
Migration to freer Northern cities.
They founded independent African American churches and schools, including notable institutions such as Howard, Atlanta, Fisk, and Morehouse.
Some migrated westward to frontier states like Kansas.
The North During Reconstruction
Corruption and Greed
As Grant's presidency progressed, ideals of civil rights turned into a focus on material interests.
Shift from reformers like Charles Sumner to political manipulators like Roscoe Conkling.
Use of patronage (or the spoils system) led to corruption.
Notable scandals included:
Jay Gould and James Fisk profiting from gold market manipulations.
Credit Mobilier scandal, where insiders dodged investigations by distributing stock to Congress.
Whiskey Ring, involving federal agents collaborating with liquor industries to defraud the government.
Grant's ties to corrupt individuals tarnished his presidency.
William Tweed, a corrupt NYC Democratic boss, embezzled $200 million before investigations called him out.
Shifting Focus in the North
While the South grappled with labor system reorganization, the North concentrated on:
Pro-business policies.
Continued industrialization (railroads, steel).
Labor issues and economic challenges.
Election of 1872
Reform Republicans aimed to distance themselves from Grant’s scandals while Democrats nominated Horace Greeley.
Republicans utilized the slogan “wave the bloody shirt” to sustain their political base.
Grant won decisively despite the pressing economic issues.
Panic of 1873
Resulted in widespread homelessness and unemployment in the North due to excess speculation and overbuilding, diverting focus from Southern issues affecting Black Southerners.
Women’s Changing Roles
Women played crucial roles during the Civil War by contributing at home, on farms, and in factories.
This involvement escalated support for women’s suffrage.
Suffragists, although supportive of the African American vote, were frustrated that women were excluded from Reconstruction amendments.
Wyoming Territory became the first to grant women the right to vote in 1869.