Unit 5

Road to Civil War - Reconstruction

• Road to Civil War (rising sectionalism between N/S, debates, economic, cultural [southern apologists/rising abolitionism], political issues [third party significance/attempts at compromise], etc.)

Mexican American War:

• Cause: texas declares independence from mexico in 1836. mexico not happy. Texas didn't want to remain independent, wanted to be annexed by United States. President Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison, and Tyler all against annexation because it would create conflict with Mexico. James K. Polk elected in 1845 and promised annexation of texas. However President tyler was the one who organized the annexation on his way out of office because he saw the public viewed it favorably.

• Polk sent a diplomat named John Slidell to mexico city with the goal of buying more land (new mexico and california) and settle location of southern border of Mexico. Disputes over where the border was. Agreement wasn't reached,

• Polk sent general zachary taylor with his troops to establish border. 11 american dead from the following conflicts, Polk upset and declares Mexican American war.

• America takes control of California and New Mexico, wins war by taking control of Mexico city and forcing negotiations.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848:

• Establish southern border of texas

• Gave United States California and New Mexico

• Treaty of guadalupe hidalgo and gadsden purchase gave over half of mexican territory to US.

• In 1846, congressman David Wilmot made amendment called wilmot proviso where any land gained by the Mexican American war would be off limits for expansion of slavery. Extremely contentious, arguably the first round in the fight that led to the civil war.

• Main motivation for this amendment was the idea of free soil, wanted additional land for homesteaders to settle on without competition from system of slavery.

• Southern position on slavery: slavery was a constitutional right, slavery had already been decided by missouri compromise.

• Missouri compromise was incredibly important to southerners, was assurance that they would be able to continue with their enslaving ways.

• Free soil movement: composed of northern democrats and whigs, wanted new territories acquired to be dominion of free laborers.

• Popular sovereignty: each territory should decide slavery question for themselves. Not well liked by southerners because they believed that any resistance against slavery was an attack against the entire institution of slavery. Not well liked by north because they were worried territories would vote to allow slavery.

• California and New Mexico enter as free states after Mexican American War, made South threaten secession because it disrupted equal balance between northern and southern states. Meant that Northern free states could pass laws that banned slavery.

The Compromise of 1850:

• Henry Clay proposes compromise of 1850.

• Mexican cession divided into Utah and New Mexico territories, each divided by popular sovereignty.

• California admitted as a free state.

• Slave trade banned in Washington D.C.

• More strict Fugitive Slave Law

• Calmed tensions about future of slavery.

• Main issue was the fugitive slave law part which was not supported by the North.

• Large number of irish and german immigrating to America prior to civil war, lived in cultural enclaves where they kept alive culture, tradition, religion.

• Many irish immigrants settled in New York City in slums with bad living conditions.

• Many german immigrants settled out west in search of land to farm.

• Anti catholic nativism group against immigration.

• North and South economies moved in dramatically different directions in the years leading up to civil war.

• North economy: mainly free wage laborers working manufacturing jobs in factories. Population increasing much more quickly than in south.

• South economy: mainly enslaved labor working on agricultural plantations.

• Abolitionists: minority group in North against slavery in all forms. Were very vocal / effective in their methods. Used printed and spoken words, helped fugitive slaves escaped, and used violence.

• William Lloyd Garrison: wrote The Liberator abolitionist newspaper. Very influential on abolitionists.

• Harriet Beecher Stowe: wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1852. Work of fiction that depicted dehumanization and brutality of slavery. Was extremely popular and sold many copies.

• Frederick Douglass: was a former enslaved man who gave many speeches that advocated against slavery.

Underground Railroad:

• Series of trails and safehouses that enslaved people used to escape from the south to the north.

• John Brown: fierce abolitionist who believed only way to stop slavery was a slave uprising against south. Made plan to raid harpers ferry to arm enslaved people and incite a rebellion. Plan was unsuccessful but Brown had connections to many leading abolitionists. Southerners saw raid a symbol of the mindset / plans of abolitionists as a whole.

• Kansas-nebraska act of 1864: area above 36 30 line which was part of Louisiana purchase was supposed to be a free state according to missouri compromise. In 1854 senator Stephen douglas proposed that this territory be split into two parts, Kansas territory and Nebraska territory. Also proposed that these territories use popular sovereignty to decide slavery.

• North not happy about this act because it effectively overturned the compromise of 1820.

• Violent conflict between pro slavery and anti slavery in Kansas. Known as bleeding kansas.

Dred scott decision of 1857:

• case brought before supreme court that was incredibly influential for slavery debate.

• Scott was an enslaved man who lived in missouri and was taken to live in illinois and wisconsin, both places where slavery was illegal. Sued his master for freedom with argument that because he had lived in free states for two years, he should be free.

• Chief justice roger taney and majority of court decided against Dred Scott. Decided against because as a enslaved man, dred scott was not a citizen and had no right to sue in federal court and because the constitution states that congress cannot deprive citizens of property.

• Meant that slave owners could take slaves anywhere they wanted without fear of having them be taken away.

• Rise of the Republican Party, Election of 1860

• Increasing division over slavery weakened the two party system.

• Whig party first casualty of this division. Split into pro slavery cotton whigs and anti slavery conscience whigs.

• Democratic party gaining strength during this time as a regional pro slavery party.

Republic Party:

• New political party created in 1854 which gathered diverse group of people under one banner.

• Consisted of former know nothing party members, abolitionists, free soilers, conscience whigs, and more.

• Did not advocate abolition of slavery, argued that slavery should not spread into new territory. Was not understood by southern democrats who saw republicans as threat to slavery as an institution.

• Successful in 1858 midterm elections, republicans successful. This frightened southerners who feared a republican president.

Election of 1860:

• Democrats nominated senator Stephen Douglas, republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln who ran on a free soil platform.

• Lincoln did not have intentions of abolishing slavery where it already existed, southerners didn't have to worry but were still worried.

• Democrat party not unified:

  • Northern Democrats: represented by Stephen Douglas, wanted slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty.

  • Southern Democrats Represented by John Breckinridge, wanted slavery in new territories protected by federal slave code, once territories became states they could decide by popular sovereignty.

• Lincoln only won 40% of popular vote but won the electoral vote. Won the presidency without a single electoral vote in the southern states.

• Extremely worrying to southerners because it showed that even if they used all of their political power, they didn't have enough to beat the south.

• In december of 1860, before lincoln was inaugurated, South Carolina seceded from the union. Within six weeks florida, alabama, georgia, texas, Mississippi, and louisiana also secede. Later virginia, arkansas, Tennessee, and North carolina also secede. Became confederate states of America.

• Confederate states created new constitution that was similar to United States constitution but limited federal power and protect slavery.

• Jefferson Davis: First and only president of Confederacy

• Alexander Stephens: Davis's vice president.

• Confederacy gave multiple reasons for seceding from the union but they all tie back to the idea that slavery must be protected no matter what.

• Civil War

• Who the victory of war would not was not clear at the start.

• Northern manufacturers modernized industry to increase production. Future successful businessmen such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller got their start by manufacturing goods for Union.

• South relied on tariffs and taxes on exports to raise money, struggled due to resistance from Union navy and lack of unity during war.

• South attempted to create a war tax but because confederacy built on notion of state rights, many people and states refused to pay.

New York City Draft Riots in 1863:

• Example of Northern resistance to Civil War

• Law that any man drafted could pay 300 dollars to avoid draft responsibilities, only wealthy could pay.

• Working class saw as a fundamental injustice where the wealthy were exempt from going to war.

• Gathering of men in New York City engaged in riots, at least 120 people killed.

Fort Sumter:

• federal possession located in confederate south carolina. South carolina cut off supply lines to the fort from the North.

• Lincoln announced that he was going to send provisions to the fort, south could either let troops at fort sumter be resupplied, or blow up supply ships.

• South decides to blow up supply ships, universally agreed to be the first official attack of the war.

• Confederacy successful at the start of war.

• First Battle of Bull Run: 30,000 troops marched to confront confederate troops at Bull Run Creek in Virginia. Many civilians came out to picnic and watch the battle. Union winning battle at start, confederate reinforcements arrived led by stonewall jackson, caused union to retreat. Showed that Civil war would not short and tidy.

• Anaconda Plan: union strategy would utilize naval advantage to disrupt southern ports and control Mississippi river. If successful, confederacy would effectively be split in half and greatly weakened.

• South hoped to receive foreign help from Britain and France. Both countries relied on exported Southern cotton. South confident that Britain and France would support them to keep textile industry up and running. Both countries decided to get their cotton from India and Egypt, cotton not a good bargaining chip.

• As war continued, Union succeeded for a few reasons:

leadership improvements:

• Lincoln struggled to find good generals initially.

• Eventually found Ulysses S. Grant who rarely retreated and attacked the confederates ruthlessly to push them back into their own territory.

key battle victories:

• Battle of Vicksburg: victory led by General Grant which gained control of Mississippi. Meant that Anaconda plan was successful and cut south in half.

destruction of Southern infrastructure.

• After capturing vicksburg, General Grant sent General William Tecumseh Sherman to capture Atlanta.

• Sherman and his men didn't just capture Atlanta, they effectively burned it to the ground.

• Sherman and his men continued on from atlanta on the March to the Sea. Destroyed railroads, held to scorched earth policy. Made it almost impossible for South to recover its strength.

• Union General Grant and Confederate General Lee meet at Appomattox Courthouse where Lee formerly surrendered to Grant and the Union.

• Union/Confederate advantages/disadvantages

Union (North)

• 4x the population of South

• Possessed a strong navy to control seas and rivers

• Economic advantage from controlling majority of banks, manufacturing districts, and around 70% of American railroads.

• Well established central government

Confederate (South)

• Fought a defensive war

• Had greater and more experienced military leaders such as Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

• Emancipation Proclamation

• In Emancipation proclamation, lincoln freed enslaved people in states that were in active rebellion against the United States (the confederacy).

• There were five states in the union called border states that were slave states (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and West Virginia).

• These states were not in rebellion against Union which meant slavery was allowed to continue their.

• Lincoln freed slaves in the Confederacy where he technically had to authority to, did not free states in the border states where he did have authority to do so.

• More of a military strategy than a document of freedom.

• Effectively changed the scope of the war from saving the Union to eradicating slavery in the United States.

• Caused many enslaved workers in the confederacy to escape plantations and run to Union lines for safety, some took up arms and fought for the Union Cause.

• Closed the door on British assistance for South. Britain had recently abolished slavery and were unlikely to assist south who were "fighting for slavery"

• Impacts (political, social, economic)

Gettysburg Address on November 19th 1863:

• Delivered at dedication of Gettysburg cemetery.

• Lincoln sought to unify the nation and portray struggle against slavery as the fulfillment of America's founding democratic ideals.

• Reconstruction

• Biggest question after civil war was if confederacy should be treated with leniency or punished for secession.

Ten percent plan: lincoln's plan for reconstruction. Established a minimum test of political loyalty southern states needed to pass to rejoin the union.

•  10% of the 1860 electorate pledged loyalty to the union.

• State legislature needed to ratify the thirteenth amendment

• John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln before he was able to enact his plan for reunion.

• Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes president. Tried to enact Lincoln's plan but was not the same quality of leader as Lincoln. Was a southerner from Tennessee who didn't have sympathy for emancipation and equality between black and white people.

• Black Codes: laws created by southern state governments designed to restrict black people's freedoms and make them work for low wages.

  • Prohibited black americans from borrowing money to buy or rent land. Meant that they couldn't  obtain for themselves and were forced to sharecrop.

  • Prohibited black people from testifying against white people in court.

  • Perpetrated racial segregation between black and white americans

• Congress v. President

• Freedmen's bureau: agency made to help newly freed black people get onto their feet. Reunited families separated by slavery and helped them get education and social welfare.

• Civil rights act of 1866: protected citizenship of black americans and gave them equal protection under the laws.

• Andrew johnson rejected both freedmen's bureau and civil rights act of 1866. congress uses 2/3 majority to override Johnson veto.

• Republicans wanted Johnson out of office, passed the tenure of office act in 1867 that made it illegal to fire a member of his cabinet without approval from congress. Johnson disapproved and fired a member of his cabinet in response. Congress impeached Johnson in response.

• After 3 month trial, senate failed to remove Johnson by one vote. Impeachment did reduce Johnson's power over legislation regarding reconstruction.

• Radical Republicans

• Radical republicans: group in congress who did not appreciate Johnson's methods of leaderships. Believed that secession had caused massive damage and south needed to face punishment. Wanted the reconstruction to be led by Congress instead of president.

• Radical republicans engineered pieces of legislation that helped improve black rights and suppress southern resurgence.

• Amendments, legislation (significance for women)

• Republicans feared overturning of civil rights act and proposed 14th amendment to solidify those rights.

• 14th amendment: all people born or naturalized in the United States were citizens of the United States and enjoyed equal protection of the laws on the state level.

Reconstruction acts of 1867:

• Assured that all laws being passed in the south would be enforced. Republicans divide south into 5 military districts and sent federal troops to occupy them.

• Increased requirements for southern states to rejoin the union: needed to ratify the 14th amendment and add a provision in state constitution for universal male voting rights.

• 15th amendment: granted voting rights to newly freed black population of the south

• Women's rights activists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony upset because 15th amendment did not grant voting rights to women.

• National woman suffrage association: organization founded by Stanton and Anthony which fought for voting rights for women. Does not like the 15th amendment

• Other women's rights activists such as Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell disappointed about 15th amendment but argued that it was important to support reconstruction federally but work for women's suffrage on the state level.

• American woman suffrage association: organization founded by Stone and Blackwell that supported reconstruction but also worked for reconstruction. Did like the 15th amendment.

• Why ended, how successful?

• After being emancipated, black population had to adjust to being free. Established black schools and college such as Morehouse and Howard. Some elected to office.

• Resistance to reconstruction from white population in south.

• South still relied on agriculture, needed people to work the fields. Southerners initially hired black workers to work in the fields but they had to sign a contract that bound them perpetually from the plantation and allowed the plantation owner to extract unlimited labor from them.

• Sharecropping: system where landowners provided seed and farm supplies to workers in exchange for a cut of the harvest. In practice, sharecropping was not beneficial for workers because they could never turn a profit due to having to give a cut to the landowner.

Ku Klux Klan:

• Organization founded in 1867. built on the idea of white supremacy.

• Spread this message by burning buildings, controlling local politics, and committed acts of violence against black people.

• Reconstruction officially ended in 1877 due to controversial presidential election in 1876 between samuel tilden and rutherford b. hayes.

• Tilden won majority of the popular vote but neither candidate won enough electoral votes to win election. Problem originating from south carolina, louisiana, and florida where both republicans and democrats claimed victory in the election.

• Special electoral commission formed to take care of the issue. Commission had a majority of republicans and declared that the three states were won by hayes.

• Democrats furious, threatened to block hayes' inauguration. To calm tensions compromise of 1877 made.

• In this compromise, democrats agreed to give victory to Hayes but all federal troops had to be removed from the South. After federal troops left south, no one to enforce reconstruction and black population left without protection.

• Many northerners became more invested in industrial development and lost interest in supporting reconstruction efforts.

• Rise of Jim Crow

• In the late 1870s and early 1880s, Southern political leaders began to create a social and legal system of segregation.

  • Poll tax: voting tax designed to prevent black people from voting because it was too expensive.

  • Literacy test: biased literacy test for voting where black voters would have to read complicated pieces of American literature while white voters were given simple tests.

  • Grandfather clause: guaranteed right to vote to anyone, even if they could not pass a literacy test, if their grandfather had been eligible to vote before 1867. Since no African Americans could vote before 1867, it left them as the only ones subject to literacy tests.

• The name Jim Crow laws was an insulting reference to a black character in a popular song.

• Black Americans were not allowed to sit with white people in buses or rail cars.

• Restaurants and other businesses served white people only or served black and white customers separately.

• Vigilante groups, mainly composed of poor whites and aided by local law officers, attacked and humiliated black people to intimidate them.

Plessy v. Ferguson:

• Homer Plessy arrested for sitting in a white-only railroad car in Louisiana. Sought help from court.

• Plessy argued that Jim Crow laws violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

• Case reaches supreme court who rules that segregation was constitutional as long as the facilities provided to blacks were equal to those provided to whites.

• Created the "separate but equal" doctrine that was utilized across the south. Facilities were provided for black americans but they were almost never equal in quality.