Reconstruction

Reconstruction Quiz

  • Questions posed to determine the approach toward the South post-Civil War:

    • How should the South be treated after the war?

    • What should happen politically?

    • What should happen to the leaders of the Confederacy?

    • What should happen to the former slaves?

1864 Presidential Election Results

  • Candidates:

    • Abraham Lincoln (Republican-Union)

      • Electoral Votes: 212

      • Popular Votes: 2,206,938 (55.0%)

    • George B. McClellan (Democrat)

      • Electoral Votes: 21

      • Popular Votes: 1,803,787 (45.0%)

  • Note: 81 electoral votes from Confederate states were not cast.

Key Events of 1865

  • March:

    • Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address promises leniency.

    • Freedmen's Bureau established.

  • April:

    • Petersburg falls and Richmond cut off from supplies.

    • April 9: Lee surrenders to Grant at Appomattox Court House.

    • April 14: Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth and dies.

    • April 15: Andrew Johnson becomes the 17th President.

Casualties of the Civil War

  • Total Strength: 1,566,678

    • North: 1,082,119

    • South: 275,175 wounded (non-mortally)

    • Deaths from wounds: North 110,070, South 94,000

    • Deaths from disease: North 249,458, South 164,000

  • Death Rates: North 23%, South 24%.

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

  • Key messages include:

    • Hope for peace and recognition of the burden of war.

    • Urges compassion and charity toward all, emphasizing healing and unity.

    • Calls for significant attention to the needs of veterans, their widows, and orphans.

Challenges During Reconstruction

  • Significant Issues:

    • Deaths and injuries in the South.

    • Economic devastation and legal readmission challenges for Southern states.

    • Lingering resentment among both freedmen and former Confederates.

Land Reform: 40 Acres and a Mule

  • General Sherman's order set aside land for former slaves to claim.

    • Each family could receive up to 40 acres.

  • This land reform was rescinded after Lincoln’s assassination, returning land to White Confederate owners.

  • The phrase "40 acres and a mule" became a symbol of the demand for reparations.

African American Life Immediately After the War

  • Many former slaves moved from plantations; some stayed to reunite with families.

  • New institutions formed - schools and churches.

  • Sharecropping became prevalent:

    • Freedmen worked land in exchange for a share of the crops but remained in debt.

Overview of Reconstruction

  • Definition: The process to reintegrate the South into the Union.

  • Key aspects:

    • Presidential plans from Lincoln and Johnson.

    • Radical (congressional) plans.

    • Key amendments: Civil rights and the 14th Amendment.

    • Military Reconstruction.

    • Impeachment of Johnson and African American suffrage (15th Amendment).

Political Spectrum of Reconstruction

  • Diverse perspectives within Reconstruction:

    • Radical Republicans vs. Moderates.

    • Emphasis on federal supremacy, black civil rights, and military occupation.

    • Addressing the status of former slaves and Confederate leaders.

Key Questions Addressed by Reconstruction Plans

  • How will rebellious states be governed?

  • What terms will allow reentry into the Union?

  • What rights and assistance will be provided to the Black population?

  • What consequences await Confederate leaders?

Initiation of Reconstruction Before War's End

  • 13th Amendment: Ratified in January 1865 prohibiting slavery except as punishment for crimes.

  • Ratified completely by December 1865.

Lincoln's Presidential Plans for Reconstruction

  • Advocated for leniency and easy reintegration of Southern states.

  • Introduced the Ten Percent Plan which required:

    • 10% of voters to take a loyalty oath.

    • Full pardons to Confederates who accepted abolition.

    • Restitution of property to those who took the oath, excluding slaves.

Lincoln's Support for Black Suffrage

  • Suggested limited suffrage for educated, property-owning Blacks and veterans of the Union Army.

  • Initial Southern states that followed Lincoln's plan included Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

Congressional Reaction to Lincoln's Plan

  • Radical Republicans viewed Lincoln’s approach as too lenient.

  • Proposed the Wade-Davis Bill with strict requirements including:

    • Majority Confederate loyalties to take an oath.

    • New state constitutions banning slavery and ensuring political rights for Blacks.

  • Lincoln used a Pocket Veto to block the bill.

Andrew Johnson's Presidency and Challenges with Reconstruction

  • Took office after Lincoln's assassination; struggled with a Republican Congress.

  • Focused on rapid reintegration and leniency towards the South.

  • Issues included stubbornness and a lack of compromise with Republicans.

Johnson's Plans for Reconstruction

  • Aimed for quick re-admittance of Southern states with leniency for wealthy landowners.

  • Issued proclamations for amnesty if oaths of loyalty were taken by 51% of voters.

  • Quickly led to former Confederate leaders regaining power and enacting Black Codes.

Congress’s Response to Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

  • Radical Republicans acted against Johnson’s lenient strategy, passing laws to protect Freedmen’s rights.

  • Instituted the Freedmen’s Bureau to provide support and assistance.

Key Legislative Milestones

  • Civil Rights Act of 1866 asserted Black citizenship and allowed federal power to protect those rights.

  • 14th Amendment aimed at securing citizenship and equal protection under the law.

14th Amendment Highlights

  • Sections confirm citizenship for all born in the US and prohibit states from violating rights.

  • Includes provisions limiting former Confederates from holding office without consent from Congress.

Beginning of Radical Reconstruction (1867)

  • Reconstruction Act of 1867: Passed to support Freedmen, punish Southern leadership, and restructure Southern society.

  • Established military districts in the South and enforced voter registration.

Legislative Actions during Radical Reconstruction

  • Passed legislation overriding Johnson's vetos, including new state concealments to ensure Black suffrage.

  • Tenure of Office Act aimed to restrict presidential power over military appointments.

Land Redistribution and Economic Challenges

  • Sharecropping and Crop Lien Systems developed, leading to cycle of debt for freedmen.

Reconstruction Challenges: Carpetbaggers and Scalawags

  • Carpetbaggers: Northerners who moved South to exploit the situation.

  • Scalawags: Southern whites who supported Reconstruction for personal gain.

15th Amendment and Voting Rights

  • Affirmed the right to vote regardless of race and empowered Congress to enforce this.

  • Initial Black voting rights curtailed by state laws and intimidation.

Reactions to Reconstruction Governments

  • Positive Aspects: Increased political participation among African Americans and establishment of social structures.

  • Negative Aspects: Emergence of the KKK and redeemers, leading to regressive policies and segregation.

End of Reconstruction and Legacy

  • The Compromise of 1877 ended military reconstruction in exchange for electoral support, leading to democratic control in the South.

  • The rise of Black Codes restricting the rights of former slaves after Reconstruction ended.