Reconstruction L13

Definition: Reconstruction refers to the literal rebuilding of the nation and southern states following the Civil War.
Time Period: Generally spans from 1865 to 1876/77.
Roadmap: Reconstruction unfolds in stages:
- Presidential Reconstruction: Initial phase led by Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.
- Radical Reconstruction: Later phase where Congress takes control of Reconstruction policies, often referred to as Congressional Reconstruction.

Key Figures:
- Abraham Lincoln: Initiated the Reconstruction process with his vision of a lenient policy toward the South.
- Andrew Johnson: Lincoln's successor; his approach was less visionary and more lenient than that of Congressional members.
Lincoln's 10% Plan:
- Southern states could rejoin the Union when 10% of the voting population took an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and accepted emancipation.
- Offered amnesty to most southerners except high-ranking Confederate officials.
Leniency criticized:
- Many felt Lincoln's plan was forgiving and did not sufficiently penalize Confederates.
- Opposition from radical Republicans like Thaddeus Stevens, who advocated for a harsher approach, including confiscation of property and punishment of Confederate leaders.

Lincoln Assassinated: Lincoln was killed on April 14, 1865, leading to Johnson taking office.
Johnson's Approach: Johnson was initially thought to support harsher terms. However, he granted over 13,000 pardons to Confederates and allowed Southern states to rejoin with minimal requirements.
Conflict with Congress: Johnson vetoed critical legislation, including the Freedmen's Bureau and the Civil Rights Act of 1866, showing his lack of support for Congressional Reconstruction efforts.

Radical Republicans: The faction aimed to enforce civil rights and ensure equality post-Civil War.
- Prominent leaders included Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens.
Reconstruction Amendments: The core of Radical Reconstruction policy.
- 13th Amendment: Abolishes slavery (with the caveat of punishment for crimes).
- 14th Amendment:
- Grants citizenship to all born in the U.S., defining birthright citizenship.
- Establishes equal protection of the laws and mandates due process.
- Introduces enforcement power grants to Congress.
- 15th Amendment: Prohibits voting discrimination based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Black Codes: Laws passed in the South attempting to restrict the rights of African Americans and perpetuating inequalities.
Ku Klux Klan Formation: Emerged as a paramilitary organization aimed at terrorizing African Americans and their allies, resulting in significant violence during Reconstruction.
- Notable incidents include the Colfax Massacre and the New Orleans Massacre.

An agency designed to assist formerly enslaved people, it oversaw land distribution and labor disputes and was responsible for setting up the Freedmen’s Schools.
- It was seen as one of the most ambitious government-funded social welfare initiatives.

End of Reconstruction: Often marked by the election of 1876, wherein a compromise led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and the cessation of federal oversight of Southern states.
Key Questions for Historians:
- Was Reconstruction a success or a failure?
- How did it change the landscape of civil rights in the U.S.?
- What were the long-term impacts of the Reconstruction amendments?