(AMH2020)Chapter 1-7: Introduction to Civil War and Reconstruction (Vocabulary)

The 1860 Election: Four-Man Race and Its Significance

• The 1860 presidential election is described as a four-man race in a country that is politically divided along regional lines.
  • Northern candidates: Abraham Lincoln (Republican) and Stephen A. Douglas (Northern Democrat).
  • Southern candidate: John C. Breckenridge (Southern Democrat).
  • Constitutional Union candidate: John Bell.
• Lincoln did not appear on ballots in any Southern state.
• The major strategic shift: the Republicans could win the presidency without winning any Southern state, signaling a realignment of national politics and the diminishing political power of the South.
• The concept of “balancing the ticket” is discussed as a common practice in early American elections: pairing a northern moderate with a southern factional candidate to appeal to different regions.
• The 1856 Republican first candidate was John C. Fremont, establishing the party three years earlier; the Lincoln–Douglas dynamic in the 1850s in Illinois laid groundwork for the 1860 race.
• The Lincoln–Douglas debates (Illinois, 1858) are highlighted as a famous format: two major contenders discuss and argue positions, often on slavery, with each side trying to win in good faith.
• Douglas was initially expected to be the regular Democratic nominee, but Southern extremists rejected him for his stance on slavery, leading to a split in the Democratic Party and new nominations: Breckenridge (Southern Democrat) and a more moderate northern option (Douglas) failing to unify the party.
• The Speaker’s role and “corrupt bargain” narrative are touched upon in the context of earlier elections (1824), used to illustrate how political deals can shape outcomes.

Lincoln’s Background, Policy Beliefs, and Party Dynamics

• Lincoln: born in Kentucky, raised in a frontier setting, a self-taught prairie lawyer who rose through self-made means. He was not the Republican Party’s first choice; some Northeastern Republicans doubted him but tolerated him because he was seen as a moderate on slavery.
• Lincoln’s slavery stance: opposed expansion of slavery into Western territories but supported its existence within its current borders for a time; he favored a gradual, eventual containment of slavery rather than immediate nationwide abolition as a starting point. Different factions within the Republican Party ranged from moderate to abolitionist (Seward and Chase being more anti-slavery/abolitionist than Lincoln).
• The internal Republican spectrum: radicals (more aggressive on abolition and civil rights) vs. moderates (more cautious about immediate abolition).
• The party’s regional alignment: Republicans tended to draw from the Midwest and Northeast, areas with more industrial growth and tariffs; Democrats included stronger Southern support and some Northern war Democrats.
• A strategic point: Lincoln’s approach aimed to preserve the Union first, with emancipation as a secondary objective that would come later in the war, a stance summarized by his remark to Horace Greeley: “If I can save the Union without freeing a single slave, I would do it; if I could free all the slaves, I would do it.”
• Emancipation Proclamation and Civil War timing: Lincoln’s emancipation policy becomes explicit later in the war (not immediately at the start), while the initial priority remained saving the Union.
• The concept of “total war” and wartime powers: Lincoln expanded presidential powers (e.g., suspension of habeas corpus) as part of prosecuting the war, a nod to ancient Roman ideas of exceptional power during emergencies.

The 1860 Outcome and Its Immediate Consequences

• Lincoln’s victory: achieved electoral majority despite lacking Southern electoral votes, signaling a political realignment and weakening of Southern influence in national politics.
• The South’s response: secessionist sentiment increases as Lincoln’s presidency is perceived as an existential threat to the institution of slavery; South Carolina and other deep-South states begin to consider leaving the Union.
• The Nullification Crisis context: earlier in the 1830s, South Carolina asserted that states could secede or refuse federal laws they deemed unconstitutional; Jackson’s response demonstrated federal resolve against secessionist threats, which sets a precedent affecting later Southern behavior.
• Prelude to Civil War: with the political landscape altered, the South acts more decisively toward secession once the 1860 election results are interpreted as a repudiation of Southern political power.

Reconstruction Era: Timeframe, Goals, and Core Debates

• Timeframe: Reconstruction is typically dated from 1865 to 1877, marking eight years of intense national recalibration after the Civil War. Some historians push this window earlier (beginning around 1863 with initial Reconstruction ideas) or later (ending in the 1920s with subsequent civil rights efforts), but the conventional periodization is 1865–1877.
• Lincoln’s Reconstruction vision: favored leniency toward the South; did not seek punitive measures; sought to restore the Union quickly and amicably. Lincoln’s inaugural address expression of malice toward none and charity toward all epitomizes this stance.
• The 10% plan (Lincoln’s approach) vs. radical ideas:
  • Moderate Republicans argued for leniency and a relatively quick re-admission of Southern states.
  • Radical Republicans sought more drastic measures, including broader civil rights protections for freedpeople, potentially disfranchising ex-Confederates, and even more punitive policies.
• The Freedmen and the question of rights:
  • Debates over granting Black suffrage and civil rights as part of Reconstruction—some radicals argued for full black suffrage and broad protections; others supported more limited reforms.
  • The concept of “40 acres and a mule” emerges as a radical policy idea advocating land redistribution to formerly enslaved people; the actual postwar policy fell short of this promise, with only limited land redistribution attempts.
• Andrew Johnson’s role: a Southern Unionist from Tennessee who became Lincoln’s vice president in 1864 and later became president after Lincoln’s assassination. Johnson’s Reconstruction policies differed from the radicals and sparked significant opposition within Congress.
• The two factions within Reconstruction-era Republicans:
  • Radical Republicans: argued for strong federal enforcement of civil rights and, in some visions, punitive measures against ex-Confederates and significant structural changes to Southern society.
  • Moderates: favored a more conciliatory approach with some reforms to protect the rights of freedpeople but without sweeping redistribution of land or aggressively reshaping Southern governance.
• The role of monetary policy and wartime economics during Reconstruction:
  • War financing necessitated the abandonment of a strict gold-standard discipline in favor of more expansive fiat-like currency measures to fund the war effort; this contributed to debates about currency and monetary policy in the postwar economy.
  • The gold standard vs. fiat currency debate is introduced as a contrast that will reappear in later eras (Gilded Age, Progressive Era) and set the stage for broader economic policy discussions.
• Key social and economic devastation in the South postwar:
  • The Southern economy was shattered: about 40 ext{%} of livestock killed; about 25 ext{%} of men of military age lost; hyperinflation devalued the Southern currency and banking system.
  • The North possessed greater industrial cohesion, with extensive rail networks and manufacturing capacity that aided wartime production and postwar economic growth.
• Physical destruction shown through visuals: Charleston and Richmond examples illustrate the material devastation in the South and the difference in postwar capacity between the regions.
• The South’s loss of political power: with the end of the Confederate cause, the political landscape shifts toward federal power and national reconstruction of civil rights, while former Confederates faced questions about loyalty and rights during the readmission process.

The 1824 Election as a Prelude to the Second Party System

• The 1824 election is described as a crossroads between the First Party System (Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans) and the Second Party System (Democrats vs. Whigs).
• Candidates: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and William Crawford. The result required the House of Representatives to decide among the top candidates when no one secured a majority in the Electoral College.
• The outcome and the “corrupt bargain” narrative: Adams won, Clay became Secretary of State, and Jackson’s supporters alleged a backroom deal that shaped the presidency, illustrating how party factions and cabinet roles influenced political trajectories.
• The rise of the frontier generation: Jackson, Clay, Calhoun, Webster, and Van Buren are identified as leaders of the frontier generation who defined the Second Party System, pushing out the older Virginia dynasty power centers.

Electoral Mechanics and Policy Implications Discussed

• Electoral threshold and mechanics:
  • Contemporary threshold: EV{ ext{total}} = 538, ext{ need } EV \ge ig floor rac{EV{ ext{total}}}{2} ig
    floor + 1 = 270.
  • The 1860 outcome showed a candidate can win the presidency with a majority in the Electoral College even without winning Southern states, illustrating strategic regional voting patterns.

Course Logistics, Readings, and Assignments Mentioned

• Textbook and readings:
  • Primary reference: Eric Foner, Give Me Liberty! Volume Two.
  • ISBN provided: 9781324041481.
  • The class notes that there have been bookstore supply issues; the instructor suggests obtaining the text online via the publisher if possible.
• Course platform and assignment details:
  • The discussion prompt is on Canvas under the topic “Phoner and Reconstruction.”
  • The assignment involves a 500-word initial post responding to a reading about neoabolitionist historiography (Eric Foner) and then responses to two peers’ posts; the activity contributes to participation rather than a direct grade, but will affect the participation grade at the end of the semester.
• Reading context and historiography:
  • The prompt mentions neoabolitionist historiography (Eric Boner is referenced as a figure in Reconstruction historiography in the prompt).
• Instructor’s media recommendations:
  • The instructor notes that Oversimplified’s Civil War video is a helpful supplementary resource and may be used in class; Crash Course videos by John Green will be used as supplementary material.
• Miscellaneous classroom notes:
  • The instructor emphasizes maintaining respectful classroom conduct (disallows disruptive talking).
  • A brief anecdote about the textbook purchasing situation and the ISBN is included.

Key Terms and Concepts to Remember (Glossary)

• Electoral College threshold: EV_{ ext{total}} = 538, ext{ need } 270 ext{ votes to win}.
• Four-man election of 1860 and regional party alignments (Republicans, Northern Democrats, Southern Democrats, Constitutional Union).
• Balancing the ticket: selecting running mates from different regions to appeal to a broader electorate.
• Lincoln’s dual aims: preserve the Union as the primary goal, with emancipation as a secondary, platform-driven objective that gained clarity over time.
• 10% plan vs. radical Reconstruction: lenient vs. punitive approaches to reintegrating the South and restructuring civil rights.
• 40 acres and a mule: a radical land redistribution proposal for freedpeople (not fully realized in Reconstruction).
• Suspension of habeas corpus: wartime power expansion that Lincoln used to strengthen executive authority.
• Gold standard vs. fiat currency: monetary policy frameworks discussed in the wartime and postwar context, with fiat as a flexible approach to fund war needs and the gold standard as a fixed backing system.
• 3/5 Compromise (historical context mentioned): representation determined by counting enslaved people as a fraction of a person for purposes of representation and taxation (historical note; commonly 3/5).
• Postwar devastation in the South: economic collapse, loss of life, and infrastructure damage that shaped Reconstruction policies.
• The “corrupt bargain” and the 1824 election’s significance for party politics and cabinet appointments.

Quick Reference: Key Dates

• 1860: Lincoln wins the presidency with a Northern-based coalition, without Southern electoral votes.
• 1832: Nullification crisis referenced as a precedent for Southern resistance to federal authority.
• 1864-1865: Civil War progresses; Lincoln runs in 1864 under the “National Union” banner with a Democrat running mate; Lincoln wins a second term.
• 1865-1877: Reconstruction period (commonly cited window).
• 1824: Four-way presidential election leading to a House-contingent decision and the so-called “corrupt bargain.”

Special Note on Language and Tone

• The transcript contains informal and occasionally coarse language used in a classroom setting. The notes above preserve the key ideas and arguments while maintaining academic tone where possible. If you encounter a term or phrase that seems contentious or historically inaccurate in the transcript (e.g., phrasing around the 3/5 compromise or certain monetary claims), flag it for clarification and consult standard history references for precise definitions and figures.