American Yawp Chapter 15

I. Introduction

• Much of the South lay in ruins after the Civil War.

• The future of the South was uncertain regarding rejoining the Union and rebuilding lives.

• Questions arose about citizenship and equality for formerly enslaved people.

II. Politics of Reconstruction

• Reconstruction began before the Civil War's end with President Lincoln's plans.

• Lincoln's proclamation allowed southern states to form governments if 10% took an oath of allegiance.

• Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation focused on the abolition of slavery in rebelling states.

• The Thirteenth Amendment, passed on January 31, 1865, abolished slavery.

• Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 led to Vice President Johnson's presidency and changes in Reconstruction policies.

III. Implementation of Reconstruction Policies

• Johnson's lenient Reconstruction plan aimed at rapidly restoring southern state governance.

• Provisional governments in the South had to void secession ordinances, repudiate debts, and ratify the Thirteenth Amendment.

• The emergence of Black Codes led to restrictions and control of African Americans post-war.

IV. Congressional Responses

• Radical Republicans responded to the Black Codes with protective legislation for freedmen.

• The Civil Rights Act of 1866 defined all American-born residents as citizens and protected their rights.

• The Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed citizenship and equal protection under the law.

• The federal government's role expanded in state laws enforcement.

V. Changes in Governance and Society

• Reconstruction marked the first era of mass black participation in politics.

• African Americans gained rights to vote and even held offices at local and national levels.

• Education systems and institutions were established for African Americans during Reconstruction.

VI. Struggles for Economic Resources

• Freedpeople sought land for economic freedom but faced obstacles, including policy reversals by the Freedmen's Bureau.

• Many were compelled to return to former plantation owners for labor as sharecroppers.

• Economic conditions led to cycles of debt and reliance on white landowners.

VII. Social Transformation

• Freed people emphasized family reunification, education, and the establishment of independent black churches.

• The church became a vital organizing and community center for African Americans.

VIII. Women's Participation

• Women, both black and white, sought to redefine roles during Reconstruction amidst social changes.

• The abolitionist and women's rights movements intersected but faced challenges of prioritization of racial over gender equality.

• Formation of suffrage organizations split over issues of race and gender.

IX. Violence and Resistance

• The period witnessed widespread racial violence and the emergence of groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

• These groups aimed to undermine black political and social advances.

X. The End of Reconstruction

• Economic issues overshadowed Reconstruction post-1873, leading to a retreat from civil rights.

• The election of 1876 and subsequent Compromise of 1877 marked the end of Reconstruction efforts.

XI. Conclusion

• Reconstruction restored the Union but did not secure full rights for African Americans.

• The period highlighted continued inequalities, particularly in political participation and economic opportunity for blacks.