Reconstruction Era Study Notes

Overview of Reconstruction After the Civil War

  • Time Frame: Right after the Civil War (April 1865 - March 1867)
  • Themes: Political restructuring, social changes, continuity of racial dynamics.
  • Contrast: The North vs. the South post-war; social history vs. political maneuverings.

Contextual Conditions of 1865

  • The South is devastated:

    • Destruction of Infrastructure and Economy: Farmland and cities in ruins (e.g., Richmond, Atlanta).
    • Scorched Earth Policy: Utilized by Confederate armies during retreats; Union armies led destructive campaigns (e.g., Sherman's march).
    • Consequences for Population: Starvation and poverty prevalent among Southerners.

  • Statistics on Losses:

    • Approx. 260,000 Southern deaths attributed to the war, roughly 20% of Southern white men aged 13 to 45.
    • An additional 50,000 deaths from war-related causes such as starvation, disease.

  • Martial Law: Southern states under Union occupation with roughly 180,000 black troops, many being former slaves.

Central Questions of Reconstruction

  • How to reintegrate former Confederate states into the Union?
  • What is the status of freed slaves?
  • How to restore loyalty among Southern whites?

Presidential Reconstruction Under Andrew Johnson

  • Background of Andrew Johnson:

    • From Tennessee; poor origins with limited formal education; former tailor turned politician.
    • The only prominent Southern politician to support the Union during the war.

  • Inauguration Incident: Johnson disgraced himself by getting drunk during his inauguration, impacting his reputation.

  • Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan:

    • General Amnesty: Provided to most Southerners, with exceptions for former officials and wealthy individuals.
    • Required loyal oaths and rewrites of state constitutions to rejoin the Union.
    • Thirteenth Amendment: Mandatory ratification.

  • Outcome:

    • Although laws mandated loyalty oaths, by September 1865, over 20,000 pardons were granted, allowing former Confederates to regain power quickly.

Failure of Johnson's Reconstruction

  • Rise of the Black Codes: Laws enacted by Southern states to control freedmen, creating new forms of oppression:

    • Restrictions on voting, owning land, and more leading to modern forms of servitude under vagrancy laws.
    • Imposition of labor in chain gangs for black individuals deemed unemployed or criminal.

  • Northern Reaction: Outraged by the severity of black codes and the perceived return to slavery, leading to a shift in Northern public opinion against Johnson's leniency.

Shift to Congressional Reconstruction

  • Emergence of Radical Republicans: Individuals advocating for civil rights and a more stringent approach to Reconstruction.

    • Important figures include Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens.

  • Political Actions: Radical Republicans take control as moderates join their ranks due to chaos in the South.

    • Midterm Elections of 1866 show decisive Republican majorities, leading to increased tension with Johnson.

  • Key Legislation:

    • Civil Rights Bill of 1866: Aimed at giving citizenship rights to freedmen, which Johnson vetoed but was overridden by Congress.
    • Congressional power shifted significantly as radical principles sought to protect former slaves through law.

Radical Reconstruction Plan (1867)

  • Reintroduction of Military Oversight: Military presence reestablished in the South to supervise new constitutional conventions.
    • Conflicts concerning Confederate elites' participation.
    • New constitutions required ratification of both the Thirteenth (ending slavery) and Fourteenth Amendments (granting citizenship).

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

  • Impeachment Process: Johnson was impeached largely due to conflicts with Congress over wide-ranging Reconstruction policies.
    • Tenure of Office Act: Law passed by Congress meant to limit Johnson's ability to dismiss cabinet members, leading to his firing of Secretary of War Edward Stanton and subsequent impeachment.

Impeachment Explanation

  • Impeachment Defined: A formal accusation of misconduct in office, not synonymous with removal.
  • Process: Originates in the House (simple majority), followed by a trial in the Senate (requires two-thirds for conviction).
  • Historical Context: Previous impeachments (e.g., Bill Clinton, Donald Trump) lacked conviction beyond the impeachment stage.

Post-Reconstruction Period

  • Key Amendments:

    • Thirteenth Amendment: End of slavery.
    • Fourteenth Amendment: Citizenship rights.
    • Fifteenth Amendment: Voting rights for black men.

  • Shift to Jim Crow Era: Following the Compromise of 1877, Reconstruction ends and Southern whites reassert control.

    • Establishment of disenfranchisement measures (poll taxes, literacy tests).
    • Segregation laws flourish, upheld by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, legitimizing 'separate but equal' practices.

  • Compromise of 1877: The agreement marking the end of Reconstruction, resulting in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.