CarolineOlsen

Chapter22:TheOrdealofReconstruction(18651877)

ProblemswithPeace
Whatproblemspreventedpeace?

1868Confederateleaderswerepardoned
byJohnson
Southsupportedtheirownviewsstill
Southhadbeenlargelydestructedand
wouldhavetoberebuilt
southerners=staunchytowardsnorth

FreedmenDefineFreedom
Howdidslavesrespondtotheir"freedom"?

Freedblacks,or"freedmen"wereina
perplexingsituation
theywerefree,butmoststillstayedonthe
plantationwherethey'dalwayslived
Someblacksflednorthward,otherssought
freedomthroughthelaw.
Therewasviolenceaswell>Someblacks
lettheirfrustrationseruptbydestroyingwhite
homes,land,etc.
thewhitemasterevenhadthetableturned
onhimandwaswhippedbyhisformerslaves
SomeslavesresistedtheliberatingUnion
armiesduetotheirloyaltytotheirmasters.
Allslaveswerefreedeventually,thanksto
theU.S.Army'sforce.
Withtheblacks'socialstructuretorndown,
churchesbecameastrongpillaroftheblack
community.Forexample,theAfrican
MethodistEpiscopalChurch(AME)
quadrupledinsizein10yearsaftertheCivil
War.
Theprospectofblackeducationwasa
hope,butnotnecessarilyareality.
Discriminationandeconomicresourcesstill
heldmostblackchildrenoutofschool.That
hopewouldnotbecomearealityuntilmuch
later.

TheFreedmen'sBureau
WhatwastheFreedmen'sBureau?

CongresscreatedtheFreedmen'sBureau
soughttoremedylargelyunskilled,
uneducated,anduntrainedslaves.
bureauwasessentiallyanearlyformof
welfare:providefood,clothing,healthcare,
andeducation.
Gen.O.O.Howardheadedthebureau
TheFreedmen'sBureau'ssuccesswas
minimal

largestaccomplishment=literacyteaching
manyblackstoread.
Southernersdislikedthebureau.Pres.
AndrewJohnsonunsuccessfullytriedtokillit,
butitexpiredin1872anyway.
Johnson:TheTailorPresident
Whatwasthepublic'sperceptionof
Johnson?

succeedAbe
JohnsonwasaTennesseanwithhumble
origins
Tennesseesecededduringthewar,hewas
theonlySouthernCongressmantonotjoin
theSouth
namedtobeLincoln'sVicePresidentin
1864
knownas:fighter,dogmatic,andshorta
quicktemper
Johnsonwassomethingofa
manwithoutahome.The
Northnever
acceptedhimbecausehewasa
SouthernerandtheSouthdistrustedhim
becausehesidedwiththeNorth.

PresidentialReconstruction
WhatwouldJohnsonthinkabout
Reconstruction?

Lincolndevisedthepresidentialplanfor
reconstruction
calledthe"
10PercentPlan
"sincea
southernstatewouldbereadmittedtothe
U.S.after10%ofthevoterstookanoathof
loyaltyandrespectemancipation.
Lincolnwaswelcomingthereturnof
Southernstates.
OtherRepublicansdisagreed>"Radical
Republicans"thoughtthisapproachwastoo
softtheywantedtopunishtheSouthforthe
war&fearedthe10%planwouldallow
Southernwhitestoagainruleoverfreed
blacks
proposedtheWadeDavisBill.Itrequired
50%ofvoterstotaketheallegianceoathand
safeguardstoprotectthefreedblacks.
LincolnpocketvetoedtheWadeDavisBill
andkilledit.
wantedthembackasquicklyaspossible
(reunificationhadbeenhispriority#1from
dayoneinoffice).
RadicalRepublicansfeltCongresscouldset
therulesofreadmittance.
whenLincolnwasshot,AndrewJohnson

tookover.PresidentAndrewJohnson
essentiallyjustfollowedLincoln's10%Plan.
Hedidaddthefollowingstipulations:(a)
leadingConfederatesweretobe
disenfranchised,(b)secessionordinances
weretoberepealed,(c)Confederatedebts
wouldberepudiated,and(d)thestatesmust
ratifythe13thAmendment.
TheBalefulBlackCodes
TheSouthernsolutionwastopass"
Black
Withoutslavery,howcouldwhitesoutherners Codes
"whichwererulesdesignedtotiethe
ensureastablelaborforce?
freedblackstotheirwhiteemployers=
contractsthatsaidtheblackswereboundto
workforwhitesforacertaintimeperiod
"Jumping"thecontract(leavingbeforethe
timewasup)waspunishablewithfines.
codes=discriminatoryinthatblackswere
bannedfromservingonjuries,rentingland,
andcouldbepunishedfor"idleness."
ManyNorthernerswonderedifitwas
essentiallythesameasslaveryasthelifeof
anAfricanAmericaaftertheCivilWarwas
hardlyanydifferentthanbeforethewar
CongressionalReconstruction
HowweretheSouthernerstreatedin
Congress?

Decemberof1865manySouthern
CongressmenreturnedtoWashingtonto
reclaimtheirseats
WhiletheSouthernCongressmenhadbeen
gone,Northernershadpassedseveralmajor
billsincluding:theMorrillTariff,thePacific
RailroadAct,andtheHomesteadAct.
NowtheSouthernerswerebackandNorth
nothappyaboutthat
Southstoodtoactuallygainpowerin
Congressbecausetheslavesfreed,the3/5
Compromisewasover>Slaves=complete
fivefifths>Southernpopulationwentup
therebyforcingSouthernrepresentationin
Congresstogoup(andthustheNorth's
down).
December1865,Pres.Johnsonstatedthat
theSouthhadfulfilledalltherequirementsto
returntotheU.S.andthatthenationwas
reunited.
RadicalRepublicansinCongresswerenot
happy.

JohnsonClasheswithCongress
Whatdidthe14thAmendmentpropose?

PresidentJohnson=neveracceptedbythe
NorthorbyCongress
hevetoedtheCivilRightsBillthatwould
grantcitizenshiptoblacksandundercutthe
BlackCodes
CongressthenplannedtopasstheCivil
RightsBillbymakingtheFourteenth
AmendmenttotheConstitution
AmendmentwaspassedbyCongressand
senttothestatesfortheirapproval.Its
proposals:CivilRightsandcitizenshipforthe
freedmen(butnottherighttovote),tocut
stateCongressionalrepresentationifblacks
weredeniedvoting,disqualifyConfederate
leadersfromfederaloffices,andguarantee
thefederaldebtandrepudiatingthestate
debt.
FourteenthAmendmentratifiedin1868.
RadicalRepublicansweren'thappythatthe
righttovotewasnotincluded.But,all
Republicanswereinagreementthat
Southernstatesshouldn'tbeallowedback
intotheU.S.withoutacceptingthe
Amendment.

SwingingRoundtheCirclewithJohnson
WhatdidJohnsonhopetoaccomplishwith
hisspeeches?

By1866,PresidentJohnsonandCongress
werebuttingheads
Johnson's10%Planstatewhichhad
passedstrictBlackCodesaswellasthe
Freedmen'sBureauandCivilRightsBill(he
vetoedboth).
Congresswasdeterminedtogoaheadwith
Reconstructiononlywiththeratificationofthe
14thAmendment
Intheelectionsofthatyear,Johnsonwent
on"'roundthecircle"speeches.Hewas
heckledbyobserversandthepresident
yelledback.
Johnson'sspeechtourbackfiredand
CongressionalReconstructiongainedsupport
atthepresident'sexpense.

RepublicanPrinciplesandPrograms
WhatdidtheRadicalandModerate
Republicanseventuallyagreeon?

RepublicansinCongresswerenow
vetoprooftoorchestrateReconstructionhow
theywanted,withoutregardtothepresident
moderateandradicalRepublicans
disagreed

RadicalRepublicanswereledbySen.
CharlesSumner(ofthecaningincident)and
ThaddeusStevensintheHouse.Stevens
wasastern,crustymanwithapassionfor
helpingblacks.
RadicalswantedaslowerReconstruction
wheretheycouldbringaboutmajorsocial
andeconomicchangetotheSouth.
ModerateRepublicansjustdidn'twanttogo
quitethatfarwithReconstruction>they
werereluctanttogetthefederalgovernment
directlyinvolvedinpeople'slives.
plantheycameupwithinvolvedboth
groups,perhapsleaningtowardthe
Moderates.
agreedthattheenfranchisementofblacks
wasnecessary,evenifforceneededtobe
used.
ReconstructionbySword
WhatwastheReconstructionAct

TheReconstructionAct=1867
dividedtheSouthinto5militarydistricts.
U.S.soldierswouldbestationedineachto
makesurethingsstayedundercontrol.
Congresslaidoutrulesforstatestobe
readmitted:
(a)the14thAmendmentmustbeaccepted
and(b)blacksuffragemustbeguaranteed.
RadicalRepublicansstillworriedthatevenif
blacksuffragewasgranted,itcouldlaterbe
removed.
Toresolvethisonceandforall,the15th
Amendmentguaranteeingblacksuffragewas
writtenandwouldberatifiedin1870.
TheSupremeCourtcaseofExparte
Milligan(1866)hadalreadystatedthat
militarycourtscouldnottrycivilianswhen
civilcourtswerepresent.
Nevertheless,militaryruleoftheSouthwas
starkandhatedbytheSouth.Whenthe
soldiersfinallydidleavein1877,powerslid
backtothewhiteSouthernerswhofoundnew
trickstoachievetheiroldways.

NoWomenVoters
Whywerewomenupsetwiththe13th,14th,
and15thAmendments?

Womensuffragistshadputtheircampaigns
onholdduringthestruggleforblackrights
(seeingwomenandblacksasequally
disenfranchised)

13th,14th,and15thAmendmentswere
adopted,womenleadersweredispleased.
14thevenmadereferenceto"males"as
citizensastepbackinmanywomen's
rights'eyes
ElizabethCadyStantonandSusanB.
Anthonyfoughthardtostopthe14th
Amendmentonthebasisoftheword"males"
enteringtheConstitution.
FrederickDouglassagreedwiththewomen,
butfeltitwas"theNegro'shour."
Additionally,inthe15thAmendmentread
thatvotingshouldn'tbedeniedbasedon
"race,color,orpreviousconditionof
servitude."Theladieswantedtheword"sex"
addedintoo.
Whenfinished,womengainednothingwith
the13th,14th,and15thAmendments.
TheRealitiesofRadicalReconstructioninthe
South
Whyweresouthernersgettingupsetwiththe
UnionLeague?

Realizingthere'sstrengthinnumbers,freed
blacksbegantoorganizemainlythroughthe
UnionLeague
TheLeague=webofclubs>blackswere
informedoftheircivicduties,builtchurches,
pushedforRepublicancandidatesin
elections,soughttosolveproblems,and
evenrecruitedablackmilitiafordefense
Despitethechangingtimes,blackwomen
madenotangiblegains.Theirparticipation
camebyofferingsupportatparades,rallies,
churchevents,andconventions.
WithmanywhiteSouthernersunabletovote
(untiltakingtheoathofallegiancetotheU.S.)
blackCongressmenwereelected.
HiramRevelsbecamethefirstblackU.S.
senatorandBlancheK.Bruceservedinthe
SenateforMississippi.
WhiteSouthernerswerefullydisgruntled.
Blackswerenownotonlyfree,butthey
wereservingoverthewhitesinCongressand
instatelegislatures.
scalawagslurkedamongthewhites>They
werewhiteswhoweresympathetictothe
North
Southernwhitesaccusedthescalawagsof
betrayingtheSouth.
Carpetbaggersalsomaddened

Southerners.TheywereNorthernerswho
camedownSouthafterthewarwitha"carpet
bag"(suitcase)intheirhand.Somecameto
honestlyhelptheSouth,somecametogo
business,otherscametoswindle.Allinall,
Southernersfrowneduponcarpetbaggersas
meddlesomeYankees.
Despiteachievements,graftandcorruption
ranrampantthroughtheSouthern
governments.
TheKluKluxKlan
WhatwastheKKK?

Upsetwhitesweredrivenunderground>
"InvisibleEmpireoftheSouth",betterknown
asthe"KuKluxKlan"inTennessee(1866).
TheKKKthrivedonfearhorseswere
masked,menweremasked,nooneknew
exactlywhowasinit.
Theyburntcrosses,threatenedblackswho
didn't"knowtheirplace",andlynchedthen
murderedblacks.
Anyfoolorsimpletonwhocouldpullasheet
overhisheadcouldrunaroundasaKlan
spook.
Despiteitswrongheadednessandsilliness,
theKlanwasrathereffective.Blackstypically
did"backoff"fromtheiradvances.
Whitesusedothertricksaswell.To
disenfranchiseblacks,whitesstartedliteracy
teststoweedoutilliterateblacksfromvoting.
Later,whenmanyilliteratewhiteswerealso
weededout,"understandingclauses"and
"grandfatherclauses"wereputintoplace.In
these,whiteswouldconvenientlyunderstand
somethingreadtothemwhileblackswould
not.Andanyonewhosegrandfatherhad
beenabletovotecouldalsovote.Thismeant
whitesweregrandfatheredin,blacksnot.

JohnsonwalkstheImpeachmentPlank
HowwasJohnsonputintoaloselose
situation?

TheRadicalRepublicansinCongresswere
tiredofPres.Johnsonandhisvetostamp
andwantedhisremoval
CongresspassedtheTenureofOfficeAct
whichsaidthepresidentneededtheSenate's
okaytofireanyonewho'dbeenpreviously
appointedbyhimandapprovedbythe
Senate.
TheargumentwasthattheSenate

approvedappointeesintooffice,thusthe
Senatemustapprovethemout.
Congress'ulteriormotivewastoprotect
EdwinM.Stanton'sjob.HewasaRadical
Republicanspyandinhotwaterwiththe
president.
IfJohnsonallowedStantontostay,
Congresswouldbehappy.
IfJohnsonfiredStantondespitethenew
rule,theywouldputhimupforimpeachment
fornotfollowingtheletterofthelaw.
Sureenough,earlyin1868,Pres.Johnson
firedStantonandCongressimpeached
himaformalaccusationofwrongdoing.
ANotGuiltyVerdict
WhatfactorsplayedintoJohnson'snotguilty
verdict?

Senateimpeachmenttrial,Johnsonstayed
silent.HislawyersarguedthatJohnsonwas
operatingundertheConstitution,notthe
TenureofOfficeAct.
Tokickoutapresident,a2/3votewas
needed.TheSenatevotecameshortby1
meaningJohnsonstayedinoffice.
SevenRepublicansvotedwiththeir
conscienceandvotedtonotremove
Johnson.
Thefearofcreatinginstabilityandsettinga
dangerousexamplewerefactorsinthe
notguiltyverdict.

ThePurchaseofAlaska
HowwasAlaskabought?

RussiawaswillingtosellAlaskain1867.
WilliamH.Seward,theSecretaryofState,
wasanexpansionist&boughtAlaskafor$7.2
million.
Seward'sdecisionwasnotpopularatthe
time.Peoplecalledit"Seward'sFolly,"
"Seward'sIcebox,""Frigidia,"and
"Walrussia."
Sewardwouldlaterberedeemedwhen
largedepositsofgoldandoilwere
discoveredinAlaska.

TheHeritageofReconstruction

inSouth,Reconstructionwasworsethan
thewar=feltbeatendown,shamed,and
theirentireworldhadbeenturned
upsidedown
ThewarandReconstructionalsobred
generationsofanimosity.Southernerswould

longrefertotheCivilWarasthe"Warof
NorthernAggression."
ThelotofSouthernblacks,despitegood
intentions,waslikelyasbad,orevenworse,
thanbeforethewar.WhiteSouthernershad
foughtbackthroughsneakymeansandwere
largelysuccessfulat"keepingdown"the
freedslaves.
TruechangewouldnotcomeuntiltheCivil
RightsMovementofthe1950'sand60's,
nearly100yearslater.