1 | weaknesses of the federal government

Question 1

Lincoln’s Legacy

Answer 1

14 April - shot dead and died next day
Nature and timing of his death made him an iconic figure
Died in a moment of victory
Had created Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 - that all slaves shall be free
Also created 10% plan 1863 - rebel states would be admitted to the Union of 10% of electorate took oath and accepted congress

Question 2

What was the constitution based on?

Answer 2

Separation of powers in a system of checks and balances so no one arm of government because too powerful. Made sure a dictatorship can’t happen
Upheld by Supreme Court
Can only be altered by an amendment approved by 2/3 majority in house and senate and is signed by the president and ratified by state

Question 3

Strengths of checks and balances

Answer 3

President stands down after 8 years
Democratic by number of representatives depending on size of state
Lots of voting - democratic
Hard to change the system

Question 4

Weaknesses of checks and balances

Answer 4

Congress and President can block each others laws
Close votes means congress can choose next president
Hard to change old laws
Hard for central gov to do much

Question 5

Constitution- executive

Answer 5

Concerned with policy making, President and vice president and cabinet, enforce law, control defence and security. Cabinet includes things like Secretary of State. Members of cabinet are nominated by President but must be approved by senate

Question 6

Constitution- legislature

Answer 6

Congress, senate and House of Representatives. Pass laws, declare war, pass national budget.

Question 7

Constitution- judicial

Answer 7

Supreme Court, 9 justices cabinet led by chief justice, contains all courts for law and punishment

Question 8

What were weaknesses of the federal government?

Answer 8

Small in scale, no large bureaucracy to implement its policies nationwide, much political power was still reserved to state governments whose local and sectional interests could obstruct Congress or the presidency.
Other weaknesses were specific to civil war- fierce resentment in south made it difficult to agree on a policy for reconstruction or to enforce it, fractures party loyalties, the main political parties were divided into factions and the end of the war weakened the forces that had held rival politicians together in a common cause

Question 9

Who was Andrew Johnson?

Answer 9

Represented Tennessee in House and Senate
Governor from 1853-57.
Military governor during civil war
As a war democrat, he seemed the ideal choice as Lincoln’s vice president in 1864
Believes in national unity
Loyal to Union as he stayed in Congress after Tennessee seceded. Only southern senator who remained loyal to Union
Supported emancipation and critic of plantation owning southern elite
Radical republicans hoped he’d bring the reforms they wanted but he was democrat with his own ideas and wanted his own policies without depending on republican allies
Widely regarded as right man for job when he became president

Question 10

What was reconstruction?

Answer 10

Process by which rebellious southern states would be readmitted into the u ion and have their political rights restored and economies and societies stablished. Began in 1963 by Lincoln.

Question 11

What was Presidential Reconstruction?

Answer 11

April- December 1865
Seven southern states like Florida and Texas didn’t have approved reconstruction governments. Johnson announced all southerners, except confederate soldiers and rich plantation owners, would be pardoned if they swore an oath of allegiance to the Union and so he issued around 13,000 pardons. This allowed state conventions to set up new, lawful state governments to accept the abolition of slavery and renounce the illegal cation of breaking away from the union. Original plan to prosecute confederate leaders for treason was dropped. Johnson accepted Wade Davis bill, 50% instead of 10% plan.

Question 12

Opposition towards presidential reconstruction

Answer 12

Seen by radicals as soft towards the southern states, furious they could join the union with little restrictions. Conflict between Johnson and Congress
Congress established Joint Committee on Reconstruction In late 1865 to devise stricter requirements for re admitting southern states

Question 13

Why did presidential reconstruction fail?

Answer 13

Johnson wanted to prevent the old plantation aristocracy from regaining power and influence in state governments but the new governments were dominated by the same old southern elites as they were mostly former confederate politicians and military officers. Every state brought in black codes. Several states refused to ratify the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery.

Question 14

What were black codes?

Answer 14

Accepted basic rights of freed slaves such as to marry, but there were harsh limitations and many states imposed segregation and prohibition of interracial marriages. They couldn’t testify in court against whites and faced difficulties in gaining economic freedom from work on the plantations (basically slavery)

Question 15

Why did Johnson act as he did?

Answer 15

Knew it was vital to reconcile the south. He was democrat so preferred strong state governments to federal. Believed in laissez-faire, where the fed gov should stay out of economic and social affairs. States rights took precedence over central authority

Question 16

Response from northern liberals to Johnson

Answer 16

He had betrayed the high hopes aroused by civil war victory. He had undermined the status of blacks in the south and had allowed the old confederate leaders back into politics. When congress convened in December, it was full with angry republicans who wanted to wipe out the black codes and remove confederates from power

Question 17

How did congressional reconstruction begin?

Answer 17

Johnson was now on a collision course with Congress. He faced democrats, conservative, modern and radical republicans. They could have resolved it, but Johnson was high-handed and inept in his attempts to override opponents by using the veto. This meant he alienated many potential allies who allied with radicals instead.

Question 18

What were the 3 branches of republicans?

Answer 18

Radical- Want to delay readmission of southern states back into the union. Want black suffrage.
Moderate- believe northern voters won’t support suffrage
Conservative- favour Johnson’s plan. Same ideas as democrats

Question 19

What was Congressional Reconstruction?

Answer 19

Dec 1865-1868
Johnson vetoed the Freedmen’s Bureau in Feb 1866 after Congress voted to extend it for 3 years and to strengthen its powers to prosecute offenders guilty of discrimination
Congress passed the Civil Rights Act but Johnson vetoed it as-well in March
In July Congress passed another Freedmen’s Bureau but he vetoed it
Congress fought back to override the veto and so adopted the 14th amendment to secure the civil rights act. Johnson refuse to compromise and denounced it, but the 1866 mid term elections gave 2/3 of seats to republicans in the house and they gained more power in senate. Republicans won all but 3 states. Radicals are majority
Congress passed the Reconstruction Act in February 1967. Johnson vetoed it.
In March, Congress voted it through again, overriding the veto.

Question 20

What was the Freedmen’s Bureau?

Answer 20

Aimed to help former slaves in education, jobs etc. created by Lincoln in March 1865, originally to last 1 year, but it was reaching the end of term. Congress voted to keep it in and Johnson argued the new powers were against the constitution and knew it would anger the south and make reconstruction harder. When it was renewed in 1866, it expanded to provide assistance to African Americans with family issues, legal advice etc

Question 21

What was the Civil Rights Act?

Answer 21

March 1866. Restated the equal rights of African Americans and authorising federal intervention to enforce it. Johnson argued it would operate in favour of the coloured and said civil rights was a state issue

Question 22

What was the thirteenth amendment?

Answer 22

Abolished slavery, ratified in January 1865 as enough states approved amendment for it to become law.

Question 23

What was the fourteenth amendment?

Answer 23

Guaranteed equal citizenship and voting rights. Ratified in July 1868. All born in USA or naturalised were US citizens. Gives federal authorities right to intervene if states broke the law. Would penalise any states that denied the vote to male citizens. Disqualified anyone from office who’d supported the confederacy so cancelled most of the pardons. Almost all of the south saw it as unfair revenge.

Question 24

What was the Reconstruction Act?

Answer 24

All previous measures to reintegrate the southern states were declared void, Tennessee was only recognised state. Other 10 ex-confederate states were effectively abolished and put under temporary military rule until they got new state constitutions that ensured voting rights for all African Americans and then after ratifying the fourteenth amendment, the state would be allowed back into the union.

Question 25

Why did the Reconstruction Act not satisfy radicals or Johnson?

Answer 25

Radicals - Their leader, Thaddus Stevens, wanted to confiscate estates and redistribute land to freedmen. He was a long term opponent of slavery Johnson - the act went too far, especially by placing military officers in control

Question 26

Opposition of congressional reconstruction in south

Answer 26

Open defiance of the new laws passed and deep resentment of the northerners sent to rule over the south. In December 1865, a small group of ex- confederate soldiers formed the Ku Klux Klan in Tennessee that spread rapidly into other states. Race riots in summer of 1866 in New Orleans and other cities.

Question 27

How did Congress limit Johnson’s powers?

Answer 27

Passed laws to limit powers. One prohibited the president from issuing direct military orders. Other was the Tenure of Office Act. This was a specific act because Congress knew Johnson wanted to remove his secretary of war, Stanton from power (radical supporter), so this act prevented him from removing many office holders. Basically an excuse to get rid of him. In August 1867, Johnson suspended Stanton, strengthening the alliance between moderates and radicals who wanted to impeach Johnson. In February 1868, he tried to dismiss Stanton, and so House of Representatives started impeachment, led by Stevens.

Question 28

Johnson’s impeachment

Answer 28

11 charges laid against Johnson, most based on his breached of the Tenure of Office Act. So he was placed on trial in senate. Johnson seemed certain to be convicted because the republicans had such a majority, but many hesitated. They didn’t want to take such an extreme step to impeach a president who was lawfully appointed, and if they removed him simply due to power struggle, they may have endangered separation of power system. moderates didn’t like Benjamin Wade, the man most likely to replace him. 7 republicans sided with democrats, and he was saved from conviction by one vote. 35 to impeach, 19 against, one short of 2/3 majority needed.

Question 29

Consequences of the almost impeachment

Answer 29

His political standing was fatally damaged. He would play no part in key political decisions and the 1868 election would be fought by other men. The election was won by the republicans, and Grant became president.

Question 30

Who is Grant?

Answer 30

Was a soldier made famous by his victories in civil war. In 1864, he became commander of all Union armies. After the south surrendered, Grant supervises the role of the army in enforcing Reconstruction there. Became president in 1868 and re elected in 1872. His presidency was dominated by the issue of reconstruction and ended in failure. Oversaw south joining union. Supported congressional reconstruction and opposed Johnson.

Question 31

Election of 1868

Answer 31

Reconstruction Election. Republican campaign focused on radical reconstruction and the issue of suffrage for African Americans. Democrats attacked reconstruction as being unconstitutional. Republicans presented themselves as the party of patriotism and principle, led by Grant. Democrats had Seymour. Grant won carrying 3 quarters of the states, but the margin of victory was narrow, Grant only got 300,000 more votes. Made republicans realise how their victory depended on 7,000,000 votes from African Americans in the south, made them determined

Question 32

What was the fifteenth amendment?

Answer 32

Insisted the right to vote was to not be denied on account of race, colour or previous servitude. Passed by Congress in February 1869, ratified in 1870. It protected black suffrage in the south and enforce it in the north. Republicans wanted to secure the votes from African Americans so they could keep power over ex-confederate states, gives government the power to punish anyone who denies it.

Question 33

Who carried out reconstruction policies?

Answer 33

Federal government, state governments in the states where the republicans had a majority in the state legislatures, and by organisations such as the freedmen’s bureau. All reconstruction policies depended on the presence of the army in the south, and they were seen by republicans and the federal government as necessary precaution but many southerners resented them. States were only re admitted when ratifying 15 amendment

Question 34

What was radical reconstruction?

Answer 34

To address Ku Klux Klan for example. In trying to deal with this opposition, the federal government passed 3 enforcement acts in 1870 and 1871 to strengthen the provisions of 14 and 15 amendment to get equal rights for African Americans and eliminate discrimination. One of the key motives was to target the white terror of KKK and other groups, banning intimidation or bribery of black voters.

Question 35

What is civil rights act February 1875?

Answer 35

Originally proposed in 1870 by radical Republican senator Charles Sumner. Intended to guarantee equal treatment in issues such as jury service and public transport. Even some republicans saw this as an extreme interference with state governments and there was a long struggle before it was passed. Grant supported it, as he did with other legislation and the use of federal troops in the south. By 1875, there was opposition to such policies and radical reconstruction was losing momentum.

Question 36

What were carpetbaggers?

Answer 36

White northerners who moved to the south allegedly to make profit/ a political candidate who seeks election in an area where they have no local connections

Question 37

What were scallawags?

Answer 37

White southerners who sought to profit from Republican rule, considered to be traitors. Most didn’t support full radical equality, but wanted alliance with black voters for convenience

Question 38

Opposition to radical reconstruction

Answer 38

White terrorists Political opposition from southern state legislatures, which gathered strength after the ex-confederate states were re-admitted to the union Democrats fought against republicans majorities that were dominant Powerful reaction from Democratic Party in the south- the redeemers

Question 39

What were the redeemers?

Answer 39

People who fought for the redemption of the south, or to free the southern states from governments that had been unfairly imposed on them. Represented a powerful coalition of conservative democrats

Question 40

Was opposition against reconstruction effective?

Answer 40

Violence and intimidation reduced the Republican vote from African Americans. One example was Louisiana, where the 1868 elections were fought against the background of sustained violence by white terrorists, more than a thousand died, most freedmen. Violence by extremist groups who were openly encouraged by respectable white politicians

Question 41

Violent demonstrations against reconstruction

Answer 41

1873- three whites and 150 pro Republican freedmen were killed. September 1874- 5000 members of the White League carried out a rebellion in New Orleans against the Republican governor, Kellogg. In the battle of Liberty Place, 3 days of fighting over where the redeemer or Republican claimant should be recognised as Louisiana’s governor. Republicans only kept power due to federal troops, and became one of the few states that kept Republicans rule.

Question 42

Which states were ‘redeemed’?

Answer 42

Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama. Through violent actions. Also through quieter, outwardly legal forms of discrimination. Voters were disfranchised by measures such as literacy test and vagrancy laws. Many public posts went back into the hands of old elites. By 1876, redeemers won back democratic control of most of the ex-confederate states expect Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina.

Question 43

Why did radical reconstruction fail?

Answer 43

By the time of the civil rights act, support was waning in Congress, many RRs died or retired, with sympathisers of southern opposition, and many who weren’t in a sufficiently strong political position to carry through policies seen as unpopular. Liberal Republicans were reluctant to continue using federal troops to suppress southern discontent. Redeemers gained confidence with control over southern states, had control of several between 1870 and 1875.

Question 44

What was the Amnesty Act 1872 and how did it help reconstruction to end?

Answer 44

Grant approved it. Allowed large numbers of ex-confederates to return to politics after being disqualified by previous laws.

Question 45

Why was Grant’s position weakened?

Answer 45

Economic depression that followed the Panic of 1873. Many people blamed on wild financial speculation by the railroad companies. He was being accused of political and financial corruption. Before; he had been good at fighting corruption, but none of this saved him from criticisms of his failure to prevent his administration being tainted by various scandals about the Rings of political and financial corruption connected to his friends. The combination of scandals and economic depression left Grant’s presidency discredited. Liberal republicans deserted him and the party divided.

Question 46

What was the Black Friday scandal?

Answer 46

Caused a sensation when the Gold Ring was exposed. Grant was not directly involved but suffered political damage because his brother in law had connected with Gould and Fisk who were involved in the conspiracy. Other scandals included Star Routes Ring in postal service and New York Custom House Ring which drew attention to the Tweed Ring. Grants vice president was linked to railroad speculators and his secretary was caught accepting bribes from the Whiskey Ring

Question 47

What was the Tweed Ring?

Answer 47

System of patronage and corruption run by William Tweed, the boss of democratic political machine in New York. He had power and influence in state politics, banks and Erie Railroad. His ring controlled courts, police, legislature and supervision of elections. He and his associated alluded at least $45 million from New York and was convicted in 1877.