Chapter 1 Flashcards
Why was the American civil war fought
To prevent the southern states from breaking away to form a new independent nation
When did the southern armies give in
1865
How does isolationism relate to the us
America was founded by the founding fathers, these people were anxious to preserve the new nation from outside interference and foreign entanglements. The desire to live in isolationism is a deep rooted theme in American pollitics.
How many Americans were killed in the civil war
700,000
When was Abraham Lincoln assassinated
15th April 1865
How did economics influence the civil war
The divergence between economic models of north and south and southern fears of the consequences of economic modernisation, had helped to cause the civil war. The norths economy also helped them to win
What happened to the south after the civil war
They were forcibly integrated into a nation that was dominated by the fast developing industrial economy of the north
What was the foundation of the southern economy
Slavery
How had slavery influenced the south
Slavery moulded the social and racial attitudes of the south. These attitudes were reflected in religion pollitics and buisness
What was happening in the north before 1865
There was rapid economic modernisation in the north, booming east coast sea ports such as Boston and New York and the growth of railways and canals enabled rapid industrial development
What happened to immigration into America as a result of industrialisation
Rapid growth drew in large numbers of immigrants from Northern Europe. Ten times as many migrants settled in the north compared to the south.
What influence did the 1849 gold rush have
Pulled people westwards
What were the results of the Mexican wars
Huge terriotries in the south and west were acquired as a result: California, Nevada, New Mexico and parts of Texas.
What was the homestead act of 1862
They were offered 160 acres of land for free, as long as they lived on it and farmed it for five years. However, life on the Plains was tough, and the homesteaders faced many challenges
When was Lincoln inaugurated for the second time
1865
How did the war affect the towns in the south
Southern towns and cities were physically destroyed, union armies led by William Sherman captured Atlanta and marched 440 miles across Georgia to the sea leaving a trail of devastation.
How many slaves were freed after the civil war
3 million.
What was the problem with federal goverment in 1865
Its powers were very limited.
What issues did the federal goverment have
-the constitution was based on the separation of powers it was difficult to gain support in congress
-there was no large bureaucracy to implement its policies nationwide.
- much pollitical power was still reserved to state governments whos local and sectional interests could frustrate congress.
-the fierce resentment in the south made it difficult to decide on a policy of reconstruction
What did people initially think of Johnson
He was regarded as the right man for the job
He was respected to stay on in congress after Tennessee secceeded
What where Johnson’s views
He was a supporter of emancipation and was a fierce critique of the old plantation owners.
What did Johnson do in response to radical reconstruction
In May 1865 he launched his own programme of presidential reconstruction this was seen as soft.
What was the impact of Johnson’s attempt at reconstruction
The result was four chaotic years of bitter disputes, splitting Republican Party and alienating the south, leaving him very unpopular
When was Johnson impeached
1868
What significant action did Johnson take in order to restore the union
Johnson announced that all southerners except confederate soldiers and rift plantation owners would be pardoned if they swore an oath of allegiance to the union, he issued approximately 13,000 pardons.
What happened as a result of Johnson’s pardons
It opened up a way for state conventions to set up new lawful state goverments, which would then accept the abolition of slavery and renounce the illegal action of breaking away from the union in 1861.
What was the results of Johnson’s attempted shortcut to reconciliation
Aroused intense opposition from republicans
How did Johnson feel towards plantation owners
Johnson wanted to purge the old plantation aristocracy and prevent them from regaining power, however the new state goverments were governed by the same old southern elites.
How did newly lawful goverments go back on their word
Every state bought in black codes that placed severe restrictions on the legal and economic rights of freedmen. Several states refused to ratify the amendment banning slavery
What were black codes
They placed severe restrictions on the legal and economic rights of freedmen. Several states refused to ratify the constitutional ammendment abolishing slavery.
What rights of black people did the black codes accept
They accepted basic of freed slaves such as the right to marry and to own property.
What limitations did black codes bring
Many states imposed segregation and prohibited interracial marriage. Blacks were not allowed to testify against whites in court, blacks faced great difficulties in gaining economic freedom from work on the plantations.
What was the result of Johnson’s presidency
-he had betrayed the high hopes aroused by victory in the civil war.
-he had undermined the status of black people in the south and he had allowed the old gang of confederate leaders to creep back into politics.
What happened when congress reconvened in December 1865
It was dominated by angry republicans determined to wipe out the black codes and to remove former confederates from power.
What four competing factors did Andrew Johnson face
Democrats, conservative Republicans, moderate republicans and radical republicans
How did Johnson make it difficult to gain support pollitically
He alienated many potential allies among moderate republicans and drove them into allying with the radicals
When did Johnson first use his presidential veto
February 1866Against the renewal of the freedmen’s bureau, when congress tried to extend it for three years and to strengthen its powers to prosecute offenders guilty of discrimination.
What was freedmen’s bureau
Set up by president lincoln in 1865 as part of the United States department of war. The bureau was originally to last for one year but in 1866 its powers were renewed and expanded to provide assistance to African Americans with family issues, legal advice and improvements in employment and education. The bureau continued until 1872
What was the civil rights act march 1866 and what happened to it ?
It restated the equal rights of African Americans and authorising federal intervention to enforce them, but Johnson vetoed this
What did Johnson do in July 1866 in response to another freedman’s bureau and how did congress respond.
July 1866 congress passed another freedmen’s bureau act, but Johnson vetoed this.
In response congress voted to override the presedential veto.
What did the alliance between moderate republicans and radical republicans force
It pushed congress into adopting the fourteenth amendment to secure the civil rights act.
Why was the 14th ammendment so controversial
It was a highly politicised attempt to build equal citizenship rights and to penalise any states that denied the vote to male citizens. The third clause disqualified from office anyone who had supported the confederacy, thus cancelling most of the pardons previously issued by Johnson
What did the fourteenth amendment achieve
Guaranteed equal citizenship and voting rights.
When was the 14th amendment proposed and when was it ratified
Proposed by congress in April 1866 and ratified in July 1868
What was the 15th amendment when was it proposed and when was it ratified
15th amendment, prohibited federal or state governments from denying citizens the right to vote on the grounds of race, was adopted by congress in February 1869 and ratified in march 1870
What was the south + Johnson’s reaction to the 14th amendment
Johnson refused to compromise and denounced it. Almost the entire south regarded it as unfair
What happened in the 1866 mid terms
They were disastrous for Johnson. Republicans won two thirds and gained an even stronger hold on the senate.
What did Johnson do in response to the congressional reconstruction act in February 1867 and how did congress respond
Johnson vetoed it in march congress voted it through again, overriding the presidential veto.
What did the reconstruction act take bold steps to do
- all previous measures to reintegrate the southern states were declared void.
- Tennessee was the only state to be recognised.
- the other ex confederate states were effectively abolished and placed under military rule
- after ratifying the fourteenth amendment the state would be accepted back into the union
When was the kkk set up and who set it up
In December 1865 a small group of ex confederate soldiers formed the klu klux klan
What happened in the summer of 1866
There were major race riots in Memphis, New Orleans and other southern cities. By 1968 there entrenched opposition across the whole south
What was the command of the army act
Prohibiting the president from issuing direct military act
What was the ternure of office act
Prevented Johnson from getting rid of Edwin Stanton who was a supporter of the radicals.
How was Johnson impeached
In February 1868 Johnson tried to dismiss Edwin Stanton. Led by Thaddeus Stevens eleven charges were led against Johnson mainly concerning the tenure office act
Was Johnson convicted ?
Johnson was saved from conviction by one vote
What was the campaign of the 1868 election for republicans focused on
Republican campaign was focused on radical reconstruction and the issue of voting rights for African Americans in the south.
What was the democrat campaign for the 1868 election
The democrats attacked reconstruction as revolutionary and unconstitutional.
What was the Republican Party line for the 1868 election
Ulysses grant “ the man who won the war”
What did reconstruction policies depend on
Depended on the presence of the us army in the south,
What were the enforcement acts in 1870 and 1871
The federal government passed three enforcement acts to strength provisions of the fourteenth amendment and fifteenth amendment.
What did the enforcement acts include
Key motives were to target the white terror of the klu klux klan and other groups, banning the use of intimidation or bribery of black voters, these are often referred to as the klu klux clan laws
What white terror groups were there
Kkk
White league
Red shirts
What did white terror methods include
Lynching beating and hanging victims.
Who proposed the civil rights acts
Charles summer
What political opposition was there to reconstruction
There was political southern state legislatures, which gathered strength as as ex confederate stated were gradually red admitted to the union
Who were the redeemers
The democratic party in the South, who wanted to free the southern states from governments that they felt had been unfairly imposed on them.
Was opposition against reconstruction effective
It reduced the republican vote
Give an example of a state influenced by electoral fraud
Georgia
What happened in the colfax mascre and when
1873 three whites and an estimated 150 pro republican freemen were killed in the colfax massacre.
Where was there rebellions
New orelans
Battle of liberty place
What was the state of reconstruction by 1876
The redeemers had won back white democratic control of most of the ex confederate states only Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina were unredeemed
What was the amnesty act of 1872
Allowed large numbers of ex confederates to return to political life after being disqualified by previous laws.
What factor about republicans impacted radical reconstruction
It was now ten years since the end of the civil war and even radical republicans were weary of the constant political battles.
What happened to grant as a result of 1873 panic
His position was weakened
What weakened grants presidency
Ulysses Grant had a good record of fighting corruption.
What was the Black Friday scandal
1869 the Black Friday scandal caused a sensation when the gold ring, a conspiracy between jay Gould and Jim Fisk to control the market was exposed. Grant was not involved but was heavily associated
What scandals did grant face
Black Friday
Star routes ring
New York customs house ring
Tweed ring
What was the tweed ring
Tweed ring was a system of patronage and corruption run by William tweed. Tweed and his associates embezzled at least 45 million from New York
What caused grants presidency to be discredited
Combination of scandals and economic depression left grants presidency badly discreted.
What was whiskey ring
1875, a network of distillers conspired to defraud the federal government of millions in liquor tax revenue.
