Free at last, 1865-77 Flashcards
From what date did the Emancipation Proclamation take effect?
1st January 1863
What is the 13th Amendment?
The amendment in the US Constitution that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude
What year was the 13th Amendment?
1865
How many ‘Freedmen’ did the 13th Amendment create?
4 million
What were some of the problems that former slaves facedafter the 13th amendment?
- Lack of education
- Illiteracy
- Menial skills
- Could only access low-paying jobs
- Abolishing slavery didn’t abolish attitudes so they still faced discrimination
What was Special Field Order No.15?
- William T. Sherman, a union general, issued the act
- He proposed that each former slave should receive 40 acres and a mule from a 400,000 acre selection
- Even though congress passed bills to enable this, it never took off, so it wasn’t successful
What is Sharecropping?
- Plantation owners and land owners would rent out smaller sections of their land
- As no other means of making money were available, poor white people and former slaves were the ‘sharecroppers’
- The rent was typically paid with 1/2 the crop, hence the name sharecropping
What were some of the problems that Sharecroppers faced?
- In order to raise money for equipment and seeds, Sharecroppers would borrow money using local credit systems which had very high interest
- If they failed to pay back the loans, they were forced to offer part of their future crop
- As a result of this, many were forced into a cycle of almost permanent debt
What was the Freedmen’s Bureau?
An instruction set up by Congress in 1865, in order to help former slaves and poor white people
What services did the Freedmen’s Bureau provide?
- Food
- Housing
- Medical aid
- Established schools
- Legal assistance
When did the Freedmen’s Bureau shut down?
1872
Why did the Freedmen’s Bureau shut down?
- Insufficient funding
- Pressure from white southerners
What were Black Codes?
Legislature passed in the former confederate states that discriminated against ex-slaves
What are some examples of Black Codes?
- Mississippi: Black Americans were forbidden from owning land
- South Carolina: Black Americans couldn’t own property
- Georgia: Black Americans couldn’t get involved in politics
What party was Abraham Lincoln?
Republican
When was Lincoln assassinated?
14th April 1865
What party was Andrew Johnson?
Democrat (War)
Why did Lincoln choose Johnson as his Vice President?
In order to unify the nation
How were Confederates able to be pardoned?
- Johnson extended a formal pardon to those who were willing to take the oath of allegiance
- Those who held high office or had property worth $20,000 were excluded but could be pardoned if they applied directly to Johnson
Why did Johnson face so much opposition from Radical Republicans?
- He allowed states to elect Confederate generals and politicians into their state governments
- He allowed ex-confederate states to introduce Black Codes
- He vetoed both the Freedmen’s Bureau bill, and the Civil Rights Bill
What was the most significant moment in the Radical Republican’s opposition to Andrew Johnson?
Impeachment
Why was Johnson impeached?
For ‘high crimes and misdemeanors in office’
Was the impeachment of Johnson successful?
No, he survived in office by one vote
What was a Scalawag?
A southern White person who agreed with and supported the union and was willing to work under Reconstruction
What was a Carpetbagger?
A northern White person who went to the South after the Civil War to exploit it - typically economically
What is the 14th Amendment?
The amendment in the US Constitution which recognizes all people who were born or naturalized in the US as citizens with equal rights to life, liberty & property, and equal protection of the law
What year was the 14th Amendment?
1868
Who became president in 1869?
Ulysses S. Grant
What party was Ulysses S. Grant?
Republican
What is the 15th Amendment?
The amendment in the US Constitution which gave all men the right to vote
What year was the 15th Amendment?
1870
What was the KKK Act?
The act which gave the President the authority to intervene in attempts to stop citizens from accessing their rights. If necessary he could suspend habeas corpus and/or deploy military troops
What year was the KKK Act?
1871
What year were the slaughterhouse cases?
1873
