'free at last' 1865-77 Flashcards
When was the 13th amendment
1865
what were the causes/reasons for the 13th amendment
- women’s nation loyal petitioned for the 13th amendment and gained 500,000 signatures
- lincoln in 1864 called for republican platform to bring an end to slavery through the constitutional amendment- moral issue
- soldiers that had played an important role in union victory were seen by white northernesrs as underserving to go back to slavery
- black agency made sure the return to slavery would have been impossible due to their resistance and desertion of plantations
details of the 13th amendment
stated that no slavery or involuntary servitude was to be used unless as punishment for convicted crime
significance of 13th amendment
- step towards gaining equality
- former slaves now freedom of movement and contrl ver their life in US
- amendment still affected the post-war south and the attitudes of congress and the president toward black equality
what was the economic position of ex-slaves
ex-slaves lacked money- 90% were illiterate and had no land so felt it unfair that plantations built on their contribution should remain in the hands of small white elite
what was sharecropping?
whites who provided the land, seeds, and tools and blacks who provide labour split the crop equally
significance of sharecropping?
significant way for slaves to begin making money from those who had previously exploited them, and gained resources from the sharecroppiong process.
salves were able to work without othe security and surveillance of a master but the work and hierarchy still remained the same
what/when was the Freedmen’s bureau
1865-72
set up to help free BA with food, clothes, fuel, and medical care- also assisted poor white southerners
significance of the freedmen’s bureau
showed that blacks were becominog partially integrated into society through education and recognition by the laws but still faced some resistance from whites
the stopping of work in 1972 showed that northerners were losing interest in the south
summary of social tensions
- souther whites resented new social order
- due to impapct of the war on the south’s economy they were fearful that slaves may resort to more violence
- slaves from the union armiues leared to read and write in army school so were able to organise meetings in summer of 1865 fro civil equality
- race riots of summer 1866
significance of the social tensions
- freed slaves still lived in fear of white discrimination and violence
- there was a sense of revenge from the whites against the victorious and now freed unions
who was president johnson
unionist, southerner, and democrat
clashed with congress over continuation of freedman’s bureau and passage of rights bill in 1866 and his unsuccessful presidential reconstruction and opposition to radical reconstruction
significance of president Johnson’s presidenancy
he was a significant president for contrasting views and political standpoints, despite being a unionist he was very much in favour of slavery.
the unionisation f the ex-colonies is significant in showing how president Johnson was less concerned with issues of morality and relieving racial tensions but ensuring his loyalty, and re-election from his southern supports
what was the political settlement-presidential reconstruction?
caused tension over reincorporating the south onto the union and he was faced with the radical republican’s resistance to re-establishing an old white elite
how did radical republicans view Johnson?
as a consistent former slaveowner who could lead the confederate to be punished as traits
reasons for presidential reconstruction?
- restoring loyalty of white southerners
- intervention int states systems was against state rights
- BAs were not equal to white and they believed they should not be given the vote
- policies were to ensure his re-election in the south 1868
when/what were black codes?
laws passed by the southern states in 1865-6 in order to control the freed slaves, especially economically
e.g., all white jury
what was the significance of black codes?
showed support for social, political and economic inequality
when/what was the military reconstruction act?
- ex-confederate officers cannot have legal government
- military is used instead to govern ex-confederate states
- to return they had to draw up a new constition that
………rarify 13th+14th amendment, allow BA to vote, and banned confederate office holders
significance of the military reconstruction act?
made fed gov in control of south and imposing radical/congressional reconstruction
did not provide economic aid, create federal agencies to protest black rights, and divided south up to 5 military districts
when/what was the 14th amendment?
1868
stopped the denial of citizenship to black americans based on racial and denial of equal protections under the law cannot be denied on the basis of race
what was the significance of the 14th amendment?
rights needed to be enshrined in constitution rather than an act of congress- forced ratification with there state govs or else they would lose seats
why did was the impact of the 14th amendment limited by the slaughter house decision?
stopped any proper interference from fed gov into individual cases of civil inequality based on citizenship
when/what was the 15th amendment?
1870
allow black americans the vote in the south
what was the significance of the 15th amendment?
significant in terms of providing opp to have a political say
HOWEVER
faced major backlash and violence from white voters who wanted to maintain the dem control and the 90% illiteracy rates of free slaved did not aid in them being political conscious
when/what was the civil rights act
1875
enforced equality in public spaces and access to transport/facilities on an equal basis to whites
- failed to mention public schools
what was the significance of the civil rights act?
despite their right to access facilities they were barred significantly due to fear and violence- 50 schools burnt in mississippi killing 25 black teachers
what form did violence take- political violence-1874-76
race riots
white mobs
KKK
assassination/beating
what were the aims of political violence
release ex-confederate rage
their social system had collapse
force respoect from BA
KKK- restore white supremacy
dehumanise BA
what was the impact of the political violence?
1868-1000 people killed before education
1/10 black participants in reconstruction of the south/constitution writing conventions were murdered showing scale of violence
caused intimidation that deterrred peopel from vtingo
what was the federal governments response and how was it effective- political violence
enforcement acts- sends troops into the south to round up klansmen and put them to trial
BUT no more than 5 years sentence and all free by 1876
what happened to the north’s commitment to reconstruction after 1873?
- the problem of recon was ‘over’ and less recognised
- terror groups became part of southern dem parties intimidating republics
- it is no longer an agenda for uniting the north and the south
what were the gains that the reconstruction brought?
political experience as voters
freedom of movement- south, north or western
confidence and opprtunity
when was the end of the reconstruction?
1877
what were the aims of the reconstruction?
began with the aim of reuniting a divided nation
it would repair relations between the N/S
the reconstruction came to an end in the later 1870’s due to?
- although president grant opposed KKK Violence he was keener to end norths concentration upon the south
- northerners lost interest
- from 1873 US suffered econmic repression which voters blamed the rep and as a result the dem gained control of congress
how did the radical republicans view the reconstruction?
viewed slavery as a divine institution and viewed it as an opportunity to change political and social status and end the narrative that slavery was an acceptable institution
