Political Developments: Issues and Developments during Grant's Administration Flashcards
What was Grants military background?
He had overseen all of the Union Armies during the Civil War
What was Grants Reconstruction background?
He oversaw the Reconstruction in The South in the 1860’s
When did Grant serve as President?
1869-77
What was the focus of the Republicans in the 1868 election?
Improving voting rights for African Americans
What was the focus of the Democrats in the 1868 election?
They attacked the Reconstruction policies, saying they were unconstitutional
How did Republicans present the Democrats in the 1868 election?
They presented them as being disloyal
Who was the Democrat candidate for the 1868 Election?
Horatio Seymour
What popular vote majority did Grant win over Seymour?
Grant won by a popular vote of 300,000 more votes than Seymour
Which votes heavily helped Grants victory?
He got 7 million votes from African Americans
What was significant about the slim majority of Grant winning?
The USA were overall unsure if they wanted Democrats or Republicans in office
What did the 15th Amendment say? What year was it ratified?
Any citizens had the right to vote, regardless of race. Ratified in 1870
How would the 15th Amendment be enforced in the South?
By a northern military presence
Which racist group resisted Reconstruction in the South? What did they do?
The Ku Klux Klan, who sometimes would lynch African Americans
How many enforcement acts were passed to enforce the 14th and 15th Amendment and when were they passed?
3 Enforcement Acts were passed in 1870 and 1871
What was the key motives of the Reconstruction enforcement acts?
To eradicate the KKK
What did the 1875 Civil Rights Act do?
Gave African Americans equal rights on public transport and in the Jury
Why did some Republicans oppose the 1875 Civil Rights Act?
They were unsure of how much the federal government was imposing on state governments
What happens with all legislation passed by the federal government in society?
It takes years if not takes to fully be accepted in to society.
What was significant about Reconstruction and the 1875 Civil Rights Act?
It was the last piece of legislation passed during the Reconstruction period
Name a group in The South that opposed Radical Reconstruction
The KKK
Which social group would have been opposed to Johnsons idea of redistribution of land?
Wealthy white slave owners
What would be the impact of the redistribution of land after the Civil War if it had occurred?
It would have completely alienated the wealthy slave owners who were also likely to have held some political power
What year did the Colfax Massacre happen?
1872
Why did the Colfax Massacre start?
The governer of Louisiana that had been elected was black
What political party was the Louisiana Governer under? Why would this be important?
Republican, who was in a Democrat-Dominated area
How did the Democrats respond to the electing of the 1872 Louisiana Governer?
They sent armed troops to the Colfax Courthouse
What was significant about even what the Republicans said about defending the Colfax Courthouse?
They said that all black people should take the main priority in defending the courthouse
What is the significance of Republicans making black people attempt to fight of militant Democrats?
It showed that there was not equality even with the party who were supposedly enforcing it
How many people died in the Colfax Massacre? Which group of people were mostly killed?
100 people were killed, mostly African Americans
