Reconstruction Flashcards
Lincoln Plan
Pardon all Confederate leaders
Rapid re-admission back in
10% swear an oath of allegiance
13th Amendment - Abolished slavery, must acknowledge
Radical Plan
Equality for black people - fight against South resistance
Ironclad oath of allegiance - 50% or more
Punish Confederate leaders
13th Amendment
No rapid re-admission into Congress - rads want control of Congress
Military Reconstruction - strips power of local authorities
Power struggle between Johnson and the Radicals
Andrew Johnson wants to win over Moderates and push them to be Conservative. Radicals want and get the majority of Congress in 1866 Congressional Election so that Johnson can no longer veto any of their bills (Civil Rights Act, Freedman’s Bureau) without the Republican Congress overriding it.
13th Amendment
abolition of slavery, south resists with black codes
14th Amendment
equal protection for all people regardless of race or gender. ¾ of states need to ratify → gets ratified.
15th Amendment
Male minorities are given the right to vote → Radicals try and protect Black men’s right to vote. South makes unfair literacy test to resist.
Black Codes
The south’s attempt to resist federal laws (federal vs state)
strong restrictions for Black people: curfews, movement, starts segregation
Radicals want to pass civil rights bill that allows black people to be citizens
Jim Crow laws
Segregation
KKK
Hate group that attacked black people in the South
Freedmen’s Bureau
Assists and helps South with shelters, food, supplies
Radicals wanted the military to bring them down, Johnson vetoed this because of this language
First argument between Radicals and Johnson
Putting the military in the south during peacetime would look too controlling.
Civil Rights Bill 1866
Radicals try to pass Civil Rights bill to pass to allow Black people to be considered citizens
Johnson vetoes due to language → allows both men AND women
Radicals paint him as racist
Johnson’s Campaign in 1866
Radical Republicans are trying to get seats, Johnson campaigns for Democrats
Johnson does Circle tour to campaign for Democrats - Radicals view him as racist
Radicals get control of Congress in November, pass reconstruction act
Sharecropping
Quota system of crops, no money.
Black people agree to it because there’s nowhere else to go. Owners house the farmers and let them farm to meet quota (ex: 25 cotton) and farmers can sell extra. If they don’t make it, they can get kicked off, pay it off, or get it pushed to the next year.
“Economic slavery” farmers can’t escape. Makes farmers in debted to owner. Owners own them financially.
Reconstruction Act of 1867
Military in the South, split into 5 districts
Military stays for 10 years (1877 ends Reconstruction)
South views as aggressive.
Literacy Tests
Southern states put in Literacy tests for people to take in order to vote as a way to evade the 15th amendment.
Tenure of Office Act
President cannot fire a member of his cabinet without the approval of Congress.
Johnson fires Edwin Stemton without approval of Congress
House of Reps file articles of impeachment and found Johnson guilty.
Trial in Senat with chief Justice running trial. 2/3 to remove Johnson, he made it by 1 vote and continues presidency.
Election of 1868
Republican congress
Radicals looked to Grant to win presidency in 1868. Democrats need someone to represent them
Grant won presidency for 2 terms
Grant shared many view with Radical Republicans, lots of black men voted for him
His cabinet was involved in political scandals
Southerners harassed and bullied Black men from voting
Election of 1876
Democrat congress
Rutherford B. Hayes - Republican and promised to remove military from south in his campaign
1877 Reconstruction ends, military leaves the south
Plessy vs Ferguson
Plessy is a black man bought a train ticket and sits in white-only area and breaks the Louisiana law of segregation. First case to challenge segregation. Court ruled in favor of Louisiana and that segregation was indeed constitutional and followed the 14th amendment. “Separate but equal”
