Reconstruction Flashcards
The USA was the First Nation with a constitution. What is a constitution?
a document containing the rules by which a country is to be governed.
What is the federal system of the government?
Theres a central government and state government. Each state has its own powers that are not subject to interference from the central government.
What is the structure of the US federal government?
The American people elect the congress and the president. The congress makes the laws, declares war and checks the work of the president while the president is the head of the state who can call special sessions of congress, has the power to veto and recommend legislation. The Supreme Court however is the highest court who approve the laws and whether they are constitutional (where everyone has to follow.) They are judges appointed by the president.
What are the two parts of the congress?
The senate, and House of Representatives. Two senators represent each state, and the members of the house of representatives represent constituencies based on population. Both houses of congress have to agree for the law to be carried out and they can override a presidential veto.
What was a weakness of the federal government?
-had a limited impact on the lives of most Americans (Laissez-faire)
What was the economy like during the 1840s-1860s?
Americans were described as ‘people of plenty’ by historian David Potter. The country had enormous reserves of fertile land, timber and minerals. Between 1840-1860, food production increased massively due to improved farming techniques as well as the opening of more land (expansion of the west.)
What was the sound transport infrastructure that the USA had developed?
-the development of the transatlantic railway. By 1860, USA had over 30,000 miles of railroad track.
-steamboat and canal development - transformed travel on the great rivers.
What were the economic differences between the Southern and Northern states?
In the 1850’s- south supported free trade (international trade that is not subject to taxes) in order to encourage greater trade with Britain. However the north favoured tariffs (taxes paid on imported goods.)
North relied on a more industrial economy, less on slaves - textiles, engineering and had more railroad tracks than the south.
The south relied on a more farming based industry and on slaves - cotton, tobacco and rice.
Cultural differences between northern and southern states?
‘Code of honour’ in south - encourages duelling if your honour was questioned, could result in death. The southern were also heavily Christian.
The north - passed laws that suppressed duelling. Their identity was more based on liberty, free labour and puritanical Christianity.
What were the political differences between the southern states and northern states?
South - democratic, wanted to ensure that states kept the power to legislate for themselves without involvement from congress or president.
North- Republican, less supportive of the rights of individual states and wanted the congress and president to be more involved.
When was the Declaration of Independence?
4 July 1776. 13 American colonies free from British empire.
Why did the North want to abolish slavery?
They were convinced that slavery went against the Declaration of Independence and that many slaves were treated badly in the South. However, they were NOT necessarily tolerant of racial issues.
When was the Civil War?
Between 1861-1865
What were the causes of the civil war?
- differences over the issue of slavery.
- when republican Abraham Lincoln pledged to keep slavery out of the territories, the south seceded and formed a new nation, the confederate states of America.
What were the consequences of the Civil War?
- 618,000 dead
- 3.3 billion spent total on war efforts
-emancipation of 3.5 million slaves.
What was Lincoln’s main aim for the reconstruction?
He wanted a total union of all the states.
Who introduced the 13th amendment, when, what was it?
-Lincoln
-November 1864
-Formally freed all slaves in the USA
Who introduced the Freedman’s bureau, when, what was it?
- Lincoln
- March 1865
- Supported former slaves (educational, employment) and helped establish schools for African Americans.
How effective were the 13th amendment and Freedman’s bureau?
- 13th amendment - freed 3.5 million slaves - effective
- congress dismantled freedman’s bureau in 1872, failed to make progress towards racial equality.
What was Johnson’s main aim for reconstruction?
- restore the southern states.
Who passed the Civil Rights Bill, when, and what was it?
- Johnson
- 1866
- declares that anyone born in the United States would be a citizen no matter race or colour or previous condition of slavery.
Who passed the 14th amendment, What was it and why was it passed?
- Johnson
- anyone born in the USA are US citizens and will therefore be treated equally (civil rights bill 1866)
- passed to ensure the civil rights bill could not be changed in the future congress
How effective was the civil rights bill and 14th amendment?
The amendment was rejected by all ex confederate states except Tennessee. Failed to get approval of 75% states necessary for it to become law.
What were Grants aims for reconstruction?
-protect former enslaved people, and was in favour of firm treatment of the South.
Who passed the 15th amendment, when, and what was it?
- Grant
- 1869
- The right to vote should not be denied on account of race, colour or any previous conditions of slavery.
How effective was the 15th amendment?
Not very effective, the South would find loopholes to prevent African Americans from voting for example, literacy tests.
What scandals was Grant involved in?
- Black Friday
- Whiskey ring scandal
When was the Black Friday Scandal?
24 September 1869
What was the Black Friday scandal?
A financial panic occurred as a result of plummeting gold prices as a group of speculators tried to manipulate the gold market. Affected Grants reputation.
When was the Whiskey Ring scandal?
1875
