Reconstruction and African American experience (1865-1890) Flashcards
1
Q
Approximately, there were (…) freedmen following the end of slavery
A
4m
2
Q
3
Describe CW background to slavery
A
- 1861-65
- Sectional differences
- Southern economy dependent on slavery/sharecroppers
3
Q
3
Describe the 3 major Reconstruction amendments
A
- the abolition of slavery (13th)
- granting the freed slaves citizenship (14th)
- the right to vote (15th)
4
Q
6
Describe Reconstruction under Lincoln
A
- Proposed very limited suffrage for AAs - had openly discussed voluntary emigration to Africa, Caribbean, etc
- Sent 13th amendment through Congress pre-Southern defeat over fears Southern senators may object
- Vetoed Wade Davis Plan
- Set up Ten Percent Plan
- Set up Freedmen’s Bureau for one year in March 1865
- Assassinated by Booth in April 1865 six days after war ended
5
Q
4
Describe the Wade Davis and Ten Percent Plan
A
- Voters must take Ironclad Oath
- Wade Davis Plan - Set bar at 50% for state readmission
- Vetoed by Lincoln over fears federal relations would be strained
- Ten Percent Plan - set at 10% to swear oath of allegiance
6
Q
4
Describe the Freedmen’s Bureau
A
- Set up by lincoln in March 1865
- Provided legal and financial advice
- Resources were meagre and spread thin
- Programme set up for just one year - not renewed by Johnson
7
Q
4
Describe key events of Johnson’s presidency
A
- Civil Rights Bill 1866
- The 14th Amendment
- Attempted impeachment in 1868
- Congress for Radical Reconstruction (e.g. Military Reconstruciton Bill 1867)
8
Q
6
Describe Johnson’s attitude to Reconstruction
A
- Opposed to RR and preferred restoration
- Southener - Dem VP on National Unity Candidate in 1864
- For him, Southern states had never left union and thus no reason to exclude them from political decision making
- May 1865, issued general pardon for those who swore Ironclad Oath and recognised govt of Virginia (set up under 10% Plan)
- For him, only passage of 13th amendment and repayment of Confederate debt remained (USA subsumed debt)
- Expected republican party to dissolve and he would lead new conservative party
9
Q
3
Describe the treatment of Southern leaders
A
- Rebel president Jefferson Davis was imprisoned for only 2 years
- General Robert E. Lee lost his estate in Virginia, but lived as a free man for the rest of his life
- Southern electors vehemently voted for old confederate leaders e.g. Confederate VP, Alexander H. Stephens, was elected as a Senator of Georgia in 1882
10
Q
5
Describe Black Codes
A
- Laws issued in Southern states between 1865-66
- Restricted freemen’s rights to buy property, conduct business, made black children work as apprentices on plantations, etc
- Argued black people needed discipline to live newly freed lives - echo of paternalistic justification of slavery
- Newly passed penalties for murder, rape and arson applied almost exclusively to black criminals
- undone by 14th amendment and RR congress - but set precedent for JC laws
11
Q
5
Describe the Civil Rights Bill, 1866
A
- A proposed bill would have strengthened Freedmen’s Bureau
- Johnson sided with Dems in vetoeing bill
- Moderate Republicans introduced Civil Rights Bill to guarantee black people minimum rights
- vetoed by Johnson in April 1866
- Congress overrided the presidential veto (by ⅔ majority in both Houses)
12
Q
5
Describe the terms of 14th amendment
A
- Designed to enshrine Civil Rghts Bill 1866 into constitution
- Stated that people born in the USA or who were naturalised were US citizens
- All citizens were guaranteed equality before the law
- Gave federal authorities the right to intervene if individual states contravened its rules
- Ratified 1668, 2 years after congress passage
13
Q
3
Describe the opposition to the 14th amendment
A
- Johnson urged southern states to reject it
- The amendment was rejected by all ex-Confederate states bar Tennessee
- Had failed to get approval of 75% of states necessary to become law
Tennessee is Johnson’s home state
14
Q
4
Describe Radical Republican legislation in Congress
A
- Iniitiated to ensure 14th amendment passage
- Military Reconstruction Bill 1867 - imposed military rule on 10 confederate states that rejected amendment until they set up National Conventions to accept amendment and black suffrage
- Command of Army Act 1867 - reduced Johnson’s control over military to strengthen military reconstruction bill
- Tenure of Office Act 1867 - prevented Johnson from removing swarm of RR office-holders, namely Sec of War Edwin Stanton
15
Q
4
Describe the impeachment of Johnson
A
- Johnson ignored Tenure of Office Act and dismissed Stanton in 1868
- 11 articles of impeachment brought forward by Republicans
- 35 for, 19 against - 1 short of 2/3 supermajority
- Johnson remained in office, but his credibility was destroyed
16
Q
5
Name some key events from the presidency of Grant
A
- White terrorists
- Legal discrimination
- Final policies of reconstruction (15th Amendment, Ku klux klan laws, Civil Rights Act 1875)
- The failure of radical reconstruction
- Many scandals
17
Q
4
Describe the 1868 election
A
- Reconstruction election
- Grant vs Seymour
- Grant won 3/4 of all states - but only won 300k more votes than Seymour
- Showed Republican strategists how vital were the Southern AA votes
18
Q
3
Describe the 15th amendment (Grant)
A
- Passed by Congress in 1869, ratified 1870
- prohibited disenfranchisement of AAs
- However, individual states could decide who could register to vote
19
Q
5
Describe the ‘White Terror’
A
- KKK’s violent actions grew - had formed in 1865 in Tennessee
- Other militias/groups like White League in Louisiana
- Lynching became prevalent
- Actions made troop intervention essential for AA protection
- Federal Govt passed Ku Klux Klan laws
20
Q
2
Describe the Ku Klux Klan laws 1870-71
A
- Federal Govt passed 3 Enforcement Acts (Ku Klux Klan laws) in 1870-71 to strengthen provisions of 14/15th amendment
- Acts banned intimidation or bribery of black voters
