Reconstruction- During Johnsons Presidency Flashcards
What was the weaknesses of the federal government (7)
This made Reconstruction hard
Power they had was v limited
Separation of powers (eg when Pres vetoed Wade Davis Bill)
constant battle of Congress vs Pres
Federal gov- small- no large bureaucracy to put in large scale reform
Power of presidency was strengthened by Lincoln’s war role
Resentment of civil war- hard to make decisions
Political parties divided
What 3 things did the freedmens bureau give
Medical facilities
Relief for both races
1865-70 established 4500 schools, 9500 teachers
How did the freedmens bureau help with education
Established 4500 schools
Hired 9500 teachers
In New Orleans 1871- black children entered desegregated facilities (this wasn’t shared w southern states tho)
Supported by Northern Freedmens societies and black religious groups
, free schools and higher educational facilities were formed like Howard, Fisk and Atlanta
How did the freedmens bureau give medical aid/health
Over a hundred hospitals, medical aid for 500,000
Distributed 20m items of food
How did the freedmens bureau give lawful aid
Negotiated contracts to ensure fairness
Established courts for freedmen which was operated by the army
How did the Freedmens bureau give land/homes
How successful was this
Sherman permitted liberated black to settle on abandoned plantations in South Carolina and Georgia
By 1866, 30,000 settles here
Johnson- area should be seized and divided into small portions and sold
FB rented ‘40 acres and a mule’ for 3 years in which they could buy land
Many ex confederates were pardoned and for land back
Congress passed Southern Homestead act 1866- made 17.4m hectares of Federal land in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama to all races, but few could survive
What did the southern Homestead act do
made 17.4m hectares of Federal land in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama to all races
When was the southern homestead act
1866
What happened to the freedmen bureau in 1868
Act of Congress 1868- most of Freedmen bureau terminated apart from
Education department and payment of pensions department
This continued till 1872
Who is in charge of the freedmens bureau
Congress
What issues does the freedmens bureau deal w
Freedmen rights
What is to happen to abandoned land according to freedmens bureau
‘40 acres and a mule’-> it can be rented by freedmen, poor whites
What are the responsibility of the Bureau officials
Divide districts
Appoint superintendent
Census protect
Help make contacts and abide by them
Register all able to work,
Look after vagrant (no job or house) and turn them over to guards
Help orphans
Give no rations to the able bodied
What guidance is given to freed persons making contracts
Must comply
What punishments can be given out thru the freedmens bureau
Being turned over to guards
What restrictions are placed on freed persons?
Discourage wandering
Who are American citizens
All born in US except untaxed Native Americans
What are the rights and obligations of citizens
Make and enforce contracts
Sue
Be parties
Give evidence
Inherit
Purchase
Lease (sell hold and convey property)
Equal benefit of law
Who has control over offences and violations of law
District attorneys, deputy Marshall courts
What role might the freedmens bureau play in upholding the law
Help secure these rights
Was Andrew Johnson a supporter of Lincoln and emancipation
Yes
When was Andrew Johnson’s Proclonation of Amnesty
May 1865
How was Johnson’s proclamation of amnesty
Similar to Lincoln’s
Overall what was the opinion of Presidential reconstruction of Johnson in the eyes of Republicans
Disappointment to radical republicans
And caused the spilt of Republicans
What was Johnson’s aims
Act- quick to bring south back into political mainstream
Would issue pardons to all southerners except Confederate soldiers and rich plantation owners if they swore an oath of allegiance to the Union
How many pardons did Johnson grant
13,000
What did the pardons of southerners (except confederal soldiers and rich plantation owners) who swore an oath of allegiance, do and make way for
(What happened because of it)
This opened the way for state conventions to set up a new lawful state government which would
accept the abolishment of slavery and renounce the illegal action of breaking away from the Union in 1861
This created opp from Republicans
Name 3 radicals
Stevens
Summer
Wade
Davis
Thadddeus Stevens
Primary political focus- abolishment of slavery
Publically condemned the Confederacy
Initiated the exclusion of traditional Southern senators and representatives from a congressional meeting in 1865
1866 radical republicans made progress in congress due to him
His version of Reconstruction was resisted by Johnson-
Stevens introduced resolution for Johnson’s impeachment
Played role in drafting 14th amendment and reconstruction act of 1867
Charles Sumner
US senate
Supported abolition
Authorised Nations first civil rights legislation in 1866
Ben Wade
US senator
Wade Davis Bill
Would have succeeded to Presidency had Johnson been removed by the Senate in impeachment trial of May 1868
This didn’t happen
How was Johnson’s presidency described in one word
Liberal
May 1865- Reconstruction progress?
Plan to bring 7 southern states back into union w out governments in place
Almost all who took paths would get land back and elect state conventions
Almost all would relieve pardons
Accept 13th amendment
Aimed to give poorer whited more control an purge the aristocracy
Summer 1865- Reconstruction progress?
Unforeseen results emerged
Disqualified voters applied for pardons- Johnson handed them liberally
Johnson cancelled plans to punish treason
End of 1865- all 7 states created new governments which effectively restored the situation prior to war
THIS ALL ANGERED RADICALS AND MODERATES SO THEY UNIFIED
RESULTS
- Ex confederates became back in power
- Confederate army officers and large planters assumed state officials
- Confederate politicians assumed election to Congress
- BLACK CODES
What were the black codes
Laws issued by southerners between 1865-66
They were intended to replace slave codes
Designed to keep freedmen as close go slavery as possible
Give examples of 5 black codes and explain
Mississippi Vagrant Act 1865- over 18s Black have to work or fined
Louisiana Farm Labour Act 1865-
Fined if standard of work not good
Florida Act on public places 1866
Black has to stay away from white services or whipped/ stand in pillary for 1 hour
Mississippi Apprentice Law 1865
-18 blacks/mixed orphans sent to ‘owners’
Mississippi Penal Law 1865
Any black doing anything ‘mischievous’ is fined/imprisoned
What were the effects of the black codes
Denied many civil rights eg freedom of movement
Denied freedom of speech
Have to be employed to avoid fines
Unaccounted black children- back to ex confederates
Why were the black codes ‘legal’
Blacks were not given civil rights yet
Did these black codes apply everywhere
No
Different states had different black codes
What freedoms did the black codes restrict
What could blacks not do
Make contracts
Own property
Sue in court
Go to school
Enter a legal marriage
Vote
Serve on a jury
Own or carry guns
Testify against white people
Had heavier penalties in court
Name 3 race riots
Memphis
New Orleans race riots
Colfax massacre 1873
Memphis race riot
During the civil war- the black population in Memphis- X4
There was a collision between a black and white man-> a group of black veterans tried to stop the attest of a black man
A crowd of angry whites soon arrived
Violence occurred
46 black deaths and 85 wounded
New Orleans race riots
34 deaths
119 wounded
Colfax Massacre
April 13 1873
In colfax
Clash between blacks and whites
3 whites and estimated 150 blacks died
Occurred due to Louisiana governors race 1872- Republicans narrowly won
In colfax and other places of state- organised a white militia to challenge mostly black state militia under control of governor
13/4- 300 armed men inc member of supreme eg kkk Attacked court house building
Militia for cannon to fire courthouse- 60 black defenders fled and others surrendered
Leader of attackers JAMES HADNOT accidently shot by own men
Militia responded by shooting Black prisoners
Those wounded earlier (esp Blacks) singles out for execution —
What was the result of the race riots of presidency
Undermined Johnsons lenient Reconstruction programme
Which Republican proposed to continue the Freedmens bureau
Lyman (moderate)
How was the extension of the freedmens bureau introduced
Lyman
Proposed to continue it
Congress
Extended it for 3 years
Johnson
Vetoes it - Feb 1866
Congress
Overrides veto
APRIL 1866 moderates and radical alliance pushed congress into adopting the 14th Amendmenf to the Constitution to secure the Civil rights act 1866
What was the civil rights act 1866
14th amendment
What was the 14th amendment
An attempt to build equal citizenship rights into the Constitution and to penalise any states that denied the vote to male citezens
3rd clause of amendment- disqualified from office anyone who had supported the confederacy, thus cancelling most pardons previously issued by Johnson
What was Johnson’s response to the 14th amendment
Attempted to join all moderate republicans in new political party- THE NATIONAL UNION PARTY to counter Radicals
This failed
What were radicals view towards the 14th amendment
Radicals were upset the amendment didn’t explicitly give the vote
Solidified moderates and radicals
What were Democrat views towards the 14th amendment
Upset as it disqualified all pre war office holidays
What was Johnson’s view towards the 14th Amendment
Denounced it
Which state accepted the 14th Amendment
Tennessee
What happened in the December 1866 Congressional elections
Resulted in 2/3 anti Johnson majority in both houses and the senate
This made them powerful
After the December 1866 congressional elections, radicals extended their aims to what
Black suffrage
Federal support for schools
Confiscation of Confederate estates
Military occupation of South
Moderate republicans accepted some of these aims
When was the reconstruction act and how was it passed
March 1867
Johnson vetoed it
Congress pass over his veto
✅✅✅
What acts were passed after the radical reconstruction act of March 1867
With this majority, 3 consecutive vetoes by Johnson were overridden by Congress in 1867, thus passing the Military Reconstruction Act, Command of Army Act, and Tenure of office Act
Due to radical reconstruction in 1867, what had taken place by 1870
Southern states were readmitted mood
Some had to ratify the 14th amendment
Reconstruction Constitutions were most liberal in the history of the US
Legal means to overturn reconstruction often arose with rewriting the Reconstruction constitutions
Military/radical/congressional reconstruction act
All southern states were not allowed a government
Military rule occurred
They were not allowed a government until they accepted the 14th amendment
Tennessee accepted straight away and eventually all states did
Command of the army act
Johnson had to issue all military ordered through the General of the army (Grant) INSTEAD of dealing directly with military governors in the south
Tenure of office act
Required consent of Senate for President to remove an office holder whose appointment had been originally confirmed by the senate
How did Johnson’s impeachment come along
How did it end
After 1867
Congress out of session
Johnson suspended Stanton (secretary of war) and replaced him w Grant
Grant vacated the office when he heard Congress were deeply upset about this
The senate refused to accept the appointment
Johnson then removed Stanton and replaced him w another general
This forced the moderates who resisted impeachment to act (as he broke the Tenure or Office Act)
Shy of the 2/3 needed, Radicals didn’t need to remove Johnson, by the time of his trial in 1868, an election year; he cud simply be ignored
What was the result of Johnson’s end of term
Republicans risked suicide by linking Democrats to secure vote
Anti Johnson group achieved aim and Johnson had no future
Republicans pursued last aim- black vote
What were the major achievements by the end of Johnson’s presidency
14th amendment
Freedmens bureau
Congress uniting to act against a president
African American participation in public life
Readmission of southern states- union restored
Issues at the end of Johnson’s presidency
Southern democrats only suppressed- not gone away
Rise of extremism
Moderates and radicals may not stay together
How to get 15th Amendment
How to settle issue of land
