Reconstruction Era (Presidency + Congress) Flashcards

1
Q

Economic impact of the Civil war

A
  • had lasted 4 years with 625,000 lives lost
  • agriculture, trade and overseas markets had been dislocated
  • the war had stimulated vast economic expansion with an acceleration of industrialisation and modernisation
  • in the south there was physical destruction of towns and cities
  • the south economy relied heavily on agriculture and therefore slavery
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2
Q

Lincoln

A
  • led north to victory in civil war
  • set up the freedmen’s bureau in 1865
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3
Q

Andrew Johnson - own reconstruction

A
  • 1865 - 68—> originally Abraham Lincoln’s vice-president
  • democrat
  • May 1865 he launched his own programme of presidential reconstruction
  • issued 13000 pardons to southerners - caused opposition from Republicans as he allowed the new state governments to be dominated by the same old southern elites
  • Johnson only cared about poor white southerners - kept vetoing Congress’ attempt to extend the freedmen’s bureau - first time in February 1866
  • he did insist on ratify in the 13th amendment but it was congress that insisted that the former confederate states ratify the 14th amendment
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4
Q

Johnson + congress

A
  • when congress convened in December 1865 it was dominated by angry Republicans determined to wipe out the black codes + to remove former confederates from power
    February 1866 - Johnson’s first use of veto was against the renewal of the freedmen’s bureau which congress voted to extend for 3 years to strengthen its power to prosecute those guilty of discrimination against freedmen
    March 1866 - congress past the Civil Rights Act re-enstating the rights of African Americans + authorising federal intervention to enforce it - Johnson vetoed it
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5
Q

Who were radical republicans?

A
  • dominated when congress convened in December 1865
  • driving force for much of the implementation of and ratification of the Reconstruction Amendments and Civils Rights Act (1866 and 1875)
  • turning points, considering the absence of legislation or constitutional amendments previously to support black rights
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6
Q

What did Johnson do for the civil rights of freed slaves?

A
  • basically nothing - allowed the southern states to develop their own Black Codes to limit African American civil rights
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7
Q

What did Grant do?

A
  • asked for the KKK Act (1871) in response to white supremacism
  • this was passed within one month of Grant’s request to congress
  • however ineffective in the south - klan members in the police force and state governments
  • Grants financial scandals overshadowed further civil rights progress
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8
Q

Why did radical republicans die out?

A
  • Stevens and Sumner died in 1868 and 1874 - their death lead to the strength of the radical republicans weakening
  • no real majority from congress for civil rights legislation until the 1960s
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9
Q

When did Radical Republicans come to power?

A
  • congressional elections of 1866
  • they wanted to punish the south + prevent the ruling class from continuing power
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10
Q

What did Radical Republicans pass?

A
  • Military Reconstruction Acts 1867
  • president Johnson vetoed all the radical initiatives (sympathetic to the south) - but congress overrode him each time
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11
Q

Opposition to Radical Republicans?

A
  • democratic ‘redeemers’ - fought to redeem the south - formed of conservative, pro-businessmen + southern democrats
  • violent ‘white terrorists’ - 1868 1,000 Freedmen were killed in Louisiana + 1874 federal troops had to intervene to prevent lynches
    = increased intimidation meant black voting levels dropped
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12
Q

What was the compromise 1877?

A
  • Hayes vs. Tilden
  • 1876 = corrupted election = impossible to know who won
  • Commission launched to investigate who won
  • Hayes offered to withdraw Union troops (stripping AA of their newly acquired rights) = in return democrats recognised Rutherford Hayes as president
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13
Q

Impact of compromise

A
  • Hayes was a weak president - democrats redeemed the rest of the south + tried to dismantle reformist legislation
  • era of political corruption until 1890 - Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison
  • large cartels bought off politicians at federal + state level
  • by 1890 there was a backlash against congress passed - Sherman Anti-trust Act = ensured fair competition + stop monopolies
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14
Q

Summary of 1865-90

A
  • 2 political parties developed
  • ideology + identity of parties developed
  • politics were reacting to huge economic + social changes
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