us civil war - reconstruction Flashcards
what was reconstruction
period from 1865 to 1877 called ‘age of reconstruction’.
what was Lincoln’s 10 percent plan
- southern states could be readmitted into the Union once 10% of voters swore an allegiance to the Union
- Voters could elect delegates to draft new constitutions, which must include abolition of slavery and introduction of new state governments
- from this, all southerners, except high ranking confederate army officers and government officials, would be granted a full pardon
- did not mention former slave and their voting rights
argue why Lincoln’s ten percent plan was too lienent
- he had faith that south would no longer be controlled by plantation owners
- radical republicans thought since the south started the war, they should be punished accordingly
argue why Lincoln’s ten percent plans are not too linient
- slavery was just ended and slaves were confiscated
-wanted ‘just and lasting peace’
- African American’s started having more equal rights
when was Lincoln assassinated?
14th april 1865
what was the Wade-Davis plan?
Henry Davis and Benjamin Wade, radical republicans, wanted 50% of confederate states to take an ironclad oath that they never volunarily supported the rebellion, and then they were allowed to rejoin
this was vetoed by Lincoln
who was Andrew Johnson
ex democrat and ex slave owner from Tennessee
only senator from confederate states to stay loyal to union
military governor
vice president
what problems did the south face post war?
1/4 of all white southern men of military age had died
economy was ruined
banking system was in chaos
large numbers were dependent on federal aid
emancipation of slaves meant they loss capital
what were Johnson’s ideologies going to reconstruction
saw no alternative but to work with confederacy
was not federal government’s responsibilities to decide suffrage, and had no wish to promote ex slaves and opposed black suffrage
what were Johnson’s actions with reconstruction?
- general amnesty to southerners who were willing to swear an oath of allegiance and support emancipation
- confiscated land should be returned to southeners
- rumours that southerners used bribery to win pardons
- ‘black codes’
what was the role of congress in reconstruction?
- most republican congressmen were confederates, so many were not enthuastic about black suffrage
- when Congress tried to enlarge powers of Freedmen’s Bureau, he vetoed it.
what was the civil rights act 1866
aimed to guarantee minimal rights to blacks
asserted right of federal government to intervene in state affairs to protect rights of US citizens
recieved support of Congressional Republicans
Johnson vetoed it, but 2/3 of congress overrode this `
what was the 14th ammendment
guaranteed all citizens to be equal before the law and if any states denied this, federal government could intervene
what were the 1866 mid term elections
- provided Johnson with an opportunity to strengthen his position
- but he lost his temper when confronted by hecklers
- republicans had no difficulty in campaigning against Johnson and the Democrats
- elections were a diaster for Johnson and was a triumph for Republicans, who won.
reconstruction was now up to republican dominated congress
what was the military reconstruction act 1867
- no legal government could exist in any ex-confederate state
- 10 southern states were divided into 5 military districts
- southern states had to elect constitutional convetions which would accept black suffrage and 14th ammenments
what efforts were made to try and reduce Johnson
- command of army act: recognised importance of the army in the reconstruction, reducing Johnson’s military powers
- tenure of office act: barred him from removing officeholders, including his own cabinet, to protect the secretary of war stanton.
what was Johnson’s role in impeachment?
Republicans were convinced that Johnson had broken the law and tried to impeach him for high crimes.
This narrowed down to the removal of Stanton from office and not co-operating with Congress.
35 senators voted against him, but this wasnt enough.
when was president grant introduced
1865 - Republicans chose General Grant as their presidential candidate, and his popular majority vote was due to Southern Black Support
what was the 15th ammendment
1869 - right to vote should not be denied on account of race
how did the African American population hold power
- large numbers flocked to join the Union league
- black voters constitued a real majority of the electorate
- after 1867, southern blacks were elected to local, state and national office
- majority of black officeholders were local officials
how were African Americans stopped politically?
- blacks were still a minority in most states
- republicans often put forward white candidates for office
- unfairly blamed politically
who were the KKK?
origins: founded by confederate veterans
methods: intimidation, violence at Black freedmen, terrorist raids against AA at night, destruction of property, assualt, murder
impact: prevented AA from exercising right to vote, created fear. Freedmen’s Bureau reported 336 cases of murder in one year
Government Action:
1871 - KKK act passed allowing Grant to use military force to suppress them.
who were the knights of the white camelia
origins: Louisanna in 1847 by confederate soldiers
methods: violence, intimidation, terror. they targeted republican elections and organised and conducted attacks on government institutions
impact: hindered progress of reconstruction
government action: efforts to prosecute members of the white league
what were the red shirts
origins: democratic paramilitary group from south carolina in 1876.
methods: attending Republican meetings and to mislead blacks, fear, superstition and intimidation
impact: successfully detered black people from voting
how was reconstruction ‘ended’
1877 President Hayes made a compromise that Southern Democrats were handed control of southern states
what was the social impact of reconstruction?
- white community kept to themselves and seperated themselves from the freedmen
- highly divided
what was the economic impact of reconstruction?-
- north’s economy had been stimulated by war
- south had high levels of destruction
- economic crisis of 1873, many in north refocused to this
- Grant’s adminstration was damaged by accusations of corruption
- sharecropping emerged where typically former slaves would work the land growing crops and they would get a portion of sale price.
- african american sharecroppers were often exploited and could end up in debt
what was the politcal impact from reconstruction?
- imposed ‘black codes’ by democrats, but from republicans, significant number of AA representatives elected to state legislatures
- south had been divided into 5 military districts
- loss of black political rights in the south was immediate
- poll taxes, literacy tests were used to stop black people from voting
what was the presidential election in 1876
republican rutherford hayes ran against democrat Samuel Tilden
no clear winner since South Carolina, Florida and Louisanna were unclear
Electoral Comission Act of 1877 gave a comission of 5 senators to decide on what votes to count
Hayes won the votesu
successes of reconstruction
AA had the vote and they had more political representation
Civil Rights Act
13, 14, 15th ammendments
Freedemen’s Bureau helped freedmen
failures of reconstruction
wade davis plan - radical opposition
riots - many AA died in riots against the president
Johnson was put in charge - vetoed everything and was racist, gave land back to southerners from freedmen
pardoned a lot of southerns - too lenient??
black codes, few top positions went to African Americans
society was still segregated and divided on race
sharecroppers had poor conditions and pay
economic crisis in 1873 meant economy was crumbling
historiography for reconstruction
Johnson’s reconstruction policies were essentially right, his main failure being his inability to carry them out’- Andrew Johnson
James M. McPherson- “Abraham Lincoln’s role in preserving the Union and ending slavery has secured his place as one of America’s greatest presidents.”- Lincoln
Harold Holzer- A powerful, inaccurate and unfortunate counter-myth percolates in both our curricula and culture that Lincoln was indifferent to slavery. Not true. Lincoln said- “I am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. “- Lincoln
