HIST 2112 Lecture 2 Outline of Last Lecture I Reconstruction Reuniting a nation torn A Many Questions II A Snapshot of America 1865 o 620 000 men had died in the war o North won mainly in charge o Slavery is really still around just mutated into something a little different III Presidential Reconstruction the gentle approach A Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction 1863 B Lincoln the radical moderate C Andrew Jackson continuing Lincoln s gentle approach IV Radical Reconstruction the get tough approach A Black Codes B Constitutional acts 13th 14th and 15th 1 Amendments C Freedom s Bureau D Military Force backs it all up V Impeaching Andrew Johnson VI Redemption The white south regains power A The KKK and the intimidation of black male voters B Reconstruction fatigue in the North a Panic of 1973 b Racism and death of Radicals c Legal setbacks d Growing labor strife VII The Final Act The compromise of 1877 Outline of Current Lecture Emancipation and the African American Freedmen s Experience I The Worldwide History of Slavery A Four Unique Characteristics of Euro American Slavery II Slavery and the South the keystone of Southern society and culture A Slavery as a source of economic political power B Slavery and poor whites the social floor III IV C After the War recreating the slave system without slavery The End of Slavery and the beginning of Freedom Now What A Searching for family B Schools and education C Establishing churches D Entering politics The Problem of making a living A Sharecropping a Advantages b Disadvantages B White Sharecroppers Current Lecture I The Worldwide History of Slavery Slavery began in the Caribbean Brazil on sugar plantations A Four Unique Characteristics of Euro American Slavery Slavery crosses cultures time 4 million slaves as of 1865 Most slaves in the war were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time What makes American Slavery Different 1 American Slavery was profit oriented slaves economic tools to make money 2 Slaves are property literally under the law Slaves were equivalent to a dog horse house etc Slave Owners have the right to do what they want with slaves 3 Slavery is permanent in the American system in some places you could buy your way out of slavery such as Greece In America you could not buy your way out Also slavery was inherited Once a slave always a slave all the way down 4 Slavery is based on race Wasn t always like that Way back when there were a very few amount of black slave owners Slave is synonymous with black Greeks and Romans liked German slaves II Slavery and the South the keystone of Southern society and culture at the core of southern life before during the civil war A Slavery as a source of economic political power People who owned the most slaves were the wealthiest white people and most were also high up in the government B Slavery and poor whites the social floor III 75 of white people do not own slaves but majority do support slavery because black people slaves were social lesser than white people no matter what White social power C After the War recreating the slave system without slavery The money power privilege of whiteness causes people to recreate slavery immediately without it everything will theoretically crash The End of Slavery and the beginning of Freedom Now What Many white people say the only thing you get is freedom That s all you have How will you support yourself You have no land food anything Read article from Richard Cain pg 452 A Searching for family Slaves can be sold as many times as an owner seems fit It doesn t matter if they re married have kids anything Being sold is also a sign of discipline If they rebel you can use their family against them by selling them Since people got split up many people leave out trying to find their family after the war B Schools and education You want to learn to read write the basics How precious education is People who can read write have power Can cause insurrection if slaves know how to read write Some slaves eventually set up their own schools a An idealized view of a freedmen s bureau school some people actually wanted to help slaves few but some RADICAL C Establishing churches Spiritual life control churches different version of Christianity Christ is someone who died for the sins of the downtrodden and to save the people that are downtrodden example Moses leading his people to freedom Christianity Rock to stand on solace Slave owners used the bible all the time to justify slavery Old testament Slave owners tell slaves You need to focus on your rewards in heaven not your trials here on earth AME church African Baptist church IV Churches are the only place where black people are in charge and something they can actually control in their lives D Entering politics Black men get a right to vote under the constitution If you can vote you can run for office Ex slaves are not going to vote for the people who oppressed them The Problem of making a living A Sharecropping Most people live on farms Farm ideal American place to live Everyone wants their own farm including slaves Sharecropping is really a compromise GA is in the black belt of the south It is sort of like slavery Farm Owner supplies everything you need you do the work However no one will stand over you the entire time You can grow the cotton however you want as long as it gets grown Come harvest time you take it and sell it We ll split the profits 50 50 SHAREcropping a Advantages 50 is a lot better than 0 At least you re getting some profit and some of your work is paying off Never underestimate the feeling of dignity when you work without supervision b Disadvantages accumulate debt peonage makes you a slave again You get 50 of cotton minus cost of product Oh it was in the sharecropping contract sorry you can t read Now you re 50 decreases rapidly What if all of the cotton went belly up You still have to pay them back for the cost of production even if you didn t make anything Well you have to roll that debt over until next year It keeps rolling over you re still stuck forever B White Sharecroppers Nothing separates them from ex slaves except for their skin Sharecropping is very profitable for them PRIMARY DOCUMENT Mississippi Black Codes pg 450 451 Documents at end of Ch 14 Sharecropper s contract