Lecture 2 Union Restored or Renewed Presidential vs Radical Reconstruction Readings Chapter 14 Emancipations and Reconstructions 1863 1877 I Reconstruction Reuniting a Nation Torn a How much reconstruction Who will be in charge How far will Reconstruction go What about former slaves 1 Struggles of Reconstruction i Thousands are dead after the war ii 4 million new freed slaves II A Snapshot of America 1865 a Small rural tormented by a civil war deeply tormented by what is supposed to happen slaves vs white southerners While southerners are hoping for a short and smooth reconstruction Meanwhile up north northerners are deeply divided over what should happen A vast majority of people living in small farm towns People could be a white supremacist and also be opposed to slavery III Presidential Reconstruction the gentle approach a Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction 1863 1 Proclamation of 1863 Lincoln set up a process for political Reconstruction as in reconstructing the state governments in the South so that Unionists were in charge rather than secessionists Full presidential pardons for most southerners who either took an oath of allegiance to the Union and the Constitution a state government could be re established and accepted as legitimate by the US president as soon as at least 10 of the voters in the state took the loyalty oath each southern state needed to rewrite Constitution to eliminate slavery 1 Established the basic parameters of President Lincoln s approach to Reconstruction The plan would have readmitted the South to the Union on relatively lenient terms 2 issued by Lincoln offered full pardon to Southerners who would take oath of allegiance to the Union and acknowledge emancipation b Abraham Lincoln 1861 1865 the racial moderate 1 His take on slavery was a republican but not an abolitionist but didn t want it to spread to western territories Realized slavery is the heart and soul of the confederacy i Domestic Affairs Secession Crisis Homestead Act 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 Emancipation Proclamation Freedom Manifesto Civil War c Andrew Johnson Continuing Lincoln s gentle approach 1 Johnson versus the Radicals IV Radical Reconstruction the get tough approach a Black Codes and the Ex Confederates 1 Black Codes southern states passed these which intended to reduce African Americans to a condition as close to slavery as possible The codes made it hard for blacks to leave plantations unless they proved they could support themselves 2 law aimed to oppress black people says black adults must be employed even though they are free an attempt to recreate slavery by other means 3 Ex Confederates Former confederate soldiers in a secret society that opposed Reconstruction and established Black Codes Were responsible for many acts of violence and terror against African Americans including lynching Wanted to maintain white supremacy and to stop the South from rising again b Constitutional changes 13th 14th and 15th Amendments 1 13th Amendment abolished slavery 2 14th Amendment gave citizenship and equal protection to black people under the law in 1857 court rules blacks do not have citizenship this amendment overturned that rule 3 15th Amendment 1870 US cannot prevent a person from voting because of race color or creed This gave the right to vote for black men they commonly voted republican 4 The Short Lived Era of Black Political Influence in the South c Freedman s Bureau The most important federal agency that emancipated slaves called on for assistance and support The newly formed Bureau of Refugees Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Created by Congress in in 1865 and signed into law by President Lincoln the bureau provided ex slaves with economic legal resources and obtaining land Played an active role in shaping black life in the postwar South Upset southerners due to their lack of help Ended in 1872 first to establish schools for blacks to learn to read teachers from north came south Attacked by KKK and other southerners as Carpetbaggers Encouraged former plantation owners to rebuild their plantations urged free Blacks to gain employment kept an eye on contracts between labor and management tec 1 Democratic flier opposing Freedman s Bureau Bill 1866 agency to keep the negro in idleness at the expense of the white man Twice vetoed by the president and made a law by Congress Support congress and you support the negro sustain the president and you protect the white man d Occupation V Impeaching Andrew Johnson 1867 a First Presidential Impeachment House of Representatives voted for Johnson s impeachment on February 24th 1868 in DC because Senate trial fell one vote short of necessary 2 3 for removal of office Johnson was able to continue serving his term b Tenure of Office Act 1867 passed by Congress which prevented Johnson from firing cabinet officers sympathetic to congressional reconstruction This measure barred the chief executive from removing from office any appointee that the VI VII Senate had ratified previously without returning to the Senate for approval Johnson was impeached but not convicted of violating this act Stated if the president wants to fire someone he has to ask for permission They knew Johnson would violate this act so they could impeach him Johnson ends up breaking law ends up getting impeached Redemption the white South regains power Redeemers The white conservative Democrats who challenged and overthrew Republican rule in the South during Reconstruction a Preventing the vote Knights of the Ku Klux Klan KKK created by General Nathan Bedford Forrest in 1865 to enforce prewar racial norms Members used threats and violence to intimidate blacks and white republicans b Reconstruction Fatigue in the North 1 Panic of 1873 2 Racism and the death of Radicals 3 Legal Setbacks Black Codes 4 Growing labor strife and industrialism The Final Act the Compromise of 1877 a Compromise of 1877 averted a crisis over presidential succession underscored increased southern Democratic influence within Congress and marked the end of strong federal protections for African Americans in the South 1 Democrats offer compromise in DC Rutherford B Hayes would agree to end military occupation of the south remove troops from the South Democrats would give him the election This event marked the end of Reconstruction in the South Lecture 3 Reconstruction the Fate of the Freedman Readings I The Worldwide History of Slavery a Unique Characteristics of Euro American Slavery 1 Money
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