History 2057 Reconstruction Part II Congressional reconstruction 1867 1870 Congressional or radical reconstruction begins in march 1867 Congress angry about southern resistance Passed Military Reconstruction Acts Divided south except TN into 5 military districts Held voter registration drives Drafted new constitutions approve 14th amendment Also passed Tenure of Office Act Senate has to approve removal of certain officeholders Johnson angry about Tenure of Office Act Challenged it by firing Sec of war Edward Stanton Congress uses to impeach Johnson for high crimes and misdemeanors Narrowly acquitted in the Senate Outcome weakened the Radical Republicans in the Paved way for Ulysses Grant to get nomination He won narrowly republicans still in control of 1868 elections congress Republicans used presidency and congress to pass 15th amendment February 1869 Granted universal male suffrage Race or former condition of servitude could not be used to bar voting Angered women suffragists Susan b Anthony others had worked with abolitionists for vote Split the movement over the 15th amendment What s happening in the south during this time The South during reconstruction System of slavery begins to collapse with the start of war Emancipation Proclamation 1863 13th amendment 1865 Two things to keep in mind 1 Economic component slavery was a labor system 2 Social cultural component slavery justified by white supremacy Both factor into southern reactions to Southerners will try to hold onto system as much as Reconstruction possible How did southerners try to accomplish that Black codes 1865 1866 Kept former slaves tied to plantations Transitioned slave labor to wage labor Federal government enforced transition 40 acres and a mule Very limited doesn t last Freedman s Bureau march 1865 Former slaves had a new kind of autonomy Many did leave plantations and homes for first time Looking for family members Hoped to get their own land Did not remain untied for long periods Black codes and white hostility meant finding Congressional Reconstruction gave more protection Federal government enforced more equitable employment to former slaves treatment Late 1860s republicans get control of government New constitutions drafted Expanded democracy Expanded state s welfare role Did NOT redistribute land Did NOT bar ex confederates wholesale from voting Republicans were able to make some reforms War had devastated the southern economy and infrastructure Efforts to rebuild industry railroads Expanded education prevent segregation new state constitutions Some progress but limited Chaos violence corruption bribery interfered Failure to diversify the labor system and economic base is also a problem South remained largely rural and agricultural Sharecropping became main system of labor Sharecropping land owner rents land to sharecropper grows crops raises livestock gives certain amount to owner Unpopular compromise Black families did have more autonomy over labor Often faced crushing cycle of poverty Limited economic opportunity stifled tax base Some changes in the south but not a revolution Late 1860 s only 16 blacks sent to congress No black majorities in state assemblies except South Carolina Southerners still felt threatened Southern democrats used race baiting to unite whites Also used violence to intimidate blacks republicans Ku Klux Klan became active in late 1860 s KKK Congress responds with legislation to curb violence By 1871 federal resonse to violence began to Popular support in north wanes Corruption problems plague politics localy and High evels of spending attacked 1872 elections saw Republican party began to weaken nationally splinter Some align with Democrats Wanted to reduce federal government s involvement in economy Return the south back to local self government Republicans still hold onto majorities in government Grant won by a solid margin Victory helped by large black turnout in south Convinced southern democrats to take stronger action Increase white votes limit black votes Used more targeted violence to intimidate Louisiana White League Southern democrats regain control on 1874 elections the south Southern democrats saw elections as redeeming Associated with religious mission The Lost Cause and Moonlight and Magnolias myths solidify in South Holy righteous Redeemers saving the south became the dominant narrative of Reconstruction North and federal government did little to stop the Passed legislation but failed to enforce it Nation less and less interested Panic of 1873 severe depression Election of 1876 sealed the end of Reconstruction Democrat Samuel Tilden vs Republican Rutherford Tilden won popular vote but electoral vote violence adequately Hayes contested Hayes made deal with southern democrats Removal of federal troops in exchange for support in electoral college Compromise of 1877 officially ended Reconstruction Federal government withdraws from south Sothern states were free to pursue racial agenda without interference Reconstructions legacy The events of reconstruction lave their imprint on the south and nation for decades Slavery was abolished by the Civil war but the racism that supported it does not disappear Civil rights advanced in the south because of the federal governments intervention Likewise advancement stopped and then regressed with the federal government withdrew
View Full Document
Unlocking...