What are the issues that must be dealt with? And how
should they be addressed?
•4 million newly freed slaves?
•Assimilate into society? Voting rights? Equality?
•Destruction of south?
•Letting Southern states back into the union?
•Punishment for Confederates?
•What should the powers of Federal and State Governments be now?
Lincoln was prophetic at Gettysburg when he said the war was about a
“new birth of freedom”
John Picture background info
South after war 1

Human toll of the Civil War: The North lost 364,000
soldiers. The South lost 260,000 soldiers.
Between 1865 and 1877, the federal government
carried out a program to repair the damage to the
South and restore the southern states to the Union.
This program was known as Reconstruction.


Freedmen (freed slaves) were starting out their new
lives in a poor region with slow economic activity.


Plantation owners lost slave labor worth $3 billion.
Poor white Southerners could not find work because of
new job competition from Freedmen.
The war had destroyed two thirds of the South’s
shipping industry and about 9,000 miles of railroad.

Lincoln’s speech
“With malice toward
none; with charity for
all; with firmness in
the right, as God gives
us to see the right, let
us strive on to finish
the work we are in; to
bind up the nation’s
wounds….to do all which may achieve and cherish a
just and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with
all nations.”
Lincoln was assassinated before we would ever know what
his full reconstruction plan would be
Lincoln’s speech
What we know- in 1863 he made a reference to his 10%
reconstruction plan which included:
•10% of people who could vote in 1860 had to swear
allegiance to the union to become a state
•States had to create a new state government which
had to approved at the Federal level
•States had to obey all emancipation laws
Of course, this is only a shell of a plan but we know
Lincoln would have shown mercy on the South
Lincoln’s speech
Republicans were upset about the leniency he proposed, so
congress passed the Wade-Davis Bill (1864):
•50% of people who could vote in 1860 had to swear
allegiance to the union to become a state
•States had to create a new state government which
had to approved at the Federal level- only people
who had never served or aided the Confederacy
could be in politics
•States had to obey all emancipation laws with
stronger safeguards to protect this
Lincoln’s speech
Republicans subscribed to the “state suicide theory”- when
south seceded, they essentially committed suicide and were
not a part of the Union, therefore they should be treated as
a conquered province
Lincoln disagreed and said they had never actually left the
Union and he vetoed the Wade-Davis bill
Republicans responded by refusing to seat delegate from
Louisiana who had met Lincoln’s 10% requirement
The war over reconstruction was already on!
•Supported Lincoln’s plan
for leniency towards the
South
•Even before Lincoln died, a
group of congressmen
called the Radical
Republicans were pushing
for punishment of the South
•Engaged in a power
struggle with Congress over
who would lead the country
through Reconstruction.
•Would be impeached but
not removed from office.
John Picture background info
Johnson’s plan to readmit the
South:
Amnesty: pardoned many ex-confederates
•Rebels sign an oath of allegiance
•Once 10% of the population signs, state can be readmitted
•Even some high ranking Confederate officials, provided they weren’t
worth more than $20,000
Write new state Constitutions
•approve the 13th Amendment (Banned slavery)
•reject secession and state’s rights
•submit to U.S. Government authority
•The South was clearly going to be run by middle and lower class whites
“Neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, except as a punishment for
crime, whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall exist within
the United States, or any place subject
to their jurisdiction.”
The Congress shall have power to
enforce by appropriate legislation, the
provisions of this article.
13th: Slavery14th
Abolished
Johnson’s plan to readmit the
South:
No mention of
•Education for freedmen
•Citizenship and voting rights for freedmen
•Radicals were not happy- saw Johnson as a Southerner and a
confederate (he had owned slaves at one time)
•Many former confederates return to power (old power structure
returning?)
•Alexander Stephens (VP of Confederacy) elected senator from GA
•Black codes (see next slides) passed to establish white authority
•Violence against blacks in South (KKK formed)
 As southern states were restored to the Union under President
Johnson’s plan, they began to enact black codes, laws that
restricted freedmen’s rights.
 The black codes established virtual slavery with provisions such
as these:
 Curfews: Generally, black people could not gather after
sunset.
 Vagrancy laws: Freedmen convicted of vagrancy– that is,
not working– could be fined, whipped, or sold for a year’s labor.
 Labor contracts: Freedmen had to sign agreements in
January for a year of work. Those who quit in the middle of a
contract often lost all the wages they had earned.
 Land restrictions: Freed people could rent land or homes
only in rural areas. This restriction forced them to live on
plantations. Most became sharecroppers
 Couldn’t serve on juries or testify against whites; only real
change was marital rights were granted
Mississippi Governor, 1866:
“The Negro is free”
“Whether we like it or not; we must
realize that fact now and forever.
To be free, however, does not make
him a citizen or entitle him to
social or political equality with the
white man.”
Gov of Miss
St. Landry’s Parish,
Louisiana, 1865
Section 1: Be it ordained by the police
jury of parish of St. Landry, That no
negro shall be allowed to pass within
the limits of said parish without a
special permit in writing from his
employer. Whoever shall violate this
provision shall pay a fine of $2.50, or
in default thereof shall be forced to
work four days on the public road or
suffer corporeal punishment.
St. Landry’s Parish,
Louisiana, 1865
Section 2: Be it ordained: That every
Negro who shall be found absent from
the residence of his employer after 10
o’clock at night, without a written
permit from him employer, shall pay a
fine of $5.00, or in default thereof,
shall be compelled to work 5 days on
the public road or suffer corporeal
punishment.
St. Landry’s Parish,
Louisiana, 1865
Section 3: Be it further ordained, That
no Negro shall be be permitted to rent
or keep a house within said parish.
Any Negro violating this provision
shall be immediately ejected and
compelled to find an employer; and
any who shall rent, or give the use of
the any house to any Negro, in
violation of this section, shall pay a
fine of $5.00 for each offence.
St. Landry’s Parish,
Louisiana, 1865
Section 4: Be it further ordained,
No Negroes shall be allowed to
congregate in public meetings
between the hours of sunset to sunrise
and by special permission of the police
chief may a public meeting of Negroes
occur. However, church services are
not included in this law. Pay a fine of
$5.00, work 5 days on the road crew
or receive corporeal punishment
St. Landry’s Parish,
Louisiana, 1865
Section 5: Be it ordained, No Negro
who is not in the military service shall
be allowed to carry firearms, or any
kind of weapons, within said parish,
without the special written permission
of his employers. Subject to $5.00
fine, road work or corporeal
punishment.
St. Landry’s Parish,
Louisiana, 1865
Section 6: Be it ordained, That it shall
be the duty of every citizen to act as a
police officer for the detection of
offences and the apprehension of
offenders, who shall be immediately
handed over to the proper police
officer or captain.
Charles Summner
Thaddeus Stevens
•Radical republicanism was a reaction to white
supremacy- not necessarily to punish the South
•Advocated political, social and economic equality
for the Freedmen.
•Would go after President Johnson through the
impeachment process after he vetoes the Civil
Rights Act of 1866.
Radical Republicans
Thaddeus Stevens
Charles Summner
•Blocked Southerners from entering congress in Dec. 1865
•Free black population would increase southern
representation by 12- too much power
•Feared southerners and Northern Democrats would unite
and control Government
•Federal black codes?
•President Johnson
vetoed the Civil Rights
Act of 1866
•Gave $$$$ to
Freedmen’s Bureau for
schools and granted
citizenship to the
Freedmen
•Congress believed
Johnson was working
against Reconstruction
and overrode his veto.
•Congress would
override his veto often
and basically took over
the Govt.
An inflexible President, 1866: Republican cartoon
shows Johnson knocking Blacks of the Freedmen’s
Bureau by his veto. Johnson’s Veto
•Led to the 14th
Amendment
“All persons born in the U.S. are
citizens of this country and the state
they reside in. No state shall make or
enforce any law which deprives any
person of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law, nor deny
to any person within its jurisdiction to
the equal protection of the laws.”
The Congress shall have power to
enforce by appropriate legislation, the
provisions of this article.
14th
14th: Rights of
Citizens
•Also included were clauses that reduced the
number of representatives and electoral votes
from a state if they deny citizenship and
voting rights
•Disqualified all former confederate
officeholders from holding federal or state
office
•Johnson campaigned against it and all
southern states rejected it- temporarily put
on hold
14th
14th: Rights of
Citizens
•Women rights
supporters refused
to support the 14th
Amendment giving
African American
Men citizenship
unless women were
added to it.
•Abolitionists would
not support
women’s rights
Abolitionists vs Women’s rights
Impeachment: Bringing charges against
the President. Two steps involved……
1st Step: U. S. House of Representatives hold
hearings to decide if there are crimes committed.
They then vote on the charges and if there is a
majority, then, charges are brought against the
President.
2nd Step: U.S. Senate becomes a courtroom.
The President is tried for the charges brought
against him. The Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court is the judge. Once trial is completed,
Senators must vote to remove President with a
2/3’s vote.
Impeachment process
Brought up on 11
charges of high crimes
and misdemeanors.
Tenure in Office Act:
Law Congress passed.
President can’t fire any
of his cabinet members
without consulting
Congress.
 Presidency would suffer as
Passed to provoke
a result of this failed
Johnson
impeachment.
fired Edwin Stanton
 President would be more of
Missed being removed
a figure-head.
from office by 1 vote
 Saved the separation of
powers of 3 branches govt.
Who was the only other
president to be
impeached?
Once
Johnson is
impeached,
Congress passes
Reconstruction Act
of 1867.
The
South would
be reconstructed
under the Radical
Republicans plan.
Republicans
would elect Grant
as their President
and he would carry
out the Radical
Reconstruction.
“The Strong
Government”,
1869-1877. Grant
enforcing the
Reconstruction Act
of 1867 and
“forcing” the South
to change.
Plans compared
Reconstruction Acts of 1867--76 (Harsh)
•oath of allegiance---50%
•No high ranking Confederate officials
•lose voting rights if you don’t sign oath
•Write new state Constitutions with full suffrage
•Ratify: 13, 14 & 15 Amendments
•reject secession and state’s rights
•submit to U.S. Government authority
•Freedmen’s Bureau to be paid for by states
•Divide the South into 5 military districts- policed by Union
army
“The right of citizens of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by
any State on account of race, color, or
previous condition of servitude”.
The Congress shall have power to
enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.
14th
15th: Voting Rights
The Taste of Freedom
Freedom of movement: Enslaved people often walked
away from plantations upon hearing that the Union
army was near.
 Exodusters: moved to Kansas and Texas
Freedom to own land: Proposals to give white-owned
land to freed people got little support from the
government. Unofficial land redistribution did take
place, however.
Freedom to worship: African Americans formed their
own churches and started mutual aid societies,
debating clubs, drama societies, and trade
associations.
Freedom to learn: Between 1865 and 1870, black
educators founded 30 African American colleges.
First Black
Senators and
representatives
in the 42st and
42nd Congress.
Senator Hiram
Revels, on the
left was elected
in 1870 to
replace the seat
vacated by
Jefferson Davis.
Black Congressmen
1865, Congress created the Freedman’s
Bureau to help former slaves get a new
start in life. This was the first major relief
agency in United States history.
Bureau’s Accomplishments
Built thousands of schools to educate Blacks.
Former slaves rushed to get an education for
themselves and their children.
Education was difficult and dangerous to gain.
Southerners hated the idea that Freedmen
would go to school.
Freedmen’s Bureau 3
Freedmen’s
Bureau 4
Funding Reconstruction
Rebuilding the South’s infrastructure, the public
property and services that a society uses, was one giant
business opportunity.
Roads, bridges, canals, railroads, and telegraph lines had
to be rebuilt.
Funds were also needed to expand services to southern
citizens. Following the North’s example, all southern
states created public school systems by 1872.
Congress, private investors, and heavy taxes paid for
Reconstruction. Spending by Reconstruction legislatures
added another $130 million to southern debt.
New
South
New South
•Becomes
industrialized
•Cities rebuilt
•Railroads
•Schools, over
a thousand
•Hospitals, 45
in 14 states
•Diversify
economy.
Military
Reconstructio
n
Each number indicates the
Military Districts