Ch. 12.3 The Collapse of Reconstruction Section Objectives: 1. Summarize violent actions by opponents of Reconstruction. 2. Identify political and economic reasons for the shift of power from the Southern Republicans to the Southern Democrats. 3. Identify reasons for the collapse of Congressional Reconstruction. 4. Explain the achievements and failures of Reconstruction. 1. Opposition to Reconstruction A. Ku Klux Klan ­Define Ku Klux Klan ● A social club for ex Confederate soldiers founded originally in Tennessee in 1866 ● Membership grew rapidly and it turned into a violent terrorist group ­What were their goals and practices during Reconstruction? ● Restore white supremacy ● Prevent African Americans from exercising their political rights B. Anti­Black Violence ­How were Southern Democrats able to win elections? ● They used violence to intimidate Republicans ● This violence scared African Americans away from the polls and the Democrats won C. Economic Pressure ­What forms of economic pressure were used by opponents of Reconstruction? ● African Americans who owned their own land were attacked and their property destroyed ● African Americans had to work as wage laborers or sharecroppers because of their lack of skills D. Legislative Response ­What was the legislative response to violence in the South? ● Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871 ● Gave the president power to use federal troops where the Klan was active ● President Grant was not aggressive when using this law E. Shifts in Political Power ­What two things did Congress do that allowed a shift in political power to the Southern Democrats? ● The passing of the Amnesty Act, returned the right to vote or hold federal and state office to about 150,000 former Confederates ● Congress allowed the Freedmen’s Bureau to expire 2. Scandals and Money Crises Hurt Republicans A. Fraud and Bribery ­Why was Grant’s administration weak? ● Corruption, scandals, and bribery B. Republican Unity Shattered ­What weakened the power of the Republican Party? ● The party split and a Liberal Republican party formed over their discontent with the corruption in Grant’s administration ­Why did Republican reformers back Horace Greeley in the election of 1872? ● He supported the Radical Republican cause 2. Economic Turmoil A. The Panic of 1873 ­Define Panic of 1873 ● A series of financial failures that led to a economic depression ­How did the Panic of 1873 affect the nation? ● Unemployment rose and business activity declined B. Currency Dispute ­Why did people want to return to a gold standard? ● It would make the currency more stable 3. Judicial and Popular Support Fades A. Supreme Court Decisions ­How did the Supreme Court undermine support for Reconstruction? ● Three of their decisions limited the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments B. Northern Support Fades ­How did economic concerns undermine support for Reconstruction? ● People in the North became indifferent to what was happening to African Americans in the South. They wanted to take care of the economic issues that impacted them 4. Democrats “Redeem” the South ­Define redemption ● The return of Democrats to power in the South A. Election of 1876 ­Who was Rutherford B. Hayes, and Samuel J. Tilden ● Hayes was the Republican nomination for president in the Election of 1876 ● Tilden was the Democratic nomination for president in the Election of 1876 ­Define Compromise of 1877 ● An agreement between Democrats and Republicans that gave Hayes the presidency and ended Reconstruction ­How Hayes get elected President even though he lost the popular vote? ● He had a majority of the Electoral votes ­How did Reconstruction end? ● With the Compromise of 1877 B. Legacy of Reconstruction ­What is the legacy of Reconstruction? ● Not much real progress for African Americans ● Rights given to African Americans were not properly protected by the federal government ● Supreme Court undermined African American rights ● 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments remained in the Constitution and would help during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.