CRISIS, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION IV
UNIT 7
RECONSTRUCTION: HEALING A NATION
With the Civil War fought and done, the South was left devastated and embittered by the war. Farms, railroads, and
factories were destroyed throughout the South by Union forces and Richmond and Atlanta lay in ruins. Now, the
nation faced the problem of figuring out where to go after the war and how to begin the healing and restoration of a
nation nearly divided.
RECONSTRUCTION
Reconstruction – period from 1863-1877 in which the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War
Freedman’s Bureau – organization created to help newly freed slaves adept to their new freedom
former slaves were sometimes offered “40 acres and a mule” to get started.
most blacks stay in the south and become tenant farmers who rent land from the white landowners
other blacks would become sharecroppers who paid rent from shares of their crops
Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan – issued full pardons to all Confederate citizens who swore allegiance to the United
States (except those who owned property over $20,000)
call constitutional conventions to repel secession, cancel war debts, and ratify the 13th Amendment
th
13 Amendment – slavery was abolished permanently in the United States*
under this plan many former high-ranking Confederated officers were able to return to Congress 
angered many Radical Republicans
Radical Republicans – those members of Congress who favored harsh Reconstruction of the South
Thaddeus Stevens – leader of the Radical Republicans
black codes – laws passed by states and local levels to limit the civil rights and civil liberties of African Americans
Civil Rights Act of 1866 – granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States*
allowed all African-Americans to own property
all African-Americans were to be treated equally in court and allowed the federal government to sue
those who violated these laws
President Andrew Johnson vetos the act which angers the Radical Republicans
Election of 1866 – Congressional election in which Radical Republicans gained a two-thirds majority in Congress 
could now overturn presidential vetos
14thAmendment – granted citizenship to natural-born or naturalized people in the United States
forbid any states to deny any one “life, liberty, or property” or equal protection under the law
if Southern states ratified it they would be admitted back into the Union
President A. Johnson advised Southern states not to ratify it believing it to be unfair  only Tennessee
ratifies it
Seward’s Folly (1867) – nickname, given by critics, of the United States purchase of Alaska from the Russian
Empire for $7.2 million
named after the Sec. of State, William Seward, who signed the treaty
RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION
Unhappy with Pres. Johnson’s handling of the reconstruction of the South, Congress begins to take control issuing it
own form of reconstruction for the South that was much harsher than Johnson’s Plan
Military Reconstruction Plan (1867) – the Radical Republicans’ harsh plan to reconstruct and readmit the South
back into the Union
divided the South into 5 military districts headed by a Union general
states had to ratify the 14th Amendment before being readmitted to the United States
Crisis, Civil War, and Reconstruction IV
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Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans clashed repeatedly over the issue of civil rights for freed slaves,
eventually one side would have to do something about the other.
The Radical Republicans had already supporters in Johnson’s administration (Sec. of War, Edwin
Stanton) and would act first
Tenure of Office Act (1867) – required the removal of any government official be approved first by the Senate
Johnson challenged this act by firing Edwin Stanton in 1868
this was enough for the House of Representatives to demand Johnson be impeached for breaking the
law  first president to be impeached
after being on trial for two months, Johnson avoids being removed from office by one vote!
Election of 1868 – the Republicans put up the hero of the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant, as their candidate
with a strong military presence still in the South, many blacks were allowed to vote leading to Grant
carrying 6 Southern states and the Republican controlled North for an overwhelming victory
GRANT’S PRESIDENTCY
With a Republican now in office, the Radical Republicans were now able to push for voting rights for ALL African
Americans that had been instrumental in their 1868 victory.
15th Amendment – guaranteed voting rights regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude
As many whites felt they were losing their rights, many formed groups like the KKK and passed black codes to deny
freed slaves their rights although most blacks were allowed to own property
Ku Klux Klan – a secret society that engages in terrorist activities and intimidation to hinder AfricanAmerican political power
Scalawags – white Southerners who supported the Republican Party and Reconstruction
Carpetbaggers – Northerners who moved South after the Civil War  viewed by Southerners as exploiting
the South for the own gain
Enforcement Acts “Ku Klux Klan Acts” (1870) – gave the federal government the ability to prosecute individuals
who broke federal laws rather than state courts
used to go after those who denied African-Americans their civil rights of voting, and holding office
During Grant’s two terms, numerous scandals plagued his presidency as well as poor health near the end. These
problems forced the Republicans to find a new candidate in the upcoming election.
Election of 1876 – election between Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes (Tilden won
184, Hayes won 165  20 in dispute with 185 to win)
claims of election fraud and disputed votes on both sides resulted in Congress making the final decision
calling in favor of Hayes
Compromise of 1877 – a supposed compromise between Democrats and Republicans to give the presidency
to Hayes if he promised to end military reconstruction  Hayes removes federal troops from the South
a month after taking office
With Reconstruction now over, former Confederates who controlled the Democratic Party were able to regain power
opening the door to the “Jim Crow Era” (segregation) and began along period in which African Americans in the
South were denied the full rights of American citizenship.
the South used literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses to deny blacks their rights
Solid South – the nickname for the South that was once again controlled by the Democratic Party and voted
Democrat a majority of the time for nearly 100 years after Reconstruction ended
the South would remain a backward, agriculture-based economy and the poorest section of the nation
for many decades afterward
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