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Andrew Johnson—President after the Civil War
Reconstruction—The period after the Civil War in which Southern states were brought back into the Union
10% Plan—President Lincoln’s plan to allow Southern states to reenter the U.S. when 10% of their citizens pledged loyalty to the Union
Special Field Order 15—General Sherman’s order to give abandoned or confiscated land to freedmen
Freedmen’s Bureau—Government agency established to help African Americans
13th Amendment—Constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery in the
United States
Black Codes—Laws after the Civil War that granted a few rights, but overall denied African Americans their civil rights
Civil Rights Act—Passed by Congress, it declared that all persons born in the
United States were now citizens, without regard to race
Veto—When the President refuses to approve a bill, preventing it from becoming law
Override—Two-thirds of both houses of Congress can approve a bill without the president’s approval
Tenure in Office Act—A law preventing the President from removing from office, without the Senate’s approval, any official appointed by him and approved by the Senate
Impeachment—A process by which a government official is charged of wrongdoing by the House (impeached) and tried by the Senate on a two-thirds vote (convicted or acquitted)
14th Amendment—Guarantees all citizens equal protection of the law; it penalized states that did not allow African Americans to vote (but did not protect women’s voting rights)
15th Amendment—Guarantees African American men the right to vote
Reconstruction Act—Divided the South into five military districts and sent in soldiers to protect the rights of African Americans
Reconstruction governments—Governments set up in Southern states after the
Reconstruction Act, controlled by Republicans and including African Americans
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. ©2009 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246. http://socialstudies.com
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1860
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1865
CIVIL WAR–RECONSTRUCTION
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1870
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1875
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1880
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1885
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1890
Presidential
Reconstruction
You are President Andrew Johnson in March 1865. After the greatest bloodshed in our nation’s history, the Civil War has finally ended. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers have lost their lives and even more have been horribly wounded.
Much of the South has been destroyed. Farms have been abandoned, buildings destroyed, and railroads demolished.
Congress faces some difficult choices about how to deal with the South. President Lincoln had a lenient policy that allowed each Southern state to return to the Union if 10% of its citizens signed a pledge of loyalty and if the state abolished slavery— but that was during the war. Lincoln needed to be lenient to win Southerners over to the Union cause, and help the North
President Andrew Johnson win the war. Now that the war is over, Congress and you can set the conditions for reentering the Union. After President Lincoln was tragically assassinated, you assumed the presidency. The question is, what policies will you adopt toward the Southern states?
You have been a Democrat, so you tend to favor states’ rights and a weaker federal government. For example, you oppose funding internal improvements by the national government. You were added as a vice-presidential candidate in 1864 to provide a unity party of Republicans and Democrats to win the war. Political leaders are expecting you to work with Republicans to resolve issues regarding Southern states. However, politically there is another direction you could go. You could start policies favorable to
Southern whites that would build support for the Democratic Party in the South. Northern
Democrats would then join, in an effort to oppose Republican power. Even moderate
Republicans might join the group. You could lead a stronger Democratic Party and be reelected in 1868. Many Northerners feel that since the war is over, the country should leave the Southern states to make their own decisions.
At this point, Congress (which is controlled by Republicans) is not in session, and it won’t be for six months. You could wait for Congress, or you could start taking actions now. Your advisers tell you that Southern states are anxious to get back into the Union, so they are likely to agree to almost any conditions you or Congress place on them. You have received many petitions from African Americans and Unionists (pro-Union people during the Civil War) throughout the South asking you not to put control of Southern states back in the hands of former rebels. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court said that Reconstruction should be based on full citizenship, including voting, for freedmen.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. ©2009 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246. http://socialstudies.com
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LESSON 5: Handout 1, Page 2
Ex-slaves have occupied abandoned land in some areas of the South, setting up small farms. African Americans in general have made it clear that they want to own a portion of the plantations where they had been slaves. General Sherman gave land to ex-slaves in
Georgia and South Carolina in his Special Field Order 15. The Freedmen’s Bureau also gave abandoned small farms to freedmen. Letting those orders stand will send a message that the national government is siding with ex-slaves against Southern whites.
Which of the following actions will you take in regard to the Southern states? You can choose as many options as you like.
A. Allow Southern states back into the Union as equals. This would mean that
B.
Southern states would send Senators and representatives back to Congress.
Require Southern states to agree to the 13th Amendment in order to reenter the Union
C. Prevent rebel leaders (leaders of the South or high officers in the military in the war against the North) from serving in local, state, or national government.
D. Let whites run their states their way, without interference by the national government. Each state can decide about rights for freedmen, such as voting,
E.
F. serving on juries, and whether they can move around to look for work. States’ rights need to be protected.
Require Southern states to protect the rights of freedmen, such as voting, serving on juries, and being free to look around for work
Send U.S. soldiers to the South to make sure freedmen get their rights. The soldiers would be stationed in Southern states for a period of several years, until
G. you are convinced freedmen are being fairly treated.
Do nothing significant now. Wait for Congress to come back in session and work
H. with the House and Senate for a unified policy on Southern states.
Order all land seized during the Civil War to be given back to the original plantation owners. Ex-slaves would become landless, so they would have to work for the plantation owners or save money to buy land.
Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use only. ©2009 Social Studies School Service. (800) 421-4246. http://socialstudies.com
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