Ch. 17.3 “Reconstruction in the South” (p. 564-571)
KEY
RECONSTRUCTION GOVERNMENTS
 1869- Republicans controlled most southern governments.
Carpetbaggers and Scalawags
 Carpetbaggers: northern-born Republicans who moved south after the war. Resented by
many white southerners.
 Scalawags (meant: greedy rascals): nickname given to white southern Republicans by
Southern Democrats.
African American Leaders
 Largest group of southern Republican voters = African Americans
 More than 600 African Americans were elected to political offices.
 Hiram Revels: (3 facts) son of former slave, born free in NC, Methodist minister, chaplain in
Union army, organized African American regiments in war, 1st African American in US
Senate, held US Senate seat formerly held by Confederate Pres. Jefferson Davis
State Governments Change Direction
 Reconstruction Government programs, organizations, actions:
o Public schools, hospitals, prisons, orphanages
o Laws prohibiting discrimination against African Americans
o Built Railroads, bridges and buildings
 To get money for projects the governments raised taxes and issued bonds.
KU KLUX KLAN 
 3 things southern Democrats were unhappy about: African Americans in office, Claimed
governments were corrupt, illegal, and unjust, Federal soldiers stationed in states
 State where KKK started: Tennessee
Year KKK began: 1866
 What did the KKK do?: opposed civil rights for African Americans,—attacked, killed, and
threatened African Americans and white Republicans. Interfered with elections.
 Why didn’t local governments stop the KKK? They were either afraid or sympathetic
RECONSTRUCTION ENDS
 Republicans lost control of state governments to Democrats.
o General Amnesty Act of 1872: allowed former Confederates—except those with high
ranks—to hold public office.
o Republican Party lost power in the North. President Grant lost popularity due to financial
and political scandals.
Panic of 1873
 Sept. 1873--Severe economic downturn
o Jay Cooke & Company—a major investor in railroads, declared bankruptcy—this sent panic
through the stock market
o Many other railroad companies and businesses followed.
o Unemployment rose to 14 %, about 2 million people were out of work, there were many
strikes
o Concerns shifted from southern racism to financial well-being.
Ch. 17.3
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Election of 1876
  Civil Rights Act of 1875: guaranteed African Americans equal rights in public places
 Americans mostly worried about economic problems and government corruption.
 Republican candidate: Rutherford B. Hayes
o Platform: end federal support of Reconstruction governments
 Democratic candidate: Samuel J Tilden
o Southern Democrats used violence to keep Republican voters away
 Tilden appeared to have won—results challenged—Special commission had to settle the
issue—Hayes won by one electoral vote. Both sides agreed to the “Compromise of 1877” to
settle the issue.
Redeemers
 Democrats who brought their party back to power.

Actions: Lowered state budgets, got rid of social programs, cut taxes, cut funding for
public schools, limited African American civil rights
African Americans’ Rights Restricted
 List methods Redeemers used to restrict African American Rights:
1. Poll tax was used to keep African Americans from voting
2. Required voters to pass literacy tests before they could vote
3. “Grandfather Clause” –men whose father or grandfather voted before 1867 were exempted
from poll tax and literacy tests—so all whites exempted!
4. Jim Crow laws—enforced segregation
  1883: US Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was unconstitutional and
that the 14th Amendment applied only to actions of state governments.
 Plessy v. Ferguson
 What did Plessy do that got him arrested? He refused to get off a “whites only” train car.
 What was the decision of the US Supreme Court in this case? Segregation is ok if “separate
but equal” facilities are provided.
Farming in the South
 What did most sharecroppers hope for? They hoped to save enough money to eventually buy
their own farm.
 Instead, how did most sharecroppers end up living? They were stuck in a cycle of debt.
REBUILDING SOUTHERN INDUSTRY
Southern Industry
 Who was Henry Grady? An Atlanta newspaper editor and leader of the New South
movement.
 What did he think needed to happen in the south? Build factories and provide a workforce
for them.
 Which group of people was not allowed to work in most of the textile mills in the South?
African Americans
Southern Mill Life: (3 facts)
1. ___________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________
Ch. 17.3
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