RECONSTRUCTION TO 1877
THE DEVASTATED SOUTH:
SCORCHED EARTH TACTICS OF SHERMAN
THE SOUTH’S ECONOMY WAS IN RUINS:
THE INADEQUATE INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE WAS
LARGELY INOPERATIVE.
DESTRUCTION AND DAMAGE FOR BOTH PLANTERS AND
SMALL FARMERS.
CONFEDERATE MONEY WORTHLESS
SHRIVELED MARKET FOR CASH CROPS
THE LABOR SUPPLY HAD BEEN EMANCIPATED.
CAPITAL WAS IN SHORT SUPPLY
250,000 CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WERE DEAD.
FEARS OF INSURRECTION BY FORMER SLAVES WERE REVIVED.
BLACK AND WHITE REFUGEES ROAMED THE LAND.
THERE WERE NO “WAR CRIMES” TRIALS EXCEPT FOR HENRY
WIRZ, COMMANDER AT ANDERSONVILLE, THE GEORGIA
PRISONER OF WAR CAMP.
THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS WAS
DEPOSED.
BORDER STATES & OCCUPIED AREAS:
1863 WEST VIRGINIA ADMITTED AS A SEPARATE STATE…HAD
REJECTED SECESSION
MILITARY GOVERNORS APPOINTED IN AREAS OF LOUISIANA,
ARKANSA, AND WESTERN TENNESSEE
CONFISCATION ACT OF 1862: GAVE THE PRESIDENT AUTHORITY
TO USE SEIZED REBEL PROPERTY FOR THE UNION WAR EFFORT
1864: LOUISIANA’S CONSTITUTION ABOLISHED SLAVERY
THE FREEDMEN’S BUREAU: MARCH 1865 TO PROVIDE
IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF REFUGEES AND FREEDMEN
CONFISCATED AND ABANDONED LANDS COULD BE
RENTED AND SOLD TO FREEDMEN
LABOR CONTRACT AGREEMENTS WERE FORMULATED
ESTABLISHED SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS AND PROVIDED
COURTS TO SETTLE LEGAL DISPUTES INVOLVEINGB FREED
BLACKS
PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND THE CONGRESS DIFFERED
ON THE STATUS OF THE SECEDED STATES:
1.The Constitution mentions neither a right of SECESSION nor provisions
for READMISSION of states.
2.To Lincoln the 11 rebellious states had never LEGALLY left the Union,
making rapid restoration possible under presidential administration.
3.Radicals argued that CONGRESS should administer the seceded states as
conquered territories.
4.In Texas v. White (1869) the Supreme Court described the Union as
constitutionally “indestructible.”
LINCOLN’S 10% PLAN: DECEMBER 8, 1863
A PROCLAMATION OF AMNESTY & RECONSTRUCTION
1. Issued under his presidential pardoning power
2.When 10% of those who had voted in 1860 took an oath of loyalty a
state government could be organized.
3.Top Confederate officials would be excluded from pardon, but some
well-qualified blacks would be allowed to vote.
LOYAL STATE GOVERNMENTS: In Spring, 1864, Louisiana and
Arkansas were organized. In Tennessee in February, 1865. Congress
refused to recognize their electoral votes or seat their representative after the
election of 1864.
WADE-DAVIS BILL – JULY 1864:
1. A MAJORITY of white male citizens would have to swear they had
never been disloyal.
2. A states constitutional convention would be required to abolish
slavery and repudiate secession.
3. The bill was pocket vetoed by Lincoln.
WADE-DAVIS MANIFESTO AUGUST 1864:
”Declared the authority of Congress to be paramount and advised the
president to ‘confine himself to his executive duties and leave political
reorganization to Congress.’ “ Stalemate between Congress and Lincoln
from Appomattox until his assassination.
ANDREW JOHNSON:
BACKGROUND: poverty, literate as an adult, hatred for Southern planter
aristocrats
“A WAR DEMOCRAT” – stayed in the Senate when Tennessee seceded
MILITARY GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE: when state was occupied by
the Union armies
1864 – UNION PARTY VP CANDIDATE: Radicals believed that he would
be their ally at first.
JOHNSON’S PLAN FOR RECONSTRUCTION:
AMNESTY PROCLAMATION and provision for steps to return state to the
Union: RATIFICATION OF 13TH AMENDMENT AND
REPUDIATION OF SECESSION AND OF CONFEDERATE DEBTS
REJECTION OF SOUTHERN REPRESENTATIVES by the U.S. Congress
BLACK CODES began appearing throughout the south.
RADICAL REPUBLICANS:
THADDEUS STEVENS - Pennsylvania
CHARLES SUMNER - Massachusetts
BEN WADE - Ohio
HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS – to assure the rights of freed former
slaves
PARTISAN POLITICAL MOTIVES-to delay the return of Democrats and
to cement Republican Party control
1866: JOHNSON VETO OF RENEWAL OF THE FREEMEN’S
BUREAU-This was later passed over his veto.
14TH AMENDMENT: JUNE 1866
1. Freedmens’ privileges protected
2. Guarantees of “Due process of law” and “Equal protection of the law”
but NOT FOR WOMEN
3. Rejected by 10 Southern states/Johnson outspoken against the
amendment
4. This became the basis for most modern civil rights cases.
5. This was later used to apply most of the Bill of Rights to the states.
1866 ELECTION:
CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION ACTS: MARCH 1867 – passed
over Johnson votoes
MILITARY RECONSTRUCTION ACT: required acceptance of the 14th
Amendment and black suffrage by the South
1. Ten states were divided into 5 military districts.
2.Statehood could result from a constitution approved by black and white
adult males.
COMMAND OF THE ARMY ACT: limited the president’s military
authority
TENURE OF OFFICE ACT required Senate approval for removal of
presidential appiontees
RESTRICTION OF THE SUPREME COURT’S POWER TO
REVIEW RECONSTRUCTION POLICY
IMPEACHMENT OF JOHNSON:
BASIS: Violation of the Tenure of Office Act(Secretary of War Stanton)
ACTION BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES voted impeachment
charges in February of 1868
TRIAL IN SENATE – 3 month trial – one vote short of the necessary twothirds
ELECTION OF 1868:
ULYSSES S. GRANT – war hero – endorsed by Radical Republicans
HORATIO SEYMOUR – wartime democratic governor of New York
“WAVING THE BLOODY SHIRT”
15TH AMENDMENT: enfranchising black voters/ratified 1870
ELECTION OF 1872:
U.S. GRANT
HORACE GREELEY – editor of the New York Tribune
Candidate of both the Liberal Republicans and Democrats
POLITICAL CORRUPTION
TWEED RING – New York City – municipal democratic political
corruption
BLACK FRIDAY CRASH – an attempt to corner the gold market
September 24, 1869
CREDIT MOBILIER SCANDAL – profits from construction of the Union
Pacific Railroad went to the RR’s promoters.
WHISKEY RING – fraud and bribing of the Secretary of War by corrupt
Indian agents
1874 DEMOCRATIC GAINS IN CONGRESSIONAL EELCTIONS
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS:
SOUTHERN STATES: 1868 NEW CONSTITUTIONS (written under
military supervision)
1. Universal manhood suffrage
2. Legislative reapportionment
3. Civil rights protections for blacks
4. Public segregated schools and social services established
5. Reformed criminal codes
6. Economic recovery programs begun
7. No provision for land confiscation or distribution
CAPETBAGGERS: Northerners who moved South after the war.
(Veterans, idealistic teachers or missionaries)
SCALAWAGS: Southern white Republicans often in mountainous
Union areas
BLACKS IN POLITICAL OFFICE: 2 Senators from Mississippi and
14 members of the House of Representatives
WHITE RESISTANCE
KKK: 1865 in Tennessee
OTHER VIOLENT GROUPS: Knights of the White Camellia, South
Carolina
THREE ENFORCEMENT ACTS: sought to protect
freedmen’s right to vote, supervise elections, and outlaw Klan
activities.
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1875: sought to assure equal
accommodations in public places and black participation on
juries. NO ENFORCEMENT!
RADICAL RECONSTUTION FADING…
ELECTION OF 1876:
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES – Governor of Ohio
SAMUEL J. TILDEN – reform governor of New York – helped smash the
Tweed Ring
DISPUTED RESULTS: 19 votes in three Southern states
Creation of an electoral commission 8 R/7D: Hayes won 185 to
184
COMPROMISE OF 1877:
1. The last federal troops would leave South Carolina and Louisiana
2. Republicans would pledge financial aid and patronage to Southern
states.
3. The elections of Hayes would be certified.
REDEMPTION – return to home rule
1. Occupation by federal troops ended in the South
2. Conservative Democratic control returned – the Solid South
3. Hayes appointed an ex-Confederate as Postmaster-General
4. Reconciliation came at the expense of blacks: Jim Crow laws
5. Thousads of disillused Southern blacks migrated to Kansas
“Exodusters” in 1877