Chapter 12: Reconstruction Laws Chart
Directions: For each of the laws listed here that were passed during Reconstruction, take notes as you read
the specified pages in the textbook on the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Wade-Davis Bill (p. 377)
13th Amendment black codes—white control over free black population
Freedmen’s Bureau Bill (p. 379-380)
14th Amendment (p. 379, 380)
Reconstruction Acts (p. 380)
Tenure of Office Act (p. 381)
15th Amendment (p. 380, 382)
Enforcement Acts (p. 380)
Amnesty Act (p. 395)
****On going battle between the President and Congress****
Name of law
Wade-Davis Bill
Year
1864
13th Amendment
1865
Freedmen’s Bureau Bill
“welfare” for slaves
1866
14th Amendment
(“new birth of freedom is
real”)
1866
Reconstruction Acts
MOST IMPT!
1867
What it said
Congress, not
the President,
to be in charge
of Recon.
Majority, not
10%, of voters
must swear
loyalty to
Const.
Slavery ended
in all US states
and territories
Sets up
organization to
aid newly
freed slaves
(education,
jobs)
Equal
citizenship and
protection for
all under the
law.
Confederate
state
governments
were
abolished,
Effects/results/reactions
Significance
Lincoln “kills it” thru a
“war” between
pocket veto
Congress and
President
Bill does not pass
begins
Power struggle between
President and Congress
Tenant farming, share
cropping, black codes—
slave codes of behavior
Johnson vetoes, Congress
overrides
Discrimination
still existing
Ways around it: Black
codes, Jim Crow laws
Legal
separation of
races even
though
Amendment
was passed
“separate but
equal”
Reason military
set up: to make
sure there’s no
rebellion,
maintain
Johnson vetoes, Congress
overrides.
South “babysat” by Union
Army—gets punished for
what they did
Agency created
Tenure of Office Act
1867
15th Amendment
1869
Enforcement Acts
(protect rights of black
citizens)
1870-71
Amnesty Act (to be
1872
excused/pardoned/forgiven)
Confederate
territory split
into 5 military
districts,
readmission
requirements
are set (Union
generals are
sent)
Pres. Cannot
remove
cabinet
members from
office without
senate
approval
Black suffrage
(voting).
Federal
government
can use
military to
enforce 15th
Amendment in
states of south
Right to
vote/hold
office returned
to exconfederates.
presence of
authority
Johnson violates it,
Congress impeaches him
Johnson vetoes, Congress
overrides
Pres. Johnson
violates and
impeached.
Does not have
to leave office
3 reasons why can’t stop a
person from voting: race,
color, slave
Ways around this
amendment: Poll taxes
(pay to vote), literacy tests
Grandfather clause: helps
poor, illiterate whites so
they can still vote if they
fail the test and if you
were descended from a
previous voter before
1867(white men only can
automatically vote)
Pres. Grant weakly uses,
Supreme Court says it’s
unconstitutional in 1882
b/c right to assembly
States cannot
keep you from
voting
Republican party
weakened in the south.
14th Amend. =
equal
citizenship
Response to
KKK activity