4.8 Grant and ReconstructionAbandonment
WHY DID THE US GOV’T CEASE RECONSTRUCTION
PROCEDURES IN THE SOUTH?
WHY IS GRANT CONSIDERED ONE OF THE WORST US
PRESIDENTS IN US HISTORY?
1868 Presidential Election
 Grant vs. Seymour
 1st time use of running mates
1868 Presidential Election
 Grant was a well respected candidate by both sides.
 Father of four and good military leader.
 Personal problems- drinking, post traumatic stress
from war, not a strong or smart political leader.
 Inherited problems from Johnson’s term.
1868 Election Results
1st Term Problems
 Grant had numerous scandals and problems occur
under his watch
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Whiskey Ring: Grant’s secretary attempted to evade IRS taxes
Tammany Hall: New York “Boss” Tweed took advantage of
immigrants and low-wage workers
Gold Price Fixing: Grant was unaware, Fisk/Gould Scandal
Indian Rebellion: Whites encroach on Indian territory (Gold)
Belknap: Secretary of War who didn’t always support Grant
1st Term Problems
 In the south politicians take advantage of this
president and further alienate African Americans by:
Literacy Test
Poll Tax
Grandfather Clause
Voters must take a
test demonstrating
an ability to read and
write
Citizens had to pay a
tax to the state before
being allowed to vote.
A person who’s
grandfather voted
before 1867 could vote
without a literacy test
State examiners
could deliberately
pass whites and fail
blacks
Most blacks could not
afford to pay the tax
due to their serfdom
status
Only whites had
grandfathers who voted
before 1867
Election of 1872
 Despite all these issues Grant wins re-election in
1872.
Amnesty Act of 1872 and Panic of 1873
 Choose one of the following: Look it up online or in a US
history textbook, explain the key ideas related to the event.
 Amnesty Act of ‘72- (Who is receiving Amnesty?)
 Public opinion had changed by this point and Congress had
shifted in leadership = the north was more interested in
personal pursuits than helping slaves.
 Most troops were withdrawn from the south and 160,000
former Confederates received restored voting rights.
 Panic of 73 Brought on by changes globally (Germany changing currency
off of silver standard
 Brought on by US use of Greenback (promissory notes from
Civil War period)
Election of 1876
 Democratic Candidate: Samuel Tilden
 Republican Candidate: Rutherford B. Hayes
 Republicans accused Democrats in the south of ignoring
African American votes.
 Democrats accused Republicans of ignoring Tilden voters
(particularly in a Florida precinct).
 In Florida, Louisiana, Oregon, South Carolina each
submitted two sets of electoral returns from voting with
different results!
 Congress created a committee (The Electoral
Commission) to try and work out the contested election.
Why didn’t the Federal Gov’t stop Racial
Segregation & Jim Crow Politics in the South?
 The commission became bogged down in he-said/she-said
politics between Democrats and Republicans. The acrimony
was so severe, people feared a 2nd Civil War…
 In order to establish the next president and avert a crisis,
Democrats and Republicans met at the Wormley Hotel
(Washington D.C.).
 The Democrats agreed to accept Rutherford B. Hayes’ election
IF Republicans agree to withdraw federal troops from the
South, provide funding for Southern improvements
(railroads, building repairs etc.), & include a Southern
politician in the Cabinet.
The Compromise that ended Reconstruction
 Compromise of 1877: Federal troops withdrawn
from the south , Republican leaders in the South
lost power, Reconstruction comes to an end…
 What impacts do you think will come about due to
this deal?
 What dangers could this lead to for black people in
southern states?
Disputed Election of 1876
 Read Digital History and make a power-point slide
for the Disputed Election of 1876
 Your slide must have an Image; at least 3-5 bullet
points and explanation of the major ideas in the
reading.
 Feel free to look up additional information.
 Don’t put too much text on a slide; abbreviate your
ideas into short blurbs