Reconstruction Reconstruction • 1865-1877 • Very complicated period of time during which the US: –Began to rebuild after Civil War –Readmitted southern states • Lots of disagreement on process Lincoln’s plans • Intended to be lenient to southerners & southern states –If states weren’t legally allowed to secede, they never actually did –People rebelled, not states –Individual people can be pardoned by the president Lincoln’s 10% Plan • Proclamation of Amnesty & Reconstruction (Dec 1863) –All rebels pardoned except: • High ranking Confederate officials • Accused of mistreatment of POWs –State could rejoin union if 10% of 1860’s voters swore allegiance Dissent to Lincoln’s Plan • Radical Republicans wanted to: – Seize former slaveholders’ property – Redistribute seized property to freed slaves – Give former slaves full citizenship – Allow former slaves to vote Radical Republican leaders Thaddeus Stevens (PA) & Charles Sumner (MD) Andrew Johnson (TN) • 17th president • Took over after assassination • Dem – picked by Lincoln to be VP for national unity Andrew Johnson (TN) • Only southern senator to remain loyal to US • Strong abolitionist • Hated plantation owners – thought war was their fault Andrew Johnson (TN) • Universally hated • Southerners hated him – traitor • Radical Reps hated him – dirty southerner Presidential Reconstruction • Johnson’s plan for reconstruction • States would be readmitted if they: – Withdraw secession – Swear allegiance to union – Cancel war debts against US gov – Ratify 13th amendment Presidential Reconstruction • Not included in plan: –Land rights for freed slaves –Voting rights for freed slaves –Legal protection for freed slaves • Radical Republicans were upset that these were missing Presidential Reconstruction • Southern states quickly followed his instructions • Held conventions: –Wrote new state constitutions –Set up new state governments –Elected new Congressmen End of Pres Reconstruction • Congress refused to admit new southern congressmen –Almost all of them were either former CSA congressmen or CSA military officers Freedmen’s Bureau • Congress proposed bill to continue & increase work of FB • Assisted former slaves & some poor whites in south –Distributed clothes & food –Built hospitals & schools Civil Rights Act of 1866 • Congress proposed bill to give freed slaves basic rights • Would make freedmen citizens • Would outlaw discriminatory laws like Black codes Black Codes • Postwar laws in south restricting rights of blacks: – Ownership of property – Carrying weapons – Interracial marriage – Serving on juries – Testifying against whites – Ability to move or travel Johnson’s vetoes • Andrew Johnson vetoed: –Freedmen’s Bureau law –Civil Rights Act • Angered moderate Republicans who had been on his side Congressional Reconstruction • Moderate & Radical Republicans joined forces • Overrode veto of Civil Rights Act • Wrote 14th Amendment th 14 Amendment • Everyone born within the boundaries of US is a citizen • Citizens have equal protection of the law • Did not include right to vote 1866 Congressional election • Johnson campaigned for congressional candidates who would support him • Campaigned with Ulysses Grant • Public loved Grant, hated Johnson 1866 Congressional election • Race riots erupted all around south – Fear that national government would step in to protect former slaves • Republicans won huge majority in Congress – Could override president’s vetoes Reconstruction Act of 1867 • Abolished new state govs formed in former CSA • Divided south into 5 military districts headed by union generals • States had to guarantee blacks’ voting rights to be readmitted Reconstruction Act of 1867 • Johnson vetoed act • Congress overrode Johnson’s veto • Johnson vowed not to enforce act Impeachment • Radical Republicans wanted to impeach Johnson for not enforcing Reconstruction Act –Was formally accused of misconduct in office Tenure of Office Act • Congress passed law saying: –President can’t fire a former president’s cabinet member unless Senate ok’s it • Johnson fired Secretary of War Edwin Stanton Impeachment • House impeached Johnson –Accused him of wrongdoing • Senate did not have the 2/3 vote required to expel Johnson –1 vote away from kicking him out th 15 Amendment • Passed in 1870 • No one can be denied suffrage because of: –Race –Color –Previous condition of servitude Postwar in the South • By 1870, all southern states readmitted to union • State govs were all Republican –Dems & Confeds were not given positions of power Physical & economic conditions • Property values plummeted –Land was destroyed –People who held CSA bonds or held CSA $ were out of luck • All southerners (exc freedmen) poorer than before war Public works programs • Congress did all this stuff: – Built roads, railroads & bridges – Built orphanages, public schools & hospitals • Expected states to help pay for projects – But they couldn’t afford it Politics in postwar south • Scalawags –Southern insult for southerners who joined the Republicans –Many trying to get ahead economically • Small farmers looking for a way to get a leg up on wealthy planters Politics in postwar south • Carpetbaggers –Southern insult for yankees who came down to exploit poor southerners –Some worked for Freedmen’s Bureau & came to help –Some wanted to start new businesses & industries in area African American voters • 90% of Black voters Republican • Large numbers of blacks registered to vote –Sometimes outnumbered whites Changes in voting • High # of blacks voting alarmed scalawags –Many didn’t believe in civil rights and started voting for Democrats Republicans react • Republicans gave jobs to some Democrats –Trying to convince southern whites to vote Republican –Didn’t convince them, just alienated black voters Education • 80% of freedmen had been illiterate – Had been illegal to teach them to read • Many early professors & teachers were northern whites • Schools & colleges formed by Freedmen’s Bureau & churches – Like Morehouse College in ATL Hiram Revels (R, MS) • 1st black senator • 1 of 16 black Congressmen during Reconstruction • Minister • Had served as captain in union army Restoration of plantations • People who wanted to restore plantations to original owners: –Planters whose land was taken –Northern textile merchants who did business with them –Poor southern whites wanting to stay superior to blacks Sharecropping • Landowners subdivided land into small plots • Gave workers land, seed, tools • Owners took ~50% of crops Tenant farming • Farmers pay rent for the land, keep all of the crops • Only if they can save up the $ –Very few sharecroppers could Economic depression • Demand for cotton dropped – Dropped prices • Foreign countries found other sources for cotton they needed • Southern planters overreacted & planted too much cotton – Drove prices down even more Economic depression • Planters couldn’t repay loans • Banks failed • No $ available for new loans • People couldn’t buy land, tools, start businesses, etc. • People stayed poor Opposition to reconstruction • Some southern whites violently opposed Republicans & blacks • Most southern whites just went about their business KKK • Originally a social club for former confederates –Expanded rapidly through south –Some local groups became violent terrorist organizations KKK • Used intimidation – stop blacks from exercising political rights –Threatened whites who helped or did business with blacks too KKK in southern elections • KKK’s intimidation so bad that most blacks didn’t vote at all • Dems eventually won elections for control over south –Then changed voting laws to restrict black voting Congress vs. the KKK • Enforcement Acts 1870-1871 –Southern elections monitored –President could send troops to put KKK down KKK’s decline • Declined because they mostly got what they wanted –Dems got back total control –Blacks had rights taken away • No need to keep fighting Amnesty Act (1872) • Allowed 150,000 former confederates to vote again • Mostly voted for Democrats U.S. Grant’s Scandals • President Grant was one of the worst presidents in history –Put corrupt people in positions under him – personal friends –Left them alone to ruin things Crédit Mobilier scandal (#1) • Gov was paying for transcontinental railroad construction • Crédit Mobilier was the railroad construction company – They were overbilling & pocketing the extra cash – Paying off government officials to look the other way Election of 1872 • Grant running for reelection • Some angry Repubs broke off & formed Liberal Repub Party – Insisted on ethical government – Nominated Horace Greeley • Grant won reelection Whiskey Ring scandal (#2) • Distillers didn’t want to pay the taxes on their whiskey – Bribed tax collectors – Cheated gov out of millions of $ • Grant’s personal secretary involved – he wouldn’t believe it Panic of 1873 • Lots of businessmen all over the country borrowed lots of money to start businesses • Many borrowed more money than they could pay back Panic of 1873 • Many people defaulted on loans • Banks closed • Stock market collapsed • Unemployment skyrocketed Currency problems • Before war, US $ was gold – There wasn’t much cash in circulation – Poor didn’t have access to cash at all • During war, needed more $ in circulation – US could handle temporary inflation – Needed more circulating cash to pay for war expenditures Currency problems • Increased money supply by issuing paper money • After the war: –Poor wanted to keep paper $ in circulation – “easy money” –Rich wanted to go back to gold standard – consolidates wealth North stopped caring • North was more concerned with: – Economic problems – Grant’s corruption • And less concerned with: – Protecting rights of blacks • Got tired of fighting south about Reconstruction Redemption • Democrats returned to power in all southern states by 1875 Election of 1876 Rutherford Hayes (R, OH) v. Samuel Tilden (D, NY) Election of 1876 • Backlash from Grant corruption • Both parties picked men with clean & honest reputations • Rs selected Hayes – Gov of OH • Ds selected Tilden – Gov of NY Election absurdity • Popular vote: Tilden: 4,284,757 Hayes: 4,033,950 • Electoral votes: (185 needed to win) Tilden: Hayes: Disputed: 184 165 20 Election absurdity • Results in 3 states disputed by Reps (accused Dems of fraud) – South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida Election absurdity • Commission set up to investigate the vote in the 3 states – 15 person commission – 8 Reps, 7 Dems – Ruled that votes were fraudulent, awarded the 3 states’ electoral votes to Hayes • Hayes won electoral vote – 185-184 Compromise of 1877 • House of Reps certifies/rejects presidential election results –Dems controlled House • Southern Dems made a deal –Allow Hayes to be president & US will end Reconstruction “Old 8 to 7” • Hayes was very unpopular • Everyone felt he cheated to become president Home rule • Dems canceled changes Reps had made while in charge –Cut taxes –Dismantled public schools –Cut social programs –Restricted rights of blacks