Reconstruction
1865-1877
• Story - Tom Mansart, a former slave in South Carolina
• After Sherman tore through the South, Mansart, along
with many other former slaves, left his farm and
master.
• He staked out a farm on a former white owned farm, a
year later, the federal government returned all land to
the former white owners.
• He then got a job loading ships and joined a union for
free blacks.
• By 1871, he had married and become the president of
the union. He was politically active in the Republican
Party.
• When the economy went into crisis in the early 1870’s,
he lost his job.
• Mansart was killed by roving bands of white’s who
were out discouraging blacks from voting in the
election of 1876
Issues of Reconstruction
• What is the new role of freed blacks in the
South? Equality? Should they be given the
right to vote? Many northern states did not
even give blacks this right…
• focus point – the consensus at the time was
that blacks were inferior to whites
• How should former states be readmitted to
the union?
Major Groups involved in Reconstruction
(not necessarily in control of…)
• 1. Republicans who controlled the government
and were looking to reform the South
•
• 2. Former slaves who wanted the right to vote,
education. Etc. (rights not even given to free
blacks in the north.)
•
• Free Southern Blacks – “What shall we do with
the Negro? Do Nothing… Let him alone!”
(Frederick Douglas)
Major Groups involved in
Reconstruction (continued)
• African American Aspirations – Full Rights of Citizenship
• Education – northern church groups move south and start
schools under direction of the freedmen’s bureau. Single
young white women move south to teach.
• Economic Independence – As with whites, land ownership
is seen as key to success. Sherman issues “Field Order 15”
allowing blacks to work 40 acre plots in abandon southern
farmland. Begins the false rumor that all blacks will be
given “40 acres and a mule”. Black land ownership was
encouraged through laws such as the Southern Homestead
Act (1866) – gives low interest loans and sets aside federal
land to encourages black land ownership. Modest success.
Virginia has highest percent of black ownership – 43% of
blacks own land.
• Freedom of movement – migration to cities
• Free and independent black churches – split form white
churches
Major Groups involved in
Reconstruction (continued)
• 3. White Southerners looking to return life in the south to
normal. They were looking to keep former slaves
subservient, even though they were freed.
• Southern Perspective – “The Lost Cause”
• Southern soldiers returned to a devastated homeland.
Former plantation owners lived in former slave quarters,
fearing the retribution of the free blacks. With no money,
no food and no crops in the field, they had little idea how
they would survive.
• Southerners had to make sense of the changes that had
taken place. They began to spread the legend of the
nobility of their fight against the North. In the collective
southern consciousness, the South fought bravely against a
superior foe. They had continued to fight for what was
right even after it was clear they would lose.
• They had lost the first battle (the Civil War), but they would
prevail in the long run.
• 1865-1867
• - Johnson Administration Reconstruction
•
- White southerners control former
slaves
and state governments
• 1867-1870
• Republican controlled Congress tries to
balance white southern and free black needs
• 1870-1877
• White southerner slowly gain control through
violence and intimidation while the
Republicans slowly lose interest and the will to
continue Radical Reconstruction.
Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan
• – very lenient on south to encourage loyalty to union
• - readmit states when 10% of voters pledge loyalty and
prohibit slavery in state constitution
• - Equal civil rights to blacks not required OR EXPECTED
• - white southerners trusted to respect the rights of
former slaves
• Republican Congress thinks Lincoln Plan too lenient
•
- Respond by passing Wade Davis Bill (1864)
•
- requires majority of voters to pledge loyalty to
union
•
- demands black equality
•
- Lincoln pocket vetoes
1865-1867 “Presidential Reconstruction”
• Johnson’s Plan – Constitution makes no mention
of reconstruction or readmission
•
- States actually never left the union, they
were just in the process of rebelling… therefore
there is no need for a “readmission policy”
Johnson and the northern democrats, (War????
What War???)
• - no readmission needed
• - grants pardons
• - opposes land redistribution
• - opposes black suffrage
• - silent on equal rights (equivalent to opposition)
Johnson’s Plan (cont.)
• details: (1) anyone who swore allegiance to the union
received a pardon and restoration of property rights.
• (2) prominent southerners and those with more than
$20,000 in property had to petition the president
directly for a pardon.
• Had southern whites accepted the plan, it would have
gone smoothly. Southern rejection led to an adverse
northern reaction.
• Southerners tried to revise black codes to reinstitute
slavery under other names such as “forced labor
farms” for “disorderly” workers.
• Many states rejected some of Johnson’s plans and
refused to ratify the 13th Amendment. (read black
codes pg. 526)
1867-1870 “Congressional Reconstruction or
Radical Reconstruction”
• (2) moderate republicans
• - readmission policy
• - favors black suffrage, and limits on white suffrage
• - equal rights
• - opposed to land redistribution
• - split on military rule
• details: (1) Congress passes the Civil Rights Act of 1866
(passed over Johnson’s Veto) which lists all the rights to
which U.S. citizens are entitled (supercedes state
laws!). (2) 14th Amendment passes Congress 1866
(ratified 1868). Johnson’s opposition to the moderates
plan (including the 14th), led to sweeping Republican
victories in the election of 1866, and substantial
majorities in both HOR & Senate.
1867-1870 “Congressional Reconstruction or Radical
Reconstruction” (cont.)
• Radical Republicans (led by Thaddeus Stevens – HOR & Charles
Sumner in Senate). See the future South as a utopian collection of
small black and white owned farms.
•
- all the moderate republicans policies
•
+
- treat south as territories under military control
- favor land redistribution
•
•
details: (1) Military Reconstruction Acts – military rule of 5
• districts in the South. Military’s goals is to (a) register black
• voters (b) keep Confederate supporters out of office and (c)
• rewrite state constitutions to include universal male suffrage. (2)
Pass 15th Amendment (1869) “Universal male suffrage”
Impeachment
• Republicans in Congress pass the “Tenure of Office
Act” 1867, which limits the president’s power to fire
certain office holders. This will limit Johnson’s ability
to interfere with Radical Reconstruction.
• Johnson believes the “Tenure of Office Act” to be
unconstitutional, and deliberately violates it almost
immediately by firing Secretary of War, Stanton.
• HOR votes to impeach, but Senate fails to convict by
only one vote (35 to 19 – one shy of 2/3 required.)
• Impeachment is more about Reconstruction and
Johnson’s opposition to Radical Republican policies,
than the firing of Stanton. Is seen today as a shameful
partisan action.
Reconstruction in the South
• Southern states were at first dominated by Republicans
•
- Old Democrats were not allowed in the govt.
•
- Black voters swing south in to republican hands
•
- Carpetbaggers
•
- Scalawags
•
• Scalawags – White southern republicans who were considered
traitors by southern democrats. Often former whigs. They were in
favor of republican egalitarian economic and education policies but
were seen by most southerners as pro-black traitors.
•
• Carpetbaggers – Northerners who moved south after the war. They
often won public office during the republican years. Some were
former army that liked the climate etc. of the south. Most came for
economic opportunity provided by desperate southern economy –
cheap land etc. Seen by southerners as the scum of the north.
•
• Black Union membership increases dramatically
Counter Reconstruction – 1870-1874
• South is divided over policies, high taxes and expenditures
from reconstruction.
• Southern Democrats use racism to overcome economic
differences between the parties, in order to unify white
southerners.
• - racial rhetoric
• - racial violence/terrorism
• Northerners are outraged at increase in southern violence,
but are tired of the fight. Many feel they have done
enough in ending slavery and that the rest is a lost cause.
Racism of northerners makes them accept/reinforce the
idea that blacks are inferior and can not handle all of the
responsibilities of their new found freedom. This
philosophy is supported by a new group – the Liberal
Republicans – who support restoring government control in
the south back to local whites.
Racial Violence
• KKK – Ku Klux Klan - Founded by former confederate
soldiers in Tennessee, in 1866. Founded by former generals
Nathan Bedford Forrest & John Gordon.
• 1867 – Violence and murder against blacks on election day
in order to dissuade blacks from voting. Political motivated
in order to get Democrats elected.
• Random Violence – Reports of blacks being murdered if
they could read and write (or any other random reason).
• By 1868, KKK or similar organizations permeate the south.
• 1868 election – Louisiana - 700 black republicans killed.
Decreases black voting by 50% in New Orleans.
• 1873 – Colfax, LA – Black republican government officials
hold town for three weeks against a siege by whites.
(similar to “Bleeding Kansas” – mini war going on!)
• Immigrants and non-Christians are also targeted.
Northern Response
• Pass 15th Amendment to try and protect voting rights
• Enforcement Act of 1870 – Federal Govt. can appoint
supervisors to help protect black’s rights.
• KKK Act of 1871 – gives supervisors assistance from army to
arrest KKK
• ALL FAILURES!!!!!!!!!!!
• Northerners are sick of fighting. Grant runs on the slogan
“Let us have peace.”
• Govt. corruption abounds and black voters are blamed.
Claim that
unqualified candidates are being elected.
• “Scientific” studies prove black inferiority – bogus of
course…..
• Liberal Republicans - Advocate returning south to local
“white” rule.
•
Ally with Democrats to end Reconstruction
Southern “Redemption” 1874 - 1877
• White Southern Democrats regain control.
• After continued losses to the Republicans in 1872, KKK redoubles efforts
to increase white and restrict black turnout in elections.
• Violence is much more open and more accepted. Former soldiers wear
confederate uniforms at election events.
• Successfully increase politically motivated violence and triumph in
election of 1876.
• Southern Democrats consider themselves “Redeemers”.
• Redeemers – “holy warriors who saved the South from the hell of black
republican rule.”
• This historical view taught for generations to Southerners………
• Some southern governors ask for federal help from Grant. He refuses and
allows the violence to continue, effectively abandoning southern blacks.
Grant tells white southerners to “use better judgment”.
• Civil Rights Act of 1875 – proposed by Charles Sumner and passed
posthumously.
• Purportedly protected black rights in south. Largely ignored (much like
Fugitive Slave Act). Congress declares it unconstitutional in 1883.
Election of 1876
• Republican Hayes v. Democrat Tilden
• Disputed election. Tilden wins popular vote,
but does no win necessary 185 electoral votes
(only gets 184 due to disputed votes in three
southern states).
• Compromise of 1877 – Hayes gets presidency
and agrees to end reconstruction (something
he planned to do anyway).
Reflection on Reconstruction
• It is a failure in that it does not bring equality
to blacks, but they are much better off than
they had been under slavery. They can leave
south if they wish and have limited freedoms,
albeit not voting etc.
• Plantation System is replaced by
sharecropping, in which blacks can profit from
their labor, live independently, even though
they are in a subservient position in society.
• 14th and 15th Amendments are not worth the
paper they are printed on until 1960’s.