Plans of Reconstruction

Reconstruction—The federal government’s plan to allow former CSA states back into the Union. (Northerners felt Reconstruction was the only way the South could be prevented from restoring their pre-Civil War society)

How had the role of Congress and the federal government changed during the Civil War?

The government began to direct the economy

How did the victorious northerners view Reconstruction of the South?

As the only way the South could be prevented from restoring their pre-Civil War society

Biggest Question—Who would control the process?

3 plans emerged

Abraham Lincoln’s Plan

--also known as 10% plan—required 10% of voters to swear allegiance

--gave pardons to former CSA officials when they took oath of allegiance to USA

----purpose was to quickly reunite the USintended to strengthen the Republican Party

--What brings an end to this plan?

Lincoln’s assassination

--Lincoln’s plan is based on the theory that the Confederate states had never actually left the union.

(VERY MILD)

Andrew Johnson’s Plan

--similar to Lincoln’s

--If southerners swore allegiance(50%), given pardon (individual pardons for wealthy)

--Each state had to void secession, end slavery and ratify the 13th Amendment

--President would decide when states had “Reconstructed”

**Johnson’s plan did nothing for the “Freedmen”

--Johnson gets impeached………plan NOT accepted by Congress.

Radical Republican’s Plan

--wanted the South punished for their actions

--saw other two plans as too lenient

--wanted to make it difficult for states to re-enter the Union

--40 acres and a mule (Land redistribution)

--divided South into 5 military districts

--allowed black males to vote, white Confederates could not

--had to ratify 13th and 14th Amendments

--4 states did not do this (___TX______,___GA______,__MS______,___LA______)

--they had to ratify 15th Amendment as well before being re-admitted

--The radical Republicans felt Reconstruction should include all of the following:

-the punishment of civil and military leaders of the Confederacy

-the disenfranchisement of large numbers of southern whites

-the protection of legal rights for blacks (14th Amendment)

-the guarantee of blacks’ voting privileges(15th Amendment)

What HAPPENS?

The Radicals felt like the president had no say so in Reconstruction…..that it should be a Congressional power.

--Johnson is determined to carry out his plan. He fires cabinet officials who didn’t agree with him.

--Congress passes the “Tenure of Office” Act

What does this do? President could NOT fire government officials without

Congressioal approval

--Johnson vetoes actCongress Overrides Veto

--sets the stage for Johnson’s impeachment

Impeachment of Johnson

--Johnson fired Secretary of War Edwin Stanton because he sided with Radicals

replaced him with US Grant who appt was rejected by Senate

--Fired Stanton again, replaced him with Lorenzo Thomas

--Stanton barricades himself in officerefuses to leave

--House votes to impeach Johnson

--charged with 11 crimes and misdemeanors including breaking Tenure of Office Act

--Tried in Senate, needed 2/3 majority for removal. Vote was 35 to 19—one vote short.

--Johnson finishes term.

Grant becomes 18th President

--In 1868, Republicans choose US Grant as candidate and he become 18th President

Southern Power Restored

--Union troops remained in military districts from 1865 to 1877. Many former Confederates sought revenge and restoration of power they had lost.

--All of the following occurred as a result of Reconstruction:

13th Amendment—Abolished slavery

14th Amendment—civil rights for all (Equal Protection Clause)

15th Amendment—male suffrage regardless of race or color

First Impeachment of a President

Carpetbaggers—those from the north who came south to take advantage of economic situation

Scalawags—those in south that worked with Northerners

Ku Klux Klan—hate group started by Nathan Bedford Forest to enforce Black codes

Enforcement Act of 1870—banned use of terror, etc. to prevent people from voting b/c of race

--The South was temporarily controlled by the Republican Party

--due to black vote and lack of white vote

--south had become solidly democratic

--now state governments were filled with republicans, some blacks were elected to US House (15)

And Senate (2)

--By the 1870s, African Americans in the North still remained politically powerless

--The Democratic Party re-emerges after troops left.

--south imposes Black codes to “keep blacks in their place”…….not voting!!!

**required literacy tests *used KKK to scare them out of voting

--white voters re-elected democrats

--SEGREGATION REPLACES SLAVERY (Jim Crow Laws)

Elections of 1868 and 1872

--Ulysses S. Grant elected for two terms (both uneventful and unsuccessful)

Election of 1876

--Republicans chose Rutherford B. Hayes

--Democrats ran Samuel Tilden

--Tilden wins popular vote but was one vote short of electoral majority.

--There were 20 disputed electoral votes.

--A Congressionally appointed commission of 5 guys gave all 20 votes and victory to Hayes

--South was outraged but agreed to Compromise

Compromise of 1877

--Hayes becomes President

--internal improvements were made in the South

--remaining federal troops were removed from the South