APUSH Chapter 15
The Freedmen's Bureau
(1865) provided food, clothing, education, health care for freed slaves, but also benefited poor whites. was authorized to give "40 acres and a mule" to each freedman but eventually stopped b/c the land would have been confiscated from confederates (too much tension) and people didn't want to have a society where gov't arbitrarily took private property from people.
**Plessy Vs. Ferguson
(1896) allowed for "separate but equal" accommodations for blacks in public/private institutions which legalized segregation until 1954
effects of crop-lien system on agriculture
-southern agriculture never really diversified because farmers=almost wholly dependent on cash crops (not food crops) like cotton to have any possibility of escaping debt. -excessive cotton planting exhausted the soil--> general decline in agricultural economy
3 groups of Republicans included in the Governments
1) Scalawags: southern white republicans, small farmers and whigs who wanted more commercial economy. 2) Carpetbaggers: northern migrants to the south, seen as taking advantage of the south for their own personal business gains 3) Freedmen: contributed 14 congressmen and 2 senators before 1876, but no governors and never controlled any state legislature, despite claims of "negro rule"
Problems with the civil Rights Cases
14th/15th amendments forbade racial discrimination by the states but not by private individuals/organizations, led to franchise restrictions
The Enforcement Acts
2 acts passed by Grant in 1870/1871 that forbade states from discriminating against voters b/c of race and gave federal gov't power to overrule state courts/prosecute violations of the law. helped to weaken the Klan.
The Whiskey Ring
A ring of tax-evading and fraudulent liquor distillers under Grant's administration
Panic of 1873
Four year economic depression caused by overspeculation on railroads and western lands, and worsened by Grant's poor financial response; insisted on having a "sound" currency backed by gold and silver instead of printing more greenbacks and increasing flow of currency.
Henry Grady & The New South
Grady was a advocate for developing a thrifty industrial economy in the south. he boasted that the south had placed work and industry above theory and politics - south is "in love with work"
Failure of Land Distribution
The Freedmen's Bureau did redistribute large amounts of land to freedmen in some areas from wealthy southern planters and from abandoned plantations. southern planters began to return and demand their land back, and very few republicans wanted to live where the gov't could arbitrarily confiscate land from people, so much of the land was given back to its original owners
The Election of 1868
Ulysses S. Grant (R) vs. Horatio Seymour (Dem.), Grant Won, despite political inexperience. was reelected in 1872 vs horace Greely (lib repub and dem.)
Booker T. Washington and the Altanta Compromise (1895)
Washington (black) gave a speech to a mixed audience in atlanta where he promoted seeking economic opportunity for blacks before social equality and emphasized self-improvement + accommodation to one's position rather than confronting whites. "cast down your buckets where you are"
Jim Crow System
a network of state laws/statutes that established an elaborate system of segregation in the south
Income Redistribution During Reconstruction
african americans started to earn more of a share in the profits of the plantation system and per capital income increased for them while southern per capital income declined, but it did not lift many from poverty
1866 Civil Rights Act
african americans would by declared citizens, would be given right to vote, and black codes would be outlawed. congress overrode johnson's veto but not really effectively enforced
Bourbon Rule
after hayes' election every southern state gov't had been "redeemed" by white democrats. many southerners saw it as a good thing - "home rule"- but political power was even more restricted than it had been during the war. a powerful socially conservative oligarchy (redeeemers/bourbons) of planters/newer industrial class members took control of gov't - promoted economic expansion, cut education + spending and legalized segregation
What did the Confederate states do
all the seceded states formed new govt's but in Dec. 1865, the ex-confederates started to send newly elected reps. to congress who were ex-confederate leaders. also w/ emancipation of slaves, the 3/5 compromise ended which gave sotuh 12 extra votes in congress and electoral votes. congress refused to seat them and a new more radical congressional reconstruction began
Command of the Army Act
also passed to stop interference from Jackson: president can't issue military orders except through the commanding general of the army (Grant), who couldn't not be fired/relocated w/o senate's consent.
Social Darwinism
an explanation northerners formed for their poverty and instability during the Panic of 1873/depression. Indiviuals who failed did so b/c of their own weaknesses and unfitness, which made ppl see the unemployed vagrant or poor blacks and whites as irredeemable misfits. discouraged gov't intervention in social and economic life --> discouraged reconstruction
The Fifteenth Amendment
became another requirement for statehood: forbade states and federal gov't to deny suffrage to any citizen because of his race or previous condition of servitude.
The Reconstruction governments of the South
contributed to the failure because they were formed while the south was still occupied by northern troops, only lasted about 5 years until the troops withdrew
"Grantism"
corruption brought to the US gov't by the grant administration
Conservatives Vs. Radical Republicans
disagreed over what to do with the south during reconstruction conservatives: main concern was for south to accept abolition of slavery Radicals: (C Sumner and T Stephens) wanted punishment of confederate civil/military leaders, disenfranchisement of many southern whites, redistribution of land from wealthy southerners who aided the confederacy. wanted freedmen's rights protected, some even wanted black suffrage moderates: Between radicals and conservatives: rejected most radical goals (gov't taking land) but wanted some concessions from south on freedmen's rights
Military Reconstruction Act of 1867
divided the south into 5 military districts, state conventions required to ratify 14th amendment and give suffrage to freedmen in order to be readmitted to the union, even though this wasn't really even practiced in the north.
Major Positive Effect of Reconstruction Gov'ts
dramatic improvement in southern education, despite fears of southern whites of blacks gaining knowledge: large network of schools for freedmen and black colleges developed as well as a comprehensive public school system for whites in the south. (schools = segregated)
White Southerners after the Civil War
economic catastrophe (currency worth basically nothing), destroyed towns, structures, land. many southern whites lost slaves, invested capital, personal property. thousands died and many still alive suffered starvation and/or homelessness. it was a time of "mourning", also a gender imbalance.
effects of fall of the Klan
ended peak of republican interest in enforcing rights the reconstruction era extended to blacks
Hayes hoped to
establish a "new republican organization" in the south w/ whiggish conservative white groups but failed - too much resentment of reconstruction
Southern Blacks after the civil war
even worse off than the whites: thousands of them had died too, and those alive and freed from slavery had no where to go after leaving their plantations. forced to roam in search of place to camp out in and looked for relatives they were separated from during slavery. they had basically nothing.
The Freedmen
ex-slaves freed after the civil war
Greatest accomplishments of Johnson and Grant
foreign affairs, thru Secs. of State William H Seward and Hamilton Fish
Black Middle Class
former slaves and offspring who managed to acquire property, establish small businesses, enter professions, but still inferior to white middle class.
African American Families/Gender Roles
freed african americans flocked from plantations to search for relatives, reunite families, get married legally. gender roles: became similar to white gender roles w. women turning to domestic tasks while men worked the fields, but many *married* black women forced to seek employment as domestic servants/field workers to earn money for the family since they were so poor
White unity
general white support for suppression of blacks to preserve white supremacy, hurt both poor whites and blacks.
Effects of Reconstruction State Govt's
included the same corruption and financial extravagance as anywhere else, increased gov't spending and public services sponsored by the gov't (segregated public schools), also allowed some property rights for women
Did Reconstruction Fail or Succeed?
it had some successes, but overall it was ultimately a failure - didn't establish racial equality or equality of opportunity and eventually democrats came to dominate the south while North Lost interest
Crop-Lien System
landowning and tenant blacks and whites had to rely on credit from local country stores to purchase the food, clothing, seed, equipment they needed. the stores charged very high interest on the loans and in exchange for them, farmers had to give merchants a lien (claim) on a share of their crops. bad harvests creates a almost inescapable debt and many lost their land.
Franchise Restrictions in the 1890s
literacy tests (hard for illiterate blacks), poll taxes (hard for blacks to pay), property qualifications, grandfather clauses (ppl whose ancestors voted before reconstruction can vote - banned blacks) - made it much harder for blacks, but poor whites targeted too
Developments in the New South
literature romanticized both industrialization and the history of the Old South. The textile and, steel, and tobacco industries grew substantially, as well as Railroad development. the south was able to just regain what it had lost during and after the war and still depended on the north for capital
Lynchings
lynching by angry mobs increased throughout the south and targeted poor whites as well as blacks accused of crimes but not formally charged, made other nations like europe to see US as barbaric
Freedom for White southerners
meant preserving white supremacy and freedom to control their lives without interference from the north or federal government
Sharecropping
most african american agricultural laborers became tenants of white landowners, working on their own plots of land and paying their landlords either rent and/or a share of their crops. allowed physical independence for blacks from the gang system used during slavery.
the KKK
most widespread paramilitary terrorism against blacks that used rituals, costumes, secret languages, and other mysterious acts to bind its members and terrify black southern communities. many whites saw it as patriotic.
The Wade-Davis Bill (1864)
passed by Radicals who believed the confederacy had "lost its rights" and deserved punishment, wanted a more gradual remission, but "pocket-vetoed" by lincoln the bill: 50% of voters in confed. state had the take the "Iron Clad Oath": swear that they never willingly took up arms against the Union, and only the oath takers could vote for delegates to a state constitutional convention. state constitution had to ban slavery. only whites could vote (not radical)
The Tenure of Office Act (1867)
passed to "aggravate" johnson and keep him from interfering, not actually constitutional: required senate's consent for removal of presidential appointees. angered johnson--> fired Sec. of War Edwin Stanton (radical "spy"). in response the House voted to impeach johnson for "high crimes and misdemeanors" but he was acquitted (1 vote off) and kept office.
Fourteenth Amendment
proposed by Congress (joint committee on reconstruction): defined citizenship as anyone born in the US and everyone naturalized; all citizens to be given rights of americans. gave civil rights except voting to freedmen, guaranteed "due process" and "equal protection" under the law, and reduced congressional representation if any group of **men wasn't allowed to vote. federal officials who aided confed. forbidden to hold office. acknowledged federal debt and repudiated confederate war debt; congress offered to readmit states upon ratification of 14th amendment but all but TN refused.
What did Johnson Actually do
recognized some 10% plan govt's and some who followed his plan in may 1865. those who were truly back in the union would send representatives to congress. the radicals rejected both types of govt's
The Grant Administration
seen as one of the worst presidencies ever b/c of corruption, scandals and use of the spoils system with some of his appointees
the Black codes
sets of laws passed by southern state legislatures designed to give whites control over former slaves: -unemployed blacks could be fined for vagrancy -some forbade them from owning/leasing farms or from taking jobs other than plantation workers/domestic servants Congress responded by passing bills; one to extend life of Freedman's Bureau and to give congress power to nullify work agreements imposed by black codes; also the civil rights act
"Seward's Folly"
seward accepted russia's offer to sell Alaska to the US for $7.2 million, despite criticism from those who saw it as a frozen wasteland
Lincoln's Death
shot by John Wilkes Booth while watching a play at Ford's Theater in Washington. made him be seen as a martyr, some saw it as a southern conspiracy
Freedom for Ex-slaves
some wanted land distribution, legal equality, but most all united by desire for independence from white control: created independent African american communities (schools, churches, aid societies)
convict-lease system
southern states leased gangs of convicted criminals to private interests as a cheap labor supply. criminals were often poorly mistreated and were not paid (cost went to the state). took jobs from free labor force
Specie Resumption Act (1869)
to crush the greenback movement "for good" - redeemed the greenbacks of uncertain value w/ certificates directly linked to gold prices, which helped creditors but hurt the debtors b/c it prevented inflation
Compromise of 1877
to resolve the disputed electoral votes, Republican senate members met secretly with southern democrats: hayes would promise to withdraw the last troops from the south in exchange for Democratic support; also agreed to appoint one southerner to his cabinet, would give dems. control of their own federal patronage, support internal improvements in the south, and fund southern railroads
Southern "Redeemers"
took initiative to revert back to the way the South was before the war. once federal troops started withdrawing from the south, suffrage was restored to most white southerners, state by state, Democrats regained political power and whites used armed terrorism to discourage blacks/white republicans from voting/taking part in gov't
Johnson's "Swing Around the Circle" Tour
tried to rally support for conservative reconstruction, bashed radical republicans, but it backfired; (radical) repubs. gained 2/3 majority in congress by the election of 1866
The Credit Mobilier Scandal
union pacific stockholders steered large fraudulent contracts to their construction company associated with the building of the Union Pacific Railroad. Far more money was charged of the government than was actually needed to construct the railroad, and directors of the company gave stock to congress to avoid investigations
Southern Work Force
unmarried women at first, also entire families, limited employment for blacks. hours were long, wages = much lower than north, factory owners suppressed protest and union organization and also issued credit at high interest.
National Greenback Party
wanted inflation to pay off debts, not currency linked to gold, not very popular
Landownership during reconstruction
while white landownership declined, black land ownership rose, but most blacks and a minority of whites still did not own their own land or had lost it, or depended on philanthropic organizations to get property
the myth of "the Lost Cause"
white southerners looked back nostalgically at the pre-civil war south, honored southern generals as war heroes and built monuments to commemorate the dead. whites wanted to protect whatever was left of their pre-war world.
Johnson's "Presidential Reconstruction"
would appoint provisional governors who had been southern unionists, would offer pardon to all oath-swearing confederates except the high ranking and wealthy (w/ $20,000 or more). each confed. state had to repudiate secession, repudiate confederate war debt (confederate bonds would not be paid back), and ratify the 13th amendment banning slavery before it could send reps. to congress and be re-admitted
Lincoln's 10% plan for remission (1863)
Lincoln devised it b/c he wanted a speedy reunion with the south w/o really cracking down on them and causing more conflict. in his eyes the south had never really legally seceded (no right to) the plan: 10% of voters in any state in 1860 had to sign loyalty oath to the gov't and had to abolish slavery in state constitution to set up a state gov't result: some states started on it, but it was never adopted by congress
Andrew Johnson
Lincoln's successor and previously a democrat from TN who didn't secede but hated wealthy southern planters and blacks (not strict repub.). Started "Presidential Reconstruction" while congress was out of session.
Reconstruction Bills
Passed by congress under congressional reconstruction: Military Reconstruction, Fifteenth Amendment, Tenure of Office Act, Command of the Army Act
Election of 1877
R. Hayes (R) vs. S. Tilden (D) Tilden won popular vote, but electoral votes disputed in 4 states, convention of "equal" #s of D's and R's and 1 independent held to settle it. the independent was really more republican, so Hayes won which angered Dems.(saw more behind it, a secret agreement)
