The Radicals Take Control Chapter 2 Lesson 2
Southern states government
Also controlled by Republicans because many white southerners refused to take part in the elections for constitutional conventions in new state governments. Thousands of newly register African-Americans cast ballots. This weber the Republicans.
Black codes
Illegal for African Americans to own or rent farms. Easy for White employers to take advantage of African Americans workers. Officials could fine and even arrest African Americans that did not have jobs.
Why the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Johnson
In 1867 while Congress was not in session, President Johnson suspended Stanton without senates approval. When the Senate met again, refused to approve the suspension. Johnson then fired Stanton which was in violation of the tenure of office act.
Black codes
Laws passed in 1866 to help control the newly freed African Americans
Second Reconstruction Act
1) empower the army to register voters in each district 2) and the army could help organize state constitutional conventions
1868
Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia Louisiana North Carolina and South Carolina ratified the 14th amendment and rejoin the union
Johnson's critics
Argued that Congress has supreme power to make laws and that Johnson's vetoes interfered with that power.
Johnson's defenders
Argued that Johnson had exercised his authority to challenge laws that he felt were unconstitutional. That he was being impeached for political reasons.
Significance of the congressional elections of 1866
Because voters did not agree with Johnson's opinions, the Republicans overwhelmingly won and had the majority so controlled Congress. This meant that President Johnson could no longer prevent Congress from overriding his vetoes.
Edwin Stanton
Cabinet member and Secretary of War over the military that was in charge of the districts
President Johnson
Campaigned against Radical Republicans in the congressional elections of 1866.
True
Congress overrode Johnson's veto of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
False
Congress passed the Civil Right Act of 1866 to enforce black codes.
Horacio Seymore
Democratic nominee and New York governor. Lost to Ulysses Grant.
Bill in 1866
Gave Freedmen's Bureau new powers. It could set up special courts to try persons charged with violating African Americans rights. African Americans could sit on juries in these courts and judge accused White Southerners.
Reason for the vetoes
He claimed that both bills were unconstitutional and that the federal government was overstepping their authority. He reasoned that the law was passed by a Congress without representation by all states. By saying this, it was a warning that he would veto any law passed by Congress in which the South was not represented.
3 months (almost)
How long Johnson.s impeachment trial lasted.
Republicans in Congress
Overrode President Johnson's vetoes allowing both bills to become law.
False
President Andrew Johnson supported the opinions of the Radical Republicans.
Fourteenth Amendment
President Johnson made it a major issue in the campaign
False
Radical Republicans were glad to seat the new Southern senators and representatives in Congress.
Fourteenth Amendment
Ratified by the states in 1868, it addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the laws. It protected the citizenship extended to African-Americans by the civil rights act. It guaranteed that citizenship could not later be taken away by passing another law. It made it clear that if a state barred any adult male citizens from voting, that state could lose representation in Congress. Another part said that no state could take a persons life, liberty, or property without due process under law. It's stated that every person was entitled to equal protection of the laws.
Fifteenth Amendment
Ratified in 1870, it gave male citizens the right to vote regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude. Including former slaves.
Radical Reconstruction
Reconstruction plans led by the Radical Republicans of Congress
Ulysses Grant
Republican nominee and Civil War hero. Became President after Johnson.
True
Some people in the South reacted to the Fourteenth Amendment with violence against African Americans.
Tenure of Office Act
Stated that the president could not remove government officials, including members of his own cabinet without Senate approval Congress wanted to protect secretary of war Edwin Stanton. Stanton was over the military and a supporter of radical reconstruction.
Dred Scott v Sandford
Supreme Court decision in 1857 which ruled that African Americans were NOT citizens
What was the result of the President Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial in the Senate?
The Senate did not get the two thirds majority needed to convict President Johnson. He remained in office until the end of President Lincoln's second term in 1869. During that time, He did little to interfere with Congress's reconstruction plans.
True
The black codes were passed to help control African Americans.
Tennessee
The only state to originally ratify the 14th amendment. It was able to keep its government and rejoin the Union. The only Confederate state that was not part of a military district.
True
The purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment was to grant citizenship to African Americans.
True
There was increasing violence towards African Americans after amending the Constitution.
First Reconstruction Act
This law required that the 10 former Confederate states that had not ratified the 14th amendment to be divided into five military districts and to: 1) form new governments, 2) submit a new state constitution to Congress for approval 3) Guaranteed African-American men the right to vote in state elections Each district was governed by an army general until new state governments were formed. Former Confederate leaders were banned from serving in these new governments
Civil Rights Act of 1866
To combat the black codes, Radical Republicans pushed it through Congress. It have the federal government the right to get involved in state affairs to protect the rights of African Americans. It also granted citizenship to African Americans. This Act was meant to counter the Dred Scott decision.
Impeach
To formally charge a public official with misconduct while in office.
Override
To reject or defeat something that has already been decided
Suspend
To set aside or temporarily stop the operation of something
Former Confederate Leaders
Under 14th Amendment, were excluded from holding any national or state office unless Congress had pardoned them.
1870
When the three remaining states, Mississippi Virginia and Texas ratified the 14th amendment and rejoined the Union.
May 1866
White mobs killed 50 African-Americans and burned their homes, schools and churches in Memphis Tennessee. Reactions to such violence helped Republicans win the elections of 1866.
President Andrew Johnson
Who vetoed both the Civil Rights Act and the Bill that gave the Freedmen's Bureau new powers?
Republicans
Won an overwhelming majority in Congress. This meant that Johnson could no longer prevent them from overriding his vetoes. (Voter's rejected Johnson's views. Northerner's disliked his tone. Some feared clashes were taking place in the South.)