The Civil War and Reconstruction

Race Riots

A public outbreak of violence between two racial groups in a community.

how did the republican party form and what were its main issues?

Abraham Lincoln is the founder of the Republican party. It started and continues to bring equality for all. The Republican party ended slavery, passed civil rights which the Democrat house and senate opposed, continues to treat all people as equal instead of dividing them based on race, gender, religion, etc.

Impeachment

An action by the House of Representatives to accuse the president, vice president, or other civil officers of the United States of committing "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

Enforcement Act of 1870

Passed by Congress to ban the use of terror, force, or bribery to prevent people from voting because of their race. Protected voting rights for African Americans.

The Fourteenth Amendment

Passed by Congress, this amendment protected Freedman's rights from presidential vetoes, Southern state legislatures and federal court decisions, as well as guaranteeing equality under the law for citizens. "all persons born or naturalized in the United States" citizens of the country

Poll Taxes

Required citizens of a state to pay a special tax(ex: $1-2) in order to vote. Most African Americans could not afford this, therefor they could not vote. However, this also prevented some poor white Southeners from voting too.

Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893)

Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893), the 19th president of the United States, won a controversial and fiercely disputed election against Samuel Tilden. He withdrew troops from the Reconstruction states in order to restore local control and good will, a decision that many perceived as a betrayal of African Americans in the South. He served a single term, as he had promised in his inaugural address.

Secessionist

a person who favors formal withdrawal from membership of a federation or body, especially a political state.

Corruption

dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.

Racial Wealth Gap

gap in wealth between whites and people of color.

Redeemer Governments and Ideology

lesson 13

Integration

the act of uniting or bringing together, especially people of different races

Sharecropping

*Landowners supplied tenants with food, shelter, tools, and supplies *Sharecroppers gave a portion of their crop to the landowner as payment and kept the rest *Sharecroppers did not own the crops or land *Sharecroppers often became indebted to Landowners *The landowner was always in debt to the owner, so he could never move, because he always owned the labor for next year's crop. -not very sustainable because if you had one bad year of crop, you'd be in debt.

Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction

*Lincoln*- "Ten Percent Plan", as soon as ten percent of a state's voters took a loyalty oath to the Union, the state would set up a new government. If the state's constitution abolished slavery and provided education for African Americans, the state would regain representation in Congress. They had to offer FULL pardons to all former Confederates and forced states to accept the emancipation of slaves.Lincoln was generous in other ways to white southerners. He was willing to grant pardons to former Confederates, and he considered compensating them for lost property. In addition, Lincoln did not require a guarantee of social or political equality for African Americans. He recognized pro-Union governments in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee even though they denied African Americans the right to vote. Lincoln took the position that the Union was unbreakable and therefore the southern states had never really left the Union. In his Second Inaugural Address, delivered a month before the war ended, Lincoln promised forgiveness.

Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the United States saved the Union during the Civil War and emancipated the slaves; was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14 at "Our American Cousin" (1809-1865). Lincoln's assassination was suppose to be a distraction for the North, so the South could continue the war.

Andrew Johnson

17th President of the United States, A Southerner form Tennessee, as V.P. when Lincoln was killed, he became president. He opposed radical Republicans who passed Reconstruction Acts over his veto. The first U.S. president to be impeached, he survived the Senate removal by only one vote. He was a very weak president.

The Fifteenth Amendment(1870)

1870 constitutional amendment that guaranteed voting rights regardless of race or previous condition of servitude. Still, states could impose voting restrictions to target blacks, based on literacy or property qualifications, which excluded most African Americans.

Scalawags

A derogatory term for white Southerners who supported Reconstruction following the Civil War.

Redlining

A discriminatory real estate practice in North America in which members of minority groups are prevented from obtaining money to purchase homes or property in predominantly white neighborhoods. The practice derived its name from the red lines depicted on cadastral maps used by real estate agents and developers. Today, redlining is officially illegal.

CarpetBaggers

A northerner who went to the South immediately after the Civil War; especially one who tried to gain political advantage or other advantages($) from the disorganized situation in southern states

When did the southern states secede?

December 20, 1860, yet the Confederate States of America did not "establish" until February 1861, when they framed a constitution for a new government. it stressed the independence of each state and implied that states had the right to secede. It also guaranteed the protection of slavery. To win the support of Britain and France, which adamantly opposed the slave trade, it prohibited importing new slaves from other countries.

Radical Republicans

During and after the American Civil War, a member of the Republican Party committed to emancipation of the slaves and later to the equal treatment and enfranchisement of the freed blacks. They believed that blacks were entitled to the same political rights and opportunities as whites. Furthermore, they believed that confederate leaders should be punished for their roles in the Civil War.

Why was a plan needed for the Reconstruction of the South?

Following the Civil War, leaders argued over how to rebuild the South and secure rights for newly-freed African Americans, causing years of delay and turmoil. African Americans began to exercise their new rights, but soon black codes encroached on their new freedoms.

What strategy did the politicians known as Redeemers employ to gain political power? What was the outcome?

In United States history, the Redeemers were a political coalition in the Southern United States during the Reconstruction Era that followed the Civil War. ... They generally were led by the rich landowners, businessmen and professionals, and dominated Southern politics in most areas from the 1870s to 1910. southern Democrats fond of talking about "redeeming" their states from the alleged "misrule and corruption" wrought by Republican carpetbaggers, scalawags, and their black allies who assumed control as Congressional Reconstruction began in 1867-68.

What did Lincoln state in his inaugural address?

In his inaugural address, he took a firm but conciliatory tone toward the South. "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists," he began. But he did intend to preserve the Union. "No state, upon its own mere action, can lawfully get out of the Union," he said. Still, he would avoid violence. There would be no war, he pledged, unless the South started it. He concluded with an appeal to the South to live in peace.

Grandfather Clauses

Law that excused a voter from literacy test if his grandfather had been eligible to vote on Jan. 1 1867 - therefor Black people could not vote whatsoever because enslaved Africans could not vote.

Black Codes (1865-1866)

Laws passed in former US Confederate states restricting the civil and political rights of newly freed blacks. They limited freedom of employment, freedom of movement, right to own land, and freedom to testify in court. The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution (1868) outlawed the Black Codes.

Radical Republicans and the Wade-Davis Bill

Members of Lincoln's own party opposed his plan. Led by Representative Thaddeus Stevens and Senator Charles Sumner, these "Radical Republicans" in Congress insisted that the Confederates had committed crimes—by enslaving African Americans and by entangling the nation in war. The Radical Republicans advocated full citizenship, including the right to vote, for African Americans. They favored punishment and harsh terms for the South, and they supported Sherman's plan to confiscate Confederates' land and give farms to freedmen. It also required 50% of a state's voters to take an oath of loyalty to the Union in order to call a constitutional convention and elect a new government. In addition, they would divide the South into five military districts. In 1864, Congress passed the Wade-Davis Bill that required a majority of a state's prewar voters to swear loyalty to the Union before the process of restoration could begin.The bill also demanded guarantees of African American equality. President Lincoln killed this plan with a "pocket veto" by withholding his signature beyond the 10-day deadline at the end of the congressional session.

Literacy Tests

Method used to deny African-Americans the vote in the South that tested a person's ability to read and write - they were done very unfairly so even though most African-Americans could read and write by the 1950's they still failed. They were often impossible to pass and have a time restriction.

Civil Rights Cases (1883)

Name attached to five cases brought under the Civil Rights Act of 1875. In 1883, the Supreme Court decided that discrimination in a variety of public accommodations, including theaters, hotels, and railroads, could not be prohibited by the act because such discrimination was private discrimination and not state discrimination.

How did northerners and southerners view slavery?

Northerners and southerners viewed slavery in two very different ways. The Northerners opposed slavery and did not believe in it, as it went against the basic principles of the United States. Yet, the Southeners were very pro-slavery and thought African Americans were inferior.

The Freedman's Bureau

One Radical Republican plan did receive the President's support. This was the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, known as the Freedman's Bureau. Established a few weeks before Lincoln's death, its goal was to provide food, clothing, health care, and education for both African American and white refugees in the South. The Freedmen's Bureau helped reunite families that had been separated by slavery and war. It negotiated fair labor contracts between former slaves and white landowners. By representing African Americans in the courts, the Bureau also established a precedent that African American citizens had legal rights. The Freedmen's Bureau continued its efforts until 1872.

Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation on September 22, 1862, freeing the slaves in the Confederate states as of January 1, 1863, the date of the final proclamation. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."

How did the Union and the Confederacy compare in strengths and weaknesses?

Primarily, the North had a tremendous advantage in population: nearly 21 million people lived in the states that stayed in the Union. By contrast, the Confederacy had a population of only 9 million, of whom 3.5 million were enslaved African Americans. Additionally, the North was far more prepared to wage war against the agrarian South. The Union had a small but well-organized navy. By the spring of 1861, the Union had about 40 seaworthy vessels, with more under construction. By the end of 1861, the North had more than 250 vessels. The South had only about 20 ships when war broke out, leaving it vulnerable to a naval , in which Union ships prevented merchant vessels from entering or leaving the port. Finally, while the Confederate government was new and inexperienced, the North had an established government and an outstanding leader in Abraham Lincoln. Not everyone recognized this fact at the outset of the war, but Lincoln's leadership would prove invaluable to the Union cause. One of the Confederacy's advantages was psychological. Many northerners were willing to let the slaveholding South go. To them, preserving the Union was not worth killing and dying for. But the Confederacy was fighting for survival.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

Prohibited discrimination against blacks in public place, such as inns, amusement parks, and on public transportation. Declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Election of 1876

Race for the presidency between Republican Rutherford B Hayes and Democrat Samuel J Tilden. The decision of the winner came down to congress but no one knew which house should vote because the Senate was Republican and the House of Reps was Democratic. Congress created a Special Electoral Commission consisting of 5 senators, 5 House Reps, and 5 justices from the Supreme court. Votes went 8-7 in favor of Hayes.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

Radical and Moerate republicans were mad by the lack of regard the South had towards reconstruction- in result- Congress passed a bill to allow the Freedmen's Bureau to continue work, and Johnson vetoed it. Congress fought to overturn black codes with the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Congress created federal guarantees of civil rights and superseded any state laws that limited them- Johnson vetoed that, again.

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses Grant (1822-1885) commanded the victorious Union army during the American Civil War (1861-1865) and served as the 18th U.S. president from 1869 to 1877. During the Civil War, Grant, an aggressive and determined leader, was given command of all the U.S. armies. After the war he became a national hero, and the Republicans nominated him for president in 1868. A primary focus of Grant's administration was Reconstruction, and he worked to reconcile the North and South while also attempting to protect the civil rights of newly freed black slaves. While Grant was personally honest, some of his associates were corrupt and his administration was tarnished by various scandals.

Ku Klux Klan

White supremacy organization that intimidated blacks out of their newly found liberties. They primarily targeted black people at night time to deter them from voting by using violence

Reasons for the end of Reconstruction

With the compromise, the Republicans had quietly given up their fight for racial equality and blacks' rights in the south. In 1877, Hayes withdrew the last federal troops from the south(in belief it could provide stability), and the bayonet-backed Republican governments collapsed, thereby ending Reconstruction. Furthermore, many other concerns came to mind, such as the panic of 1873, corruption within politics, general belief that reconstruction came to complete, war fever, and strong opposition from the South in regards for equity to all.

Is equality necessary for democracy? What makes democracy fragile

Yes, *equality is necessary for a democracy* By definition, democracy is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives, meaning- a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives. Hence, the democracy will become incredibly fragile if all citizens are not given the equal right.

How did U.S. Supreme Court rulings allow southern states to deprive African Americans of newly acquired rights?

in 1883 the Supreme Court issued decisions in five cases, which became known as the Civil Rights Cases, that overturned the Civil Rights Act of 1875; the SC ruled that decisions about who could use public accommodations was a local issue to be governed by state and local laws - Southern municipalities took advantage of this ruling to uphold segregation in many areas of public life and to further limit the rights of African Americans also in Plessy v. Ferguson the SC upheld the constitutionality of Jim Crow laws

Reconstruction (1865-1877)

the federal government struggled with how to return the eleven southern states to the Union, rebuild the South's ruined economy, and promote the rights of former slaves.

Sovereignty

the supreme and absolute authority within territorial boundaries

Fugitive Slave Act

(1850) a law that made it a crime to help runaway slaves; allowed for the arrest of escaped slaves in areas where slavery was illegal and required their return to slaveholders

Describe Johnson's political difficulties and impeachment

(1867) In order for Congress to limit the President's power, they passed the Tenure of Office Act. Under this act, the president needed Senate approval to remove certain officials from office. Johnson tried to fire the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, and then he barricaded himself in the office for 2 months. The house of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson, and the Radicals failed and lost by only ONE vote.

Johnson's plan for reconstruction

*Required former Confederates with property worth $20,000 or more to obtain presidential pardon in order to vote or hold office; gave full pardon to others. *Required ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment(No Slavery) *He offered pardons and the restoration of land to almost any Confederate who swore allegiance to the Union and the Constitution. His main requirement was that each state ratify the Thirteenth Amendment and draft a constitution that abolished slavery. However, Johnson resented wealthy planters and required that they and other Confederate leaders write to him personally to apply for a pardon.

Tenant Farming

*Tenants purchased and used their own farm tools and supplies *Tenants paid the landowner in cash for rights to work the land *Tenants owned the crops but not the land *Tenants were able to save money to purchase their own land *This system was only viable for a farmer who had some cash to get started, good money-management skills—and good luck.

Share-Tenancy

*Tenants purchased most of their own tools and supplies *Tenants kept a share of the crop for themselves and gave one quarter or one third of their crop to the landowner *Tenants owned the crops but not the land *Tenants were able to save money to purchase their own tools and supplies. It was typically easier to save more money with this method.

"Lincoln wins without the South"

Benefiting from the fracturing among the other political parties, Lincoln won the election handily, with 40 percent of the popular vote and almost 60 percent of the electoral vote. Still, he did not receive a single southern electoral vote. In fact, he was not even on the ballot in most southern states.

Andrew Johnson Impeachment

Attempted against President in 1868; power struggle between him and Congress; President removed cabinet officer without Senate approval & interfered with Congressional reconstruction; crippled his presidency

How and why did race and racism originate?

Critical race theory (CRT), the view that race, instead of being biologically grounded and natural, is socially constructed and that race, as a socially constructed concept, functions as a means to maintain the interests of the white population that constructed it.

Panic of 1873

Financial panic in which banks closed and the stock market crashed. Four year economic depression caused by over-speculation on railroads and western lands, and worsened by Grant's poor fiscal response.

What were Lincoln's views on slavery and popular sovereignty?

He condemned slavery as a system whereby one person does the "work and toil to earn bread" and someone else does the eating. While Lincoln, like most white people of his day, ridiculed the idea of social and political equality with African Americans, he strongly affirmed the idea of their natural rights.

Discuss Ida B. Wells' contributions to efforts to protect the rights of African Americans.

Ida B. Well's contributions to protect the rights of African Americans was significant. She brought attention to the lynching of African Americans in the South. She was born a slave in Mississippi and was the primary care giver for her children. After the lynching of three of her friends in 1892, Wells became one of the nation's most vocal anti-lynching activists.

How did Lincoln's and the Radical Republicans' plans for Reconstruction differ?

Lincoln's major goal through Reconstruction was mainly to reunify the union, while advocating for African American's rights on the side. He did not require a guarantee of social or political equality for African Americans. In contrast, the Radical Republican's plan for reconstruction held the stance that the Confederacy was in the wrong, not only for enslaving African Americans, but also launching American into war, therefor they deserved punishment and harsh terms. They also wanted to take the Confederates land and give farms to freedmen.

How did the Civil War end?

Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.

Segregation

Separation of people based on racial, ethnic, or other differences. This included restaurants, bathrooms, schools, and many other public places.

White Line and Red Shirt

The Red Shirts or Redshirts of the Southern United States were white supremacist paramilitary groups that were active in the late 19th century in the last years and after the end of the Reconstruction era of the United States. Red Shirt groups originated in Mississippi in 1875, when Democratic Party private terror units adopted red shirts to make themselves more visible and threatening to Southern Republicans, both whites and freedmen. Similar groups in the Carolinas also adopted red shirts. The White line, a paramilitary arm of the Democratic Party, instigated much of the violence. Two of the most brazen White Line attacks occurred in Louisiana in 1873 and 1874. The murder of some 100 freedmen in Colfax, Louisiana, in April 1873 constituted perhaps the greatest loss of life from any radical incident in American History.

The Union

The Union(North) originally wanted to reunite the country, but after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, the Union goal changed to include the abolition of slavery. The North essentially wanted to conquer the South and bring them back into the Union.

What three significant issues did the federal government have to address during Reconstruction?

1. How can we provide equality and justice to former slaves? How can we extend Citizenship to African Americans? 2. How can we unify and strengthen the Union? 3. How can we rebuild the Southern Economy?

Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)

Commander of the Confederate Army, the most successful of the Southern armies during the American Civil War (1861-65). In February 1865 he was given command of all the Southern armies. His surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, is commonly viewed as signifying the end of the Civil War.

Why did Reconstruction end and fail to create a just society where all people's civil and human rights are protected?

Reconstruction failed to create a just society on many notes. Primarily, reconstruction was far to short. It only ranged a short amount of time, defiantly not enough to address many problems within the society in the 1800's. Additionally, the strong opposition and pushback from the South made it very hard to take steps forward for equality for the blacks. The human rights for black's were 'protected' by the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment, however, many loop holes were found by Southern political leaders to deceive the African Americans and leave them just as disenfranchised as before. Only a few of these ugly maneuvers would be black codes, Jim Crow Laws, segregation, poll taxes, the grandfather clause, literacy tests, and the violence groups, such as KKK, which spewed violence and hatred.

What three farming systems came to dominate agriculture in the South following the Civil War?

Sharecropping, because it embraced most of the South's African American and white poor, a landowner dictated the crop and provided the sharecropper with a place to live, as well as seeds and tools, in return for a "share" of the harvested crop. The landowner often bought these supplies on credit, at very high interest, from a supplier. The landlord passed on these costs to the sharecropper. Hence, sharecroppers were perpetually in debt to the landowner, and the landowner was always in debt to the supplier.

Why did the South believe they no longer had a voice pre civil war?

Southerners were outraged that a President could be elected without a single southern vote- hence believing they no longer had a voice in the national government. They decided to act.

Federalists

Such as George Washington, John Adams and Alexander Hamilton, favored a strong central government and a national banking system, masterminded by Hamilton

Reasons for the Union Victory

Superior political leadership, technological superiority, larger population, better finances and more resources/supplies. The Union was able to develop new advantages, particularly brilliant and fearless military leaders, like Grant and Sherman who were willing to do anything to win the war.

Democratic Party(During 1800's+)

The *Democratic Party* dominated in the South after the Civil war due to the opposition to Civil and Political rights for African Americans. The Democrats heavenly favored slavery in all territories, while their Northern counterparts thought each territory should decide for itself via popular referendum. During the Reconstruction era, the Democratic Party solidified its hold on the South, as most white Southerners opposed the Republican measures protecting civil and voting rights for African Americans.

Republican Party(During 1800's+)

The *Republican Party* primarily fought to provide equal rights and citizenship to the enslaved blacks during the period of slavery and civil war. Initially, Lincoln led the Republican party after being elected in 1860 and his main goal was to reunify the Union. The Union victory in the Civil War left Republicans in control of Congress, where they would dominate for the rest of the 19th century. Over the course of the Civil War, Lincoln and other Republicans began to see the abolition of slavery as a strategic move to help them win the war. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, and by war's end, the Republican majority in Congress would spearhead the passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.

Slaughterhouse Cases (1873)

The Court held that the monopoly violated neither the Thirteenth or Fourteenth Amendments, reasoning that these amendments were passed with the narrow intent to grant full equality to former slaves. Thus, to the Court, the Fourteenth Amendment only banned the states from depriving blacks of equal rights; it did not guarantee that all citizens, regardless of race, should receive equal economic privileges by the state. Any rights guaranteed by the Privileges or Immunities Clause were limited to areas controlled by the federal government, such as access to ports and waterways, the right to run for federal office, and certain rights affecting safety on the seas. Moreover, the Court held that the butchers bringing suit were not deprived of their property without due process of law because they could still earn a legal living in the area by slaughtering on the Crescent City Company grounds. Thus, the Court concluded that the Louisiana law was constitutional.

Land Grant College Act

The Land Grant College Act was also called the Morrill Act after its sponsor Justin Morrill, a congressman from Vermont. It gave money from the sale of public lands to states for the establishment of universities that taught "agriculture and mechanical arts." The tariff protected northern industry from foreign competition and raised much-needed revenue for the Union war effort. It also led to a surge in manufacturing that lasted far beyond the end of the war. After 1865, northern factories, banks, and cities underwent sweeping industrialization, helping the United States emerge as a global economic power.

What were the Slaughterhouse Cases and what was their effect in southern states?

The Slaughterhouse Cases, resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1873, ruled that a citizen's "privileges and immunities," as protected by the Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment against the states, were limited to those spelled out in the Constitution and did not include many rights given by the individual states. The effect in Southern States essentially striped African American's of their own rights and sent out the message that even their rights-under law- would not be protected- under law.

What were the main ideals of the Confederate States of America?

The South believed in the moral integrity of slavery. They believed that African-Americans were inferior to them. They were very protective of their "right" to own slaves. They also wanted to be independent from the United States of America and establish their own government.

U.S v Cruikshank (1876)

The Supreme Court under Waite ruled that the 14th amendment did not apply to individuals and that the bill of Rights did not apply to the states. The ruling allowed Southern Democrats to intimidate and disenfranchise Blacks.

How did the election of 1860 reflect the break between the North and the South?

The election of 1860 demonstrated that Americans' worst fears had come to pass. There were no longer any national political parties. Bell and Breckinridge competed for southern votes, while Douglas and Lincoln competed in the North and West. The North and South were now effectively two political entities, and there seemed no way to bridge the gap.

Economic Impact of the Civil War for Northern and Southern States

The era following the war came to be known as the Gilded age- a term that suggested a superficial glitter and beauty covering up an underlying decay. In the North, the industrial boom that was fueled by the war continued. Due to the Land Grant College act, the act raised much-needed revenue for the Union war effort, and led to a surge in manufacturing that lasted far beyond the end of the war. Northern factories, banks, and cities underwent sweeping industrialization helping the United States emerge as a global economic power. On the other hand, rebuilding the South was slow and tortured. The South's share of the nation's wealth declined by 30% to 12%. Atlanta and Richmond lay in ruins, along with the region's factories and railroads. The South struggled to regain its economic footing after the war, often relying on northern investment and seeking ways to enter the modern cash economy. For many decades, agriculture would remain at the center of the southern economy.

The Confederacy

The southern states that seceded from the United States in 1861. They wanted to stay independent aside from the Union and preserve Slavery.

What do the decisions of various people and groups (Reconstruction Era Democrats, Lincoln, Johnson, the Radical Republicans, Northern Republicans, etc.) tell you about their circles of obligation?

Their circles of obligation speak immersible measures in regards to who they are striving to please. For example, it was evident that *Lincoln* wanted to reunify the union and offered full pardons to the confederates. However, the Radical republicans wanted to punish the confederates and give all rights to the former slaves. This is significant because it is clear that the African Americans were more important to the Radical republics, whereas Lincoln was more concerned about making amends with everyone, yet not directly acknowledge the former slaves and their unfulfilled justice.