1863-1896

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

-- Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural addressMarch 4, 1865

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/richmond.htm

Some 800,000 returning Union soldiers needed jobs

The North lost more soldiers than the South had

Since only a few battles had taken place on Northern soil, farms and cities were hardly touched.

Cities and farms lay in ruins 2/3 of railroad tracks had been torn up Columbia, Richmond, and Atlanta had

been leveled Confederate money was worthless 4 million freedmen had “joined” the

population

Livestock killed – 40% Farm machinery destroyed – 50% Drop in total property wealth – 66% Total national wealth held by

South,1860 – 30% Total national wealth held by

South,1870 – 12%

What questions might there be post Civil War?

Richmond, Virginia

Atlanta

Virginia farm

Confederate money - The reverse side of the $1 bill was blank.  Notice the lack of color ink on the second bill. This was because as the Civil War continued, the South had less money to make money

Congress & Lincoln agreed on one proposal, creating an agency to help former slaves.

Food, clothing, jobs, schools, and medical care for former slaves and poor whites.

Provided care for more than 1 million people.

Black schoolhouse during reconstruction.

Sharecropper’s cabin in South Carolina, 1866

How do you get states functioning again after war?

Lincoln’s 10% Plan A southern state could

return if 10% voters swore loyalty,

Had to abolish slavery, Amnesty for those who

swore loyalty to the Union (except Conf. leaders)

Wade-Davis Bill Majority of southern

white men had to swear loyalty

Anyone who had volunteered in the Confed. army couldn’t vote or hold office

Lincoln wouldn’t sign it because he felt it was too harsh

Pocket-veto

Lincoln never got the chance to persuade Congress to accept his Reconstruction plan.

He was shot by John Wilkes Booth April 14, 1865, five days after Lee’s surrender.

Booth was later caught and killed in a barn outside the city.

Determined to keep the Union intact whatever the cost, Lincoln had

presided over the nation through her darkest hour, serving in a way that few in history have ever been called upon to do. His leadership made him one of

the most revered of all American heroes, and poll after poll has named

him the favorite president of most American citizens. There is never a

close runner-up.

“Now he belongs to the ages.” Edwin Stanton, U.S. Secretary of War

His plan was much milder than expected

Majority of voters had to pledge loyalty to the United States.

State had to ratify the 13th Amendment (banning slavery nationwide)

The southern states quickly met Johnson’s conditions

and were admitted backinto the Union

Southern statesdidn’t allow

blacks to vote

Congress was upset that formerConfederate leaders were allowed

to be reps so they refusedto let reps take their seats

SHOWDOWN!SHOWDOWN!

convict labor, vagrancy, must have home and means of support

in Mississippi, blacks forbidden to rent or own land outside towns

in South Carolina, black children could be apprenticed to whites if parents did not educate

the point? to keep blacks in slavery - insure labor supply

enforced by southern "county militia"

Black codes angered Congress Congress thought President Johnson’s

mild approach encouraged the black codes

Radical Republicans vowed to take control of Reconstruction

They joined with the moderate Republicans to reduce the power of the southern Democrats

Civil Rights Act – gave citizenship to African Americans.

Johnson vetoed, Congress overrode veto

14th Amendment – defined citizens and guaranteed protection against discrimination for all citizens

Reconstruction Act – threw out state governments that refused to ratify 14th Am.,established martial law in South, forced any returning states to ratify 14th Amendment

Didn’t succeed, one vote shy

Moderate Republicans said you can’t impeach the President just because you disagree with him.

With 500,000 blacks voting, Grant easily won the election.

The next year, the 15th Amendment was passed, forbade any state to deny the right to vote based on race.

White Southern Republicans (scalawags)

Northerners: some hope to get rich off the South, Some just fell in love with the South (carpetbaggers)

African Americans

Secret society formed to help southern Democrats gain power

Threatened Southern republicans and African Americans

Used destruction, torture, and murder.

Testimony of a former slave to Congress about the KKK

Marked by widespread corruption ($1,000 for a horse bet, coffins, perfume, and hams)

Grant had appointed many friends to government, stole large sums of money

Amnesty Act in 1872 – nearly all white southerners could vote again

Democrat Tilden v. Republican Hayes Election too close to call House decided to elect Rutherford B.

Hayes For the next 100 years, the South

would be Democrat

Laws specifically discriminating against blacks

States could impose legal punishments on people for consorting with members of another race.

The most common types of laws forbade intermarriage and ordered business owners to keep their black and white clientele separated. (segregation)

examples

Literacy tests Poll tax Grandfather clause

http://www.crmvet.org/info/lithome.htm

Example of literacy tests and voter application

Supreme court case Ruled segregation was ok “Separate but equal”