The Battle to Rebuild The Battle to Rebuild

2/3’s of the South was destroyed from the war

agricultural systems, railroads, bridges, housing and the economy were ruined

People in the South were unemployed, homeless and hungry

Reconstruction Reconstruction ProblemsProblems

How should the Southern states become part of the Union again?

If you were President, what would you do to get the United States back together?

Before dying, Lincoln Before dying, Lincoln had a plan for had a plan for ReconstructionReconstruction

He wanted to reconcile with the South. He did not want to punish them.

  He felt harsh He felt harsh

treatment would be treatment would be counterproductivecounterproductive

Pocket VetoPocket Veto

Congress passed the Wade Davis Bill but Lincoln stopped it with a pocket veto

He refused to sign it and the Congress’s session expired so the bill “died”

Why would Lincoln do this?

Lincoln’s PlanLincoln’s Plan

Any southerner that took an oath of loyalty to the Union would be pardoned

When 10% of voters took the oath, the state could organize a new state government.

The Radical Republicans opposed Lincoln’s The Radical Republicans opposed Lincoln’s planplan

The Radical Republican The Radical Republican PlanPlan

Do NOT allow Confederate leaders to regain power

Give African Americans federal help and the right to vote

Allow the Republican Party to take control of the south

Moderate RepublicansModerate Republicans

Believed Lincoln was too lenient and the Radicals were too harsh!!!!

Solution! Solution! The Wade Davis BillThe Wade Davis Bill

Majority of white men in Confederacy take an oath of loyalty to the Union

State governments would be created

The state governments would: abolish slavery and refuse former Confederate leaders and military officers the right to vote or hold office

Johnson’s PlanJohnson’s Plan

Offered pardons to all former Confederates who pledged loyalty to the Union- excluding former officers and officials

Confederate states had to rewrite state constitutions, revoke secession & ratify the 13th amendment

Problem: many southerners elected former Confederate leaders to represent them in Congress

Republicans are angryRepublicans are angry

Republicans rejected new southern members to Congress

Southern legislatures passed black codes that limited the rights of African Americans in the South

This also angered Republicans

Radical Republicans Radical Republicans take control take control

Passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866

Granting citizenship to all person’s born in the U.S. except Native Americans

Republicans call for Republicans call for new lawsnew laws

The South erupts in violence between whites and blacks

14th amendment: granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US and declared that no state could deprive a person of life liberty or property without due process of law

States also had to give equal protection of the laws

Election of 1866Election of 1866

Congressional seats tilt in favor of the Republicans

The Military Reconstruction Act is passed

The South is split into 5 military districts, a Union general is placed in charge of each district

Stop Johnson from Stop Johnson from interferinginterfering

How?

Pass the Tenure of Office Act: required Senate approval to fire anyone whose appointment had required Senate consent

This is unconstitutional!

Johnson’s Johnson’s ImpeachmentImpeachment

Johnson fires Sec. of War Stanton without approval from Congress

This violates the Tenure of Office Act

He was charged with “high crimes and misdemeanors” in office

The Senate tried him and voted

The outcome: NOT GUILTY- Johnson was 1 vote short of being convicted and removed from office

Election of 1868Election of 1868

General Ulysses S. Grant is nominated to run for the Presidency by the Republicans

He wins

The Republican congress passed the 15th amendment granting African American men the right to vote