Reconstruction and Reconstruction and Changes in the United Changes in the United

StatesStates

The ChoicesThe Choices Lincoln’s 10 Lincoln’s 10

Percent Plan-Percent Plan-more lenientmore lenient

10 % of voters 10 % of voters would have to would have to swear swear allegiance, allegiance, and there and there would be would be amnesty for amnesty for most most Confederates.Confederates.

Wade-Davis Bill-Wade-Davis Bill-More radical More radical Republicans saidRepublicans said

50% should have to 50% should have to swear allegiance, swear allegiance, and voting rights and voting rights in state in state conventions conventions should be revoked should be revoked for those who for those who volunteered for volunteered for Confederacy.(not Confederacy.(not signed by Lincoln)signed by Lincoln)

Swearing Swearing AllegianceAllegiance

HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES FORCES,HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES FORCES,

No. 372                                               No. 372                                                                      

PROVOST MARSHAL’S OFFICE.PROVOST MARSHAL’S OFFICE.

Chester, S.C., Aug. 31, 1865.Chester, S.C., Aug. 31, 1865.

                        I, Jacob F. Strait, do solemnly I, Jacob F. Strait, do solemnly swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support and will henceforth faithfully support and defend the Constitution of the United defend the Constitution of the United States and the Union of the State States and the Union of the State thereunder, and that I will, in like manner, thereunder, and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all Laws abide by and faithfully support all Laws and Proclamations which have been made and Proclamations which have been made during the existing Rebellion with during the existing Rebellion with reference to the Emancipation of Slaves – reference to the Emancipation of Slaves – “So help me God.”“So help me God.”

Sworn to and subscribed before me, at Sworn to and subscribed before me, at Chester S.C., this 31 day of Aug., 1865.Chester S.C., this 31 day of Aug., 1865.

[signed] Jacob F. Strait[signed] Jacob F. Strait

[signed] Edw. Cahill Cap[??], Provost [signed] Edw. Cahill Cap[??], Provost MarshalMarshal

This is a transcript of a primary This is a transcript of a primary source. To the right is an oath source. To the right is an oath signed by a former member of signed by a former member of the Confederacy.the Confederacy.

Citation:Citation:

Oath of Allegiance for Jacob F. Oath of Allegiance for Jacob F. Strait. 31 August 1865. Strait. 31 August 1865. Papers of the Gaston, Strait, Papers of the Gaston, Strait, Wylie and Baskin Families. Wylie and Baskin Families. South Carolina Library, South Carolina Library, University of South Carolina, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.Columbia, South Carolina.

Freedman’s Freedman’s BureauBureau

Set up to help Set up to help newly freed slaves newly freed slaves and other refugees and other refugees of the war.of the war. Set up schoolsSet up schools Helped find jobsHelped find jobs Resolved disputes Resolved disputes

between blacks and between blacks and whiteswhites

Provided clothingProvided clothing

““The Freedmen’s BureauThe Freedmen’s Bureau

In the years following the Civil War, the Bureau of In the years following the Civil War, the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (the Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (the Freedmen’s Bureau) provided assistance to tens of Freedmen’s Bureau) provided assistance to tens of thousands of former slaves and impoverished whites thousands of former slaves and impoverished whites in the Southern States and the District of Columbia. in the Southern States and the District of Columbia.

The war had liberated nearly four million slaves and The war had liberated nearly four million slaves and destroyed the region’s cities, towns, and plantation-destroyed the region’s cities, towns, and plantation-based economy. It left former slaves and many based economy. It left former slaves and many whites dislocated from their homes, facing whites dislocated from their homes, facing starvation, and owning only the clothes they wore. starvation, and owning only the clothes they wore. The challenge of establishing a new social order, The challenge of establishing a new social order, founded on freedom and racial equality, was founded on freedom and racial equality, was enormous.enormous.

The Bureau was established in the War Department The Bureau was established in the War Department in March 1865 to undertake the relief effort and the in March 1865 to undertake the relief effort and the unprecedented social reconstruction that would unprecedented social reconstruction that would bring freed people to full citizenship.bring freed people to full citizenship.

It issued food and clothing, operated hospitals and It issued food and clothing, operated hospitals and temporary camps, helped locate family members, temporary camps, helped locate family members, promoted education, helped freedmen legalize promoted education, helped freedmen legalize marriages, provided employment, supervised labor marriages, provided employment, supervised labor contracts, provided legal representation, contracts, provided legal representation, investigated racial confrontations, settled freedmen investigated racial confrontations, settled freedmen on abandoned or confiscated lands, and worked with on abandoned or confiscated lands, and worked with African American soldiers and sailors and their heirs African American soldiers and sailors and their heirs to secure back pay, bounty payments, and to secure back pay, bounty payments, and pensions.”pensions.”

http://www.archives.gov/research/african-http://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/freedmens-bureau/brochure.pdfamericans/freedmens-bureau/brochure.pdf

This is a copy This is a copy of a primary of a primary source found source found in the U.S. in the U.S. Archives. It’s Archives. It’s a report from a report from a freedman’s a freedman’s school. What school. What can you can you understand understand from looking from looking at it?at it?

Lincoln Lincoln assassinatedassassinated

It occurred 5 days after Lee It occurred 5 days after Lee surrendered to Grant at surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. It was Good Appomattox. It was Good Friday, April 14, 1865.Friday, April 14, 1865.

John Wilkes Booth and his John Wilkes Booth and his conspirators wanted to bring conspirators wanted to bring chaos to the Union, so that chaos to the Union, so that Confederate forces would be Confederate forces would be encouraged to fight again.encouraged to fight again.

Pictured from top clockwise: Ford’s Theatre balcony, John Wilkes Booth, and three conspirators.

Ironically, the single Ironically, the single shot from this shot from this derringer would end derringer would end Lincoln’s idea of Lincoln’s idea of trying to reunite the trying to reunite the country more country more peacefully and give peacefully and give racial equality. It racial equality. It would take another would take another 100 years for that.100 years for that.

Pistol on display at Ford’s Theatre, where Lincoln had been watching Our American Cousin.

The South PostwarThe South Postwar Physical Physical

destruction- destruction- Most of the war Most of the war took place in the took place in the South.South.

Financially Financially destroyed- destroyed- worthless $, worthless $, closed banks, closed banks, loss of fortunesloss of fortunes

Wounded soldiers Wounded soldiers returningreturning

4 million freedmen 4 million freedmen with no jobs or with no jobs or educationeducation

Illustration showing Jackson from the August 8, 1863, edition of The Illustrated London News.

Problems That Would Arise Problems That Would Arise From The RuinsFrom The Ruins

About 4 million former About 4 million former slaves were now free slaves were now free (“Freedmen”) but had (“Freedmen”) but had little opportunity for jobs little opportunity for jobs or any hope of providing or any hope of providing for their families.for their families.

Hundreds of thousands Hundreds of thousands of veterans were also of veterans were also created by the war.created by the war.

Lincoln’s Successor, Lincoln’s Successor, Johnson’s planJohnson’s plan

A majority of voters from each A majority of voters from each southern state had to pledge southern state had to pledge loyalty to the United Statesloyalty to the United States

Each state also had to ratify the Each state also had to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment (1865) Thirteenth Amendment (1865) which had banned slavery which had banned slavery throughout the nationthroughout the nation

The South’s Black CodesThe South’s Black Codes

A way that Southerners could restrict A way that Southerners could restrict newly freed African Americansnewly freed African Americans

Most of these state or local laws said Most of these state or local laws said they they couldn’tcouldn’t vote, own guns or vote, own guns or serve on juries.serve on juries.

https://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/recon/code.htmlhttps://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/recon/code.html

Mississippi’s Black Codes of 1865

Congress Takes ActionCongress Takes Action Members of Congress known as Radical Members of Congress known as Radical

Republicans vowed to take control of Republicans vowed to take control of ReconstructionReconstruction

Two main goals:Two main goals: They wanted to break the power of wealthy They wanted to break the power of wealthy

planters who had long ruled the Southplanters who had long ruled the South

They wanted to ensure that freedmen They wanted to ensure that freedmen received the right to votereceived the right to vote

Republicans Start To Take Republicans Start To Take ControlControl

They passed the They passed the Civil Rights Act Civil Rights Act (1866) however, (1866) however, fearing the Supreme fearing the Supreme Court would declare Court would declare it unconstitutional, it unconstitutional, they proposed the they proposed the 1414thth Amendment Amendment

1414thth Amendment Amendment

Defined citizens as “all persons born Defined citizens as “all persons born or naturalized in the United States”or naturalized in the United States”

Guaranteed citizens “equal Guaranteed citizens “equal protection of the laws”protection of the laws”

Forbade states to “deprive any Forbade states to “deprive any person of life, liberty or property person of life, liberty or property without due process of law”without due process of law”

Radical ReconstructionRadical Reconstruction

Under the Reconstruction Act (1867) Under the Reconstruction Act (1867) Congress threw out any state’s Congress threw out any state’s government that did not ratify the 14government that did not ratify the 14thth AmendmentAmendment

To rejoin the Union, states had to write To rejoin the Union, states had to write new constitutions and ratify the 14new constitutions and ratify the 14thth AmendmentAmendment

Johnson Is Impeached and Johnson Is Impeached and Nearly RemovedNearly Removed

Republicans decided to remove Republicans decided to remove Johnson from office after he tried to Johnson from office after he tried to limit what they could do with limit what they could do with ReconstructionReconstruction

They decided to impeach him, or They decided to impeach him, or bring formal charges against him, bring formal charges against him, but they did not hold up.but they did not hold up.

Grant Is Nominated for Grant Is Nominated for PresidentPresident

Republicans Republicans nominate Ulysses S. nominate Ulysses S. Grant for President.Grant for President.

Southern Southern governments allowed governments allowed African American African American men to vote, and as men to vote, and as a result Grant easily a result Grant easily won the election.won the election.

The Fifteenth AmendmentThe Fifteenth Amendment

Proposed in 1869Proposed in 1869

Forbade any state to deny any Forbade any state to deny any citizen the right to vote because citizen the right to vote because of “race, color, or previous of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude”condition of servitude”

Three Groups Step In As Three Groups Step In As Leaders In The SouthLeaders In The South

First were the First were the scalawagsscalawags:: Seen as traitors by someSeen as traitors by some

They were white businesspeople who had They were white businesspeople who had opposed secession in 1860opposed secession in 1860

They wanted to forget the war and just They wanted to forget the war and just rebuild the South.rebuild the South.

Second, were the Second, were the carpetbaggerscarpetbaggers:: Northerners who came to the Northerners who came to the

south after the war hoping to get south after the war hoping to get rich from the South’s miseryrich from the South’s misery

Third, were African AmericansThird, were African Americans They became sheriffs, mayors, They became sheriffs, mayors,

and legislators in the new and legislators in the new governmentgovernment

Hiram RevelsHiram Revels

The first African The first African American in the American in the U.S. Senate was U.S. Senate was from Mississippi. He from Mississippi. He had not been a had not been a slave. He had been slave. He had been a minister, and he a minister, and he later became later became President of Alcorn President of Alcorn University.University.

The Rise of Vigilante The Rise of Vigilante GroupsGroups

These groups were radical in These groups were radical in their way of thinkingtheir way of thinking

The KKK (Ku Klux Klan) The KKK (Ku Klux Klan) frightened, threatened, and frightened, threatened, and killed African Americanskilled African Americans..

Ending Federal Ending Federal ReconstructionReconstruction

Grant’s administration gained a Grant’s administration gained a reputation for corruption.reputation for corruption.

The 1876 election was decided by The 1876 election was decided by Congress. Rutherford B. Hayes had Congress. Rutherford B. Hayes had promised to end Reconstruction, so promised to end Reconstruction, so he got the votes needed.he got the votes needed.

A Cycle of PovertyA Cycle of Poverty SharecroppingSharecropping

Freedmen and poor whites who went to Freedmen and poor whites who went to work on large plantationswork on large plantations

They rented and farmed a plot of landThey rented and farmed a plot of land

Planters provided seed, fertilizer, and Planters provided seed, fertilizer, and tools in return for a share of the crop at tools in return for a share of the crop at harvest timeharvest time

Getting around the 15Getting around the 15thth AmendmentAmendment

Southerners passed Southerners passed poll taxes-poll taxes- requiring requiring voters to pay a fee each time they voted.voters to pay a fee each time they voted.

They imposed They imposed literacyliteracy teststests that required that required voters to read and explain a section of the voters to read and explain a section of the Constitution. A grandfather clause allowed Constitution. A grandfather clause allowed someone whose grandfather had voted to get someone whose grandfather had voted to get around taking the test. Guess who was around taking the test. Guess who was grandfathered in?grandfathered in?

SegregationSegregation became the law in the South became the law in the South Law that would separate whites and blacksLaw that would separate whites and blacks

PlessyPlessy v. Ferguson v. Ferguson

The Supreme Court ruled that The Supreme Court ruled that segregation was legal as long as segregation was legal as long as facilities for blacks and whites facilities for blacks and whites were equal.were equal.

South begins to industrialize South begins to industrialize by the 1880’sby the 1880’s

Textile industry takes advantage of a Textile industry takes advantage of a resurgence of cotton productionresurgence of cotton production

Other industries take advantage of Other industries take advantage of natural resourcesnatural resources Lumber millsLumber mills Iron millsIron mills