Reconstruction: A Failed Revolution

Thesis StatementDuring Reconstruction, the federal government

missed a unique opportunity to radically restructure southern society along more

egalitarian lines. While conditions for African-Americans began to improve during

Reconstruction, many of their gains were quickly erased during the “Jim Crow” period

that followed.

Presidential ReconstructionLincoln

10% Plan… 90% could refuse loyalty oath

Johnson

No loyalty oath required

Opposed helping former slaves

Both

•Wanted to go easy on the South… heal the wounds of the war as fast as possible.

•Supported the 13th Amendment… Ended slavery everywhere

•Liberally issued pardons to former Confederates

•Believed Southern states had NOT actually left the Union… therefore Reconstruction was primarily a military endeavor, and should be under the control of the executive branch.

Radical Reconstruction

•Harsh, punishing philosophy toward the South

•Wanted more help for former slaves

•50% Loyalty Oath

•Wanted to strictly exclude former Confederates from political office

•Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 (5 Military Districts)

•Believed that southern states had committed “state suicide” and had to re-apply for statehood (therefore Reconstruction should be in the hands of the legislative branch).

Thaddeus Stevens

Charles Sumner

Help for Freedmen Freedmen’s Bureau... Help w/ schools, labor

contracts, etc. Civil Rights Act of 1866… Granted African-

Americans citizenship & all rights of citizens 14th Amendment... Citizenship for African-

Americans, “Equal Treatment under the Law 15th Amendment: Right to vote can't be

denied by race Klan Acts (Force Acts) of 1870 & 1871…

Gave military authority to target the KKK… forced it to be more secretive

BUT… No land redistribution

The 1866 Bi-ElectionThe 1866 Bi-Election

Johnson’s “Swing around the Circle”

A referendum on Radical Reconstruction.

Johnson made an ill-conceived propaganda tour around the country to push his plan.

Republicanswon a 3-1majority in both houses and gained control of every northern state.

Reconstruction Acts of 1867Reconstruction Acts of 1867 Military Reconstruction Act

* Restart Reconstruction in the 10 Southern states that refused to ratify the 14th Amendment.

* Divide the 10 “unreconstructed states” into 5 military districts.

Black & White Political ParticipationBlack & White Political Participation

The Balance of Power in Congress

The Balance of Power in Congress

State White Citizens Freedmen

SC 291,000 411,000

MS 353,000 436,000

LA 357,000 350,000

GA 591,000 465,000

AL 596,000 437,000

VA 719,000 533,000

NC 631,000 331,000

Republican Governments in the South Freedmen: Freed slaves

“Carpetbaggers:” Northern migrants who moved South to help freedmen, or exploit economic & political opportunities

“Scalawags:” White southern Republicans

How well did they do?... Probably no better or worse than Democratic governments.

Racist Political Cartoon Depicted Republican Governments in the South

Freedom Schools

Thousands of African-Americans (young and old) flocked to schools created by the Freedmen’s Bureau and by Republican state governments.

Establishment of Historically Black Colleges in the South

Establishment of Historically Black Colleges in the South

Illiteracy by Race

Sharecropping Sharecropping:

Landowner provided land, seeds, tools, and lent $ for expenses in exchange for a portion of the crop

Tenant Farming: Renting land

Debt Peonage: Both systems usually trapped poor farmers (white & black)

Tenancy & the Crop Lien System

Tenancy & the Crop Lien SystemFurnishing Merchant Tenant Farmer Landowner

Loan tools and seed up to 60% interest to tenant farmer to plant spring crop.

Farmer also secures food, clothing, andother necessities oncredit from merchant until the harvest.

Merchant holds “lien” {mortgage} on part of tenant’s future crops as repayment of debt.

Plants crop, harvests in autumn.

Turns over up to ½ of crop to land owner as payment of rent.

Tenant gives remainder of crop to merchant inpayment of debt.

Rents land to tenant in exchange for ¼ to ½ of tenant farmer’s future crop.

Percentage of Sharecropped Farms

Race & Sharecropping

Slavery vs. Sharecropping

Northern Support WanesNorthern Support Wanes “Grantism” & corruption.

Panic of 1873 [6-yeardepression].

Concern over westwardexpansion and Indian wars.

Key monetary issues:

* should the government retire $432m worth of “greenbacks” issued during the Civil War.

* should war bonds be paid back in specie orgreenbacks.

The “New South”•Some industrialization begins to take place in southern cities like Birmingham, AL

•Much of the economic growth was financed by investors & entrepreneurs from the North (a.k.a. “carpetbaggers”)

A Steel Manufacturer in Birmingham, Alabama

The Ku Klux Klan

• Founded in Tennessee in 1866

• Terrorized southern blacks, and whites who sympathized with them

• Largely (but temporarily) eradicated after the anti-Klan Acts of 1870 & 1871

• It re-emerges after the Union army pulls out in 1877

Lynching

Grant Administration ScandalsGrant Administration Scandals Grant presided over an era of

unprecedented growth and corruption.

* Credit Mobilier

Scandal.

* Whiskey Ring.

* The “Indian Ring.”

And They Say He Wants a Third TermAnd They Say He Wants a Third Term

The Election of 1872The Election of 1872 Rumors of corruption

during Grant’s first term discredit Republicans.

Horace Greeley runsas a Democrat/LiberalRepublican candidate.

Greeley attacked as afool and a crank.

Greeley died on November 29, 1872!

1872 Presidential Election1872 Presidential Election

The Panic of 1873The Panic of 1873 It raises “the money

question.”

* debtors seek inflationarymonetary policy bycontinuing circulation of greenbacks.

* creditors, intellectuals support hard money.

1875 Specie Redemption Act.

1876 Greenback Party formed & makes gains in congressional races The “Crime of ’73’!

1876 Presidential Tickets1876 Presidential Tickets

1876 Presidential Election1876 Presidential Election

The Political Crisis of 1877The Political Crisis of 1877

“Corrupt Bargain”Part II?

A Political Crisis: The “Compromise” of 1877A Political Crisis: The “Compromise” of 1877

The Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow Laws: Segregated Blacks & Whites in Public Places

Plessey v. Ferguson (1896)... “Separate but Equal” does not violate the 14th Amendment

Voting RestrictionsRedeemers & the “Solid South”… Wanted to replace Republican state governments w/ Democrat-controlled white supremacist govs.