Reconstruction and Reunion 1865-1876

CHAPTER 6 SECTION 3MISSISSIPPI STUDIESMRS. BARNETTE

Two Presidents of the United States in ReconstructionLINCOLN WAS ASSASSINATED IN FORD’S THEATER APRIL 14, 1865.

ANDREW JOHNSON, VP, BECAME PRESIDENT AFTER LINCOLN’S DEATH.

Lincoln’s 10% Plan

Former Confederate states could be readmitted to the Union if only 10% of its voting citizens pledged allegiance to the U.S.

Johnson’s Plan States would reconstruct themselves.

Proclaimed that ex-confederates could get amnesty for ◦ 1) oath of allegiance ◦ 2) acceptance of Emancipation

Proclamation

He also made William Sharkey the Provisional Governor.

Johnson wanted Sharkey to Get the Mississippi Legislature to ◦ Nullify secession◦ Abolish slavery◦ Have elections

What they actually did:Nullified SecessionDid not go so far as to allow freedmen equal rights of citizenshipAppointed and sent Sharkey to U.S. SenateCreated Black CodesRefused to ratify 13th Amendment

Freedman’s Bureau 1865-1872 Established for newly freed slaves and poverty stricken white refugees

Helped with necessities such as food, shelter, and hospitals

Helped with job contracts and legal claims like marriage, land, and pensions

“Skilled freedmen worked at the army’s carpenter shops in Beaufort, SC, and at other assignments, earning from $8 to $12 per month. (NARA 165-C-387)”

Click on the picture for primary sources related to the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Continued hard feelings and resentment

Many northerners felt that the South never had a right to secede, nor lay claim to any installations formerly owned by the government. They thought that Confederates were guilty of treason, and they should suffer for it. Some wanted there to be trials and hangings for those who were leaders. Jefferson Davis did go to prison for two years, but he never had a trial.

Many southerners still believed that they had had every right to secede. They had felt that slavery was an integral part of their economy. Now there would be an overwhelming number of unemployed people in the South. Most of these would be African Americans, but there would also be many whites who had lost everything. In addition, blacks outnumbered whites in the population, which stirred the fear that the top of the social and political structure might start to topple if safeguards were not put in place.

Black Codes Mississippi Black Codes of 1865 set the rules for continuing a social hierarchy with whites at the top.

Click the picture at the left to see the transcript of the actual document.. Try to list all the restrictions that were put on freedmen.

Reconstruction Acts “Radical Republicans” had won control of the House and Senate, and they wanted changes to come swiftly to the South.

The Acts were a Federal reaction to states like Mississippi refusing to go along with 13th Amendment and other rights for freedmen.

Jurisdiction was taken away from states and put into federal hands.

Impeachment! President Andrew Johnson had fired Secretary of War Edward Stanton, gave many pardons to ex-Confederates, and he tried to block Congress from giving special aid to freedmen, but he was *impeached instead.

He was not removed from office.

* Many think that impeachment means to remove an official from office. It does not. In the case of a President, it means that The House of Representatives has brought charges against the President. The Senate, which is the other legislative body in Congress, then holds the court to decide if the President is guilty, and if so, what needs to be done.

Which other U.S. President was

also impeached? What are reasons for impeachment?

Federal (Congressional) Reconstruction in Mississippi 1867-1875

Mississippi was in the 4th military district.

Military governor could remove public officials that he thought were not loyal to the U.S.

Many white Mississippians were even more resentful of Federal intervention.

3 Degrees of Loyalty to Union in MS

Scalawags were people that secessionists saw as turncoats. They supported the Republican agenda of full citizenship for blacks. Most famous: James Alcorn (Alcorn A &M and Alcorn County named for him), Reuben Millsaps (Millsaps College), Jehu Orr, and Robert Flournoy.

Carpetbaggers were Northerners that secessionists saw as troublemakers and con artists trying to grab money and power from their misfortune. Some were conscientious public officials, like Ridgely Powers, Wiley Wells, Henry Pease, and Adelbert Ames.

Blacks offered up a large number of public officials who had become educated, despite laws to the contrary, and they had difficulty working with secessionists who did not think they should have to be cooperative with them. Oddly enough, Mississippi had more black elected officials than other states during Reconstruction. John R. Lynch (Lynch Street in Jackson), Hiram Revels (1st black Senator), Blanche Bruce, and Ambrose Henderson are a few of these.

Readmission February 23, 1870 Changes made:•A new state Constitution of 1868•1869 election with 36 Black men elected to MS Legislature•Amendments 13, 14, and 15 to U.S. Constitution ratified•President Grant signed resolution admitting MS•Statewide system of public schools

Amendments regarding African American Civil Rights after the War

13th- Abolished Slavery 14th- Allowed former slaves to be citizens 15th- Allowed African American males to vote (Neither black nor white women could vote at this time. That came with the 19th Amendment in 1920, fifty years later.)

Public Schools- at this point segregated

Who would teach the black children?◦ Many southern white teachers did not

want to.◦ Many blacks were not prepared to.◦ Northern whites were usually the

teachers.◦ Southerners distrusted the northern

teachers, thinking they were teaching more about politics than the 3 R’s.

The KKK in Reconstruction Begun as a social organization, then became a secretive white supremacist group that violently intimidated people who promoted equality among races. Targets also included individuals, schools, and churches. Their activity was lulled from 1872-1875, when federal laws made their actions illegal.

Click the picture to find out more about the history of the Ku Klux Klan.

Governor Adelbert AmesRepublican Former decorated Union GeneralWanted to ease racial tensionDuring tenure, blacks presided over MS House and SenateParty lines seemingly became racial lines-Republicans considered the black party, and Democrats the white partyWhen Democrats took power in 1875, he resigned rather than be removed from office after impeachment.

For more about Ames, click on the picture.

“Revolution of 1875” Riots broke out over elections. Ames sent out the militia to keep peace. Most militia members were black, which caused even more tension.

Rather than have more ugly violence, agreement was made to withdraw militia if Democrats would halt such activities.

Result: The Mississippi Plan

Mississippi Plan To guarantee Democratic Party victory in 1875 elections◦ Intimidation◦ Ballot box stuffing◦ Destroying Republican ballots◦ Take advantage of illiterate

blacks◦ Change the counts

MS Plan Led to…•Impeachment of Republican officials•A redistricting plan to maintain a white majority in the U. S. Congress (shoestring district was the narrow district with a black majority)•John R. Lynch served as a Congressman for this district.

Click on the picture to find out more about J.R. Lynch.

“Redemption” of Mississippi “Redeemers” and “White Liners” of the Democratic Party accused Republicans of all sorts of corruption.

The Democrats had taken control and made Mississippi a one party state for almost 100 years.

After Civil War, African Americans had a taste of uneasy equality for only about 10 years before the Democratic Party regained a foothold.