The Politics of Reconstruction

Chapter 12 Section 1

I Lincoln’s Plan for ReconstructionA. Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan

• Reconstruction= time period & process after the civil war in which the federal gov’t readmits defeated confederate states into the union• Before his death Lincoln makes it clear that he favored a lenient Reconstruction

policy• Believed Confed. states never left the Union because it was Const. impossible• The ppl not states rebelled and the Const. gave Pres. Power to pardon indiv.

• Lincoln’s Proclamation of Amnesty & Reconstruction AKA 10 Pt. Plan• Pardon all Confederates except high ranking

confed. officials & those accused of crimes against POWs IF they pledges allegiance to the Union• After 10% of those on the voting lists took the

oath Confed. state could form new state gov’t & send members to congress

• Goal of 10pt plan= quick and easy return for south into the Union• Plan angered Radical Republicans• Led abolition efforts before war now proposed

laws to ensure Af. Am. Rights• Idea to give former slaves the right to vote was

radical (no other country gave former slaves the right to vote)

B. Radical Reaction• Pass the Wade-Davis Bill in

reaction to the 10% Plan• Proposed that Congress, NOT THE

PRES., be responsible for reconstruction• A MAJORITY not 10% would have to

take vote before state is reinstated

• Lincoln Pocket Vetoes the bill• If pres ignores/doesn’t sign a bill

passed less than 10 days before end of a congressional session then it does not become law

II Johnson’s Plan for ReconstructionA. Johnson Continues Lincoln’s Policies

• John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of Lincoln in 1865 left Democrat Andrew Johnson as pres.• Johnson announces his own

reconstruction plan= Presidential Reconstruction• Confed. states readmitted under 3

conditions• Declare their secession illegal• Pledge allegiance to the Union• Ratify the 13th Amendment- Abolished slavery

• Radicals upset that his plan did not address need of land, voting rights, & protection under the law for former slaves• Johnson’s plans made most southern whites happy as he thought that

whites should manage the south and Af. Am. Should not gain the vote• Southern legislatures included high ranking officials fomr the confed.

who fought against the Union who were pardoned by Johnson

B. Presidential Reconstruction comes to a Standstill

• Radical Republican legislators dispute claim that Reconstruction was complete• Believes southern states were just

the same as before the Civil War•Moderate Rep. call for small

changes to Johnson’s plan like expanding Freedman’s Bureau• Freedman’s Bureau= established last

month of war assisted former slaves and poor whites in S by distributing clothing/food/& setting up pub. Schools

C. Civil Rights Act of 1866• Congress passes Civil Rights Act of

1866gave Af. Am. Citizenship and forbade states from passing discriminatory laws• Southern states quickly pass Black codes• laws that severely restricted Af. Am.’s lives• No weapons/serving on juries/marrying

whites/having businesses• Resentful whites used violence to keep

blacks from improving their position in society• ALL THIS EVIDENCE THAT SOUTH HAD NOT GIVEN

UP ON THE IDEA OF KEEPING AF. AM. IN BONDAGE

• JOHNSON VETOED Freedman’s Bureau & the Civil Rights Act• By vetoing bills he alienated

the moderate rep. who were trying to improve his Reconstruction plan• Also angered Radicals by

appearing to support S who denied Af Amer their full rights

• After a yr. in office, Reconstruction ground to a halt

II Congressional ReconstructionA. Moderates and Radicals Join Forces

• Angered by Johnson’s vetoes, radical and moderate Republicans work together to shift control of Recon to control of congress• Begins the period known as congressional

reconstruction

• Civil Rights Act1st major leg. To be enacted over a presidential veto• Congress drafts the 14th amendmentprivides

constitutional basis for Civil Rights Act• Made all people born or naturalized in the US

CITIZENS of the country who were entitled to full protection under the law

• Didn’t specify Af. Amer but did state if any group denied right to votelose % of congressional seats• Confederate leaders couldn’t hold office unless 2/3 vote from

congress• Johnson believed it was unfairrecommends S states to reject the

amendment• Not ratified until 1868

B. 1866 Congressional Elections• Question of who should control

reconstruction became main issue in 1866 Congressional elections• Race riots occurmany Af. Amer.

Deaths•Moderate and Radical

Republicans win a landslide victory over Democrats• Rep. gain 2/3 majority in

Congress assuring them the votes needed to override any pres. veto

C. Reconstruction Act of 1867• Rad. & Mod. Join to pass the

Reconstruction Act of 1867• Did not recognize gov’ts formed under the

Lincoln and Johnson plans• Divided former confed. states into 5 military

districts headed by a Union general (except tenn. Who passed the 14th amendment)• Voters of the dist. Would vote for delegates to

write to new state constitutions• Required new constitutions to grant Af. Amer.

The right to vote • Required new states to ratify the 14th

amendment• Once these were met they could rejoin the

union

• Johnson vetoes but Congress overrides

D. Johnson Impeached• Radicals turn attention to getting rid of Pres. Johnson• Believed he was doing his constitutional duty of enforcing the Reconstruction

Actlooking for reasons to impeach him• Impeach= formally charge hi with misconduct in office

• Congress passes the Tenure of Office Act= pres. Couldn’t remove cabinet officers during term of president who appointed them• This was meant to protect Stanton who was a radical ally

• Johnson believed it was unconstitutional but it had to be tested in courtJohnson firing Stanton to test the law• Only the House of Representatives could impeach pres. And the Senate hollds

the trial

• H of R brings charges on the violation of the Tenure of Office Act• Despite the disagreements between congress and the pres, the Senate fell 1

vote short of impeaching Pres. Johnson

E. U.S. Grant Elected• Democrats knew they could not win pres. Election w/ Johnson so they

nominate Seymour• Republicans nominate Ulysses S. Grant• Grants wins the presidency thanks to the overwhelming number of

African American votes• Radicals introduce the 15th amendment out of fear that pro confed. S

whites will try to plac elimits on Black suffrage

• 15th Amendment= no one can be kept from voting due to “race, color, or previous condition of servitude”• Also affected N states who at this time also prevented Af. Amer. From voting

• 15th Amend important victory for Radicals• Reconstruction didn’t only bring political changes to the south but

also SOCIAL & ECONOMIC