The Reconstruction Period

1865-1877

Reconstruction
What is Reconstruction?
Write 4-5 observations from the video.

Reconstruction Begins

Reconstruction-process of
Fed. To RE-admit former
Confederate states.

After the Civil War, debate

How to bring back the
South.
What to do with freed
slaves.
Could the Southern
economy survive without
slavery?

From Lincoln to Johnson

Lincoln assassinated at
Fords Theatre 1865.
VP Johnson takes office,
Southern Democrat and
slaveholder
Stubborn and
uncompromising, continued
Lincolns policies

Whos Involved?
Radical Republicans: create new order in
the south, full citizenship for former slaves.
Freedmens Bureau: set up schools and
hospitals for freed slaves, distributed food
and clothing.

Reconstruction Amendments
13th Amendment:
officially outlaws slavery
in all states.
14th Amendment: all
people born in the United
States are citizens, have
the same rights. Equal
protection under law
15th Amendment:
Cannot deny the right to
vote based on race, color
or previous servitude.

Southern Response
Jim Crow Laws:
enforced segregation.
Examples
Plessy v. Ferguson:
Supreme court upholds
Jim Crow separate but
equal
Prevented blacks from
voting with literacy
tests, grandfather
clauses
Scare tactics, KKK

Remembering Reconstruction
Tonight, youll be asked what you know
about the Reconstruction Era. You will tell
your parents/friend/grandma that it was
(use your notes).

Radical Reconstruction
South divided into 5 military districts to supervise Reconstruction.

Radical Reconstruction
Southern voters choose new state reps.
Active confederates no-vote unless they
pledge loyalty.
Republicans rule state legislatures.
Scalawags-poor white farmers
Carpetbaggers-white Northerners whove
come to the South.
Freemen-African-American men.

New State Legislatures

Johnson Impeached
Johnson fought many reforms
of Republican congress
Vetoed freedmens bureau
and Civil Rights Act
(Congress able to override)
Congress created the Tenure
of Office Act.
Pres. cannot fire gvt. officials
without permission

Johnson fires his Secretary of

War, HofR voted to impeach
Johnson acquitted by a single
vote

Hardships of former slaves

Former slaves leave
plantations-reunite with
family.
Rumor-Freemen will
get 40 acres and a
mule
Congress votes
against. Freedom and
Voting Rights were
enough.

Sharecropping
Many returned to
work on plantations
as sharecroppers
Ended up in debt to
landowners, was
often de-facto slavery

Sharecropping Explained