chapter 6 reconstruction - long beach school · pdf filechapter 6: reconstruction and...

CHAPTER 6RECONSTRUCTION AND TRANSITION

Section 1: After the War - Section 2: Presidential Reconstruction - Section 3: Congressional Reconstruction - Section 4: The Constitution of 1890

Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition

● After the War○ Civil War ends in 1865○ Mississippi face great challenges○ Destruction and disorder were common○ Roads and bridges were impassable○ Town buildings burned down○ Wealth of Mississippi no longer existed○ Poverty affected everyone - black and white○ 1/3 of adult white males died during war - unable to work○ Farms, homes, business - destroyed or badly damaged


● After the War○ Almost 400,000 freedmen faced greater challenges

■ Freedmen - former slaves■ Homeless■ Uneducated■ Free for first time in their lives■ Went town to town searching for jobs■ Searched for spouses and/or children sold


● After the War○ Civil War broke the chains of slavery.○ Destroyed the old social order○ New relationships needed to be built

■ Attitudes of whites and blacks got in the way■ Blacks feared being re-enslaved■ Whites found it difficult to accept blacks as free


● After the War○ Political rights become questioned○ Freedmen look forward to voting and holding office○ White Mississippians political questions

■ How would they be treated by federal government■ Punished for part in the war?■ Would they be able to vote?■ Would they be able to participate in government?■ Would property taken away be returned to them?


● After the War○ Freedmen regarded:

■ Land, ballot, and education as primary means of independence

○ Congress attempts to help freedmen■ Created the Freedmen’s Bureau■ Freedmen’s Bureau - an agency to help former slaves

with food, shelter, education, and health care. It also helped them find jobs and arranged fair wages for them from planters.


● After the War○ Freedmen believed

■ Freedmen’s Bureau would sell or lease land● Land that was confiscated or abandoned during war● 1865 Rumor that each adult black male would receive 40 acres● Over 800,000 acres seized during war

○ Very little permanently given to blacks○ President Johnson ordered most returned to former owners

● By 1867 even radical Republicans gave up on giving land● Without government help it was difficult for them to acquire land● After crop failures in 1866 and 1867 most lost everything● By 1870 about 12 percent still had land


● Presidential Reconstruction○ Reconstruction - a plan to rebuild the South and

restore southern states to the Union as quickly and easily as possible.■ Developed by Lincoln before the wars end

○ Lincoln’s plan was was based on two steps■ All southerners, except high-ranking Confederate officials,

would be pardoned after taking an oath of loyalty to the Union

■ 10% of voters take oath, state could form government


● Presidential Reconstruction○ Lincoln’s plan dies

■ April 14th, 1865 - Lincoln is assassinated○ Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes President

■ Responsible for the reconstruction■ Plan very similar to that of Lincoln’s

○ The difference■ Expanded the group to all southerners for pardon■ High ranking positions - owned property over 20,000

● Had to apply directly to the President for a pardon● All southern states had to develop a new constitution


● Presidential Reconstruction○ State constitutions had to abolish slavery○ Radical Republicans disappointed

■ Wanted stronger requirements for readmission ■ Johnson adds three more requirements to plan

● repeal their secession ordinances● repudiate (void) their war debt● ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

○ Mississippi reconstruction■ Sharkey named temporary governor■ Directed to call convention to draft new constitution


● Constitutional Convention of 1865○ Convention started on August 14, 1865○ Nation watched and waited

■ Belief that if Mississippi could write a fair constitution● For blacks and whites● Met all requirements for readmission to Union● Other southern states would follow suit

○ Delegates made few changes■ Most were prewar ruling class■ State’s relations remained same with blacks■ Did not want any responsibility for abolition of slavery


● Constitutional Convention of 1865○ President Johnson sends telegram to Sharkey

■ Encourages delegates to extend suffrage to blacks● Suffrage - the right to vote

○ Only to educated blacks○ Only to those who owned property

■ Delegates ignore Johnson’s advice● Refuse to give right to vote● Only passed resolutions voiding MS ordinances of

secession● Did not ratify 13th Amendment or void war debt

○ Added after completion of their work


● Election of 1865○ White Mississippians agreed with delegates

■ Opposed equal participation in state by blacks■ Planters wanted restrictions forcing blacks back into fields■ Feared black Union troops still in Mississippi■ Elections occurred during tension■ Humphrey opposed secession

● Fought with the Confederacy rank of General● Won election without a pardon

■ Many that won election supported secession■ Opposed granting suffrage and political position to blacks


● Black Codes○ New legislature meets

■ First and most important issue● Civil and political rights of blacks

■ Passed four (4) acts known as the Black Codes● Black Codes - codes designed to give the state control

over blacks’ behavior and, particularly, their labor; they placed harsh economic and social restrictions on blacks.


● Black Codes○ First Act

■ Entitled Civil Rights Act of 1865● Provided 2 benefits

○ Legalized marriages○ Right to sue in state courts

● Prohibited○ Interracial marriages○ Prevented blacks from testifying in court cases

involving whites○ Limited black land ownership

■ Could rent or lease land but only in town


● Black Codes○ Required to have an employment contract

■ Had to be witnessed by two whites■ Broke contract arrested and returned to employer■ Prohibited from carrying firearms■ Provided blacks could be arrested for assembling without

permission■ Unable to pay fine, could be hired out to whoever could

pay fine


● Black Codes○ John Richard Dennet

■ “while honest and industrious negroes are often arrested and punished, there is no arrest of notorious idle….white men.”

○ Black Codes and refusal to ratify 13th Amendment■ Troubled freedmen■ Angered white northerners■ Blacks send petition to governor

● ask if state has really abolished slavery● Congress outraged viewed as an attempt to ignore outcome

Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition● Congressional Reconstruction

○ Several states refuse to ratify 13th Amendment○ Congress takes control of reconstruction○ March 2, 1867 - Reconstruction Act

■ Divides South into 5 military districts■ MS falls into 4th Military District

● Maj. Gen. Edward O. Ord in command● First task - register all eligible voters● Registered any adult male regardless of race

○ Had to live in the state for at least one year○ September 1867 - 137,000 registered to vote of 160,000


○ 61 counties total in MS○ 32 counties more blacks were registered than white○ 29 counties more whites than blacks○ November 1867 first test

■ Voters needed to decide on whether or not to write a new constitution

■ Delegates were to be chosen in same election■ Opposed by conservative Democrats


○ New Republican Party - formed in 1867■ People that supported Congressional Reconstruction

○ Scalawags - native whites (turncoats) who supported the Republican party.

○ Carpetbaggers - term for northern whites because it was believed that they came to the state carrying their belongings in suitcases made of carpet.

Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition● The Constitution of 1868

○ 100 delegates total - ■ 17 blacks■ 29 scalawag■ 25 carpetbaggers■ 17 conservative Democrats

● Beroth B. Eggleston (Oh) elected as president of convention● 2 Resolutions offered

○ Universal Male Suffrage - extended the vote to male citizens regardless of race or color

○ Provided for a free public education - children 6 - 18


○ Was not accepted by all Mississippians■ Conservative Democrats

● Objected to provisions that disfranchise all person who supported secession or aided the Confederacy

● Disfranchise - to take the right to vote away from an individual or group

● Did not agree with governor having more power● Had to take oath stating all men are created equal


○ Constitution was put to voters in 1868■ Failed

● conservative whites refused to vote● Ku Klux Klan - militant organization that used

violence and intimidation to keep blacks from the polls

■ President Grant resubmits constitution to the people of Mississippi without the disfranchising and an equal oath - Ratified

Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition● Republican Rule in Mississippi

○ Election of 1869■ Republican James L. Alcorn elected governor (Ill)■ 1870 Legislature meets

● Ratifies the 14th and 15th Amendments● Elect Adelbert Ames and Hiram Revels to U.S.

Senate○ Hiram Revels was first black to serve on U.S.

Senate● February 23, 1870 - Mississippi readmitted to Union

Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition● Black Political Power

○ Began with election of 17 blacks as delegates○ General Ord appoints black planter Justice of

Peace - Benjamin T. Montgomery○ Blacks did not dominate state politics○ I.D. Shadd and John R. Lynch served as

Speaker of the House○ James Lynch elected as secretary of state 1869○ Numerous blacks have held high political offices

Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition● Education

○ Major accomplishment of Reconstruction government■ Creation of tax-supported public schools■ 1850 - 13% white children attend school■ 1870 school system in each county

● allocated more than $1 million● One state superintendent● One superintendent per county

■ 1875 school enrollment - 89,813(b) 78,404(w)

Chapter 6: Reconstruction and Transition● The End of Republican Rule

○ Democrats opposed Reconstruction○ Objected to Union troops - especially blacks○ Charged Republicans with corruption and waste○ Claimed taxes were too high○ Resisted public schools - especially for blacks○ Said blacks were ignorant voters and politicians○ Considered themselves to be redeemers


○ Employers■ Threatened jobs of blacks if they did not vote a

certain way■ KKK used violence to prevent blacks from voting■ 1874 - 500 whites gather at courthouse

● force black sheriff Peter Crosby to resign● blacks came to help get job back - riots erupted● Federal troops were required to restore order● Democratic strategy worked - regain control


○ Presidential election of 1876■ Hayes (R) and Tilden (D)

● Tilden 184 electoral votes● Hayes 165 electoral votes

○ 185 needed for majority● Congress appoints commission of 27 to decide ● Hayes receives all 27 and becomes President● Decided only after an agreement to end a

filibuster● Filibuster - continuous speech making to

delay action by a legislative body


○ Following Reconstruction■ Democrats reverse many decisions of

Republicans■ Include reducing taxes■ Decrease in government jobs■ Dramatically reduce public funds

● Became to low to support schools and colleges


○ 1880s calls for change to constitution of 1868■ Did not feel that they should be governed by laws

created by blacks and carpetbaggers○ Whites from northern counties wanted

reapportionment of the state■ Reapportionment - redrawing the lines of

voting districts throughout the state■ Felt Delta region was gave to much power to

planters with large black population


○ Section 12 of the Constitution■ Adult males wanting to vote must

● Register at least 4 months in advance● Live in the state for 2 years district 1 year ● Pay an annual poll tax of $2● Read any section of the state constitution or

understand it when read to them■ Understanding Clause - added to the

constitution to allow illiterate whites to register to vote

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