Reconstruction

What is Reconstruction? Reconstruction refers to the period during

and after the Civil War, between 1863 and 1877.

During this time period, the U.S. was very much focused on abolishing slavery destroying all traces of the Confederacy, and reconstructing the South, and Reconstructing the national Constitution itself,

with three new amendments.

What was the Reconstruction movement concerned with?

The Reconstruction era addressed how secessionist Southern states would

regain self-government and seats in Congress

the civil status of the leaders of the Confederacy, and

the Constitutional and legal status of Freedmen (the freed slaves).

Three Main Problems There were many issues facing the

Union at the end of the Civil War. These issues included

practical concerns political issues constitutional problems.

Three Main Problems Practical Concerns

What were 4 million newly freed black people in the South to do, without land, jobs, or strong skills outside of farming?

Political Issues What was to happen to the Southern States?

Were they going to be received back into the Union “with malice towards none” or were they to be punished?

Constitutional Problems Who had the right to determine how the

Confederates States would be readmitted to the Union?

Remember…

Many Southerners were in despair over what they lost.

Northern soldiers occupied the South, much like conquerors.

Slavery came to an end, but were freed slaves truly free? Did the war improve their daily lives?

When did we decide to ‘reconstruct’? Discussions of reconstruction had begun

within the national government began as soon as the war began in 1861.

Lincoln and his people immediately began to discuss how to end the war and under Abraham Lincoln

Presidential reconstruction began in each state as soon as federal troops controlled most of the state.

Lincoln’s Legacy Even in the middle of the war, Lincoln

had wondered how to treat the Confederates States if the Union should win.

He believed that they had never legally seceded, and in fact an important purpose of the war was to prove that secession was not constitutionally possible.

Lincoln’s Position Lincoln looked at the secession as individuals who had rebelled He knew that the Constitution gave the President the power to

pardon individuals. Lincoln wanted to be forgiving in terms of welcoming the Confederate States back.

Lincoln’s Legacy (Continued) December 1863: Lincoln announced

Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. Amnesty: pardon for crimes against the

government The proclamation granted pardons to all

Confederates who would swear allegiance to the Union and promise to obey its laws.

This pardon didn’t include high officials of the Confederacy and those accused of crimes against prisoners of War.

Confederate Conditions

Under the proclamation, a Confederate state could form a state government as soon as 10% of those on the 1860 voting lists agreed to an oath to uphold the US Constitution.

Once they did, that state could then send its representatives and senators to Congress.

Reaction to the Reconstruction Plan…

Congress was not satisfied with Lincoln’s plan, however. Many Northerners wanted the political

power of slave owning people destroyed. They wanted Southern black people to be

given full citizenship (including all civil rights, particularly the right to vote).

Radicals Propose their Plan In July 1864, Radicals in Congress adopted

their blueprint for Reconstruction, which was called the Wade-Davis Bill. The bill said Congress should be responsible for

Reconstruction, not the President. Also declared that for a state government to be

acceptable, a majority (and not just 10 percent) of those eligible to vote in 1860 had to take an oath to support the Constitution.

They also had to swear that they had never supported the Confederacy in any way.

Lincoln’s Response

Lincoln chose to pocket veto the Wade Davis Bill.

The Radical Republicans responded by issuing a manifesto, or proclamation, in which they called Lincoln’s pocket veto a “stupid outrage.”

They declared the authority of Congress to be supreme. They warned the President to stick to his executive duties and to leave Reconstruction up to Congress.

Radical Republicans’ Position

Radical Republicans believed that the Confederate Sates had actually seceded.

Thus, they were now territories seeking admission to the Union.

And it was Congress, not the President, that controlled territorial matters.

Radical Republicans’ Position

After the elections of 1864, Arkansas and Louisiana acted according to Lincoln’s plan and sent representatives to Washington. The RR’s wouldn’t let these

representatives take their seats. By April 1865, the war was over.

Abraham Lincoln was dead.

Johnson: In over his head? Andrew Johnson was

Lincoln’s Vice President, and therefore his successor.

He was not Lincoln: lacked the dignity and diplomacy Lincoln consistently demonstrated.

He surprised everyone by announcing that he would continue Lincoln’s plan of Reconstruction.

Johnson’s Stance

Johnson declared that any state could be

readmitted to the Union if it would declare its secession illegal swear allegiance to the Union promise not to pay any Confederate

debts, and ratify the 13th amendment, which

abolished slavery.

Southern Response The Southern States took advantage of these easy

terms. Within a few months, these states (except for Texas) held constitutional conventions, set up state governments, and elected representatives to Congress.

The newly elected representatives from the South arrived in DC in December 1865. Many had sat in the Confederate Congress. Six had been members of the Confederate Cabinet. Four had fought against the US as rebel generals.

All were pardoned. The Radical Republicans were not happy.