🗽US History Unit 16 – The Era of Reconstruction, 1865–1877

Key Events and Timeline

• 1865: Civil War ends with Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House (April 9)
• 1865-1877: Reconstruction Era, a period of rebuilding and reuniting the nation after the Civil War
  • Divided into two phases: Presidential Reconstruction (1865-1867) and Congressional Reconstruction (1867-1877)
• 1865: President Abraham Lincoln assassinated (April 14); Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes president
• 1865-1866: Southern states pass Black Codes, restricting the rights and freedoms of African Americans
• 1866: Civil Rights Act of 1866 passed by Congress, granting citizenship and equal rights to African Americans
• 1867: Reconstruction Acts passed by Congress, dividing the South into five military districts and requiring states to ratify the 14th Amendment
• 1868: Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson by the House of Representatives; acquitted by the Senate
• 1870: 15th Amendment ratified, granting voting rights to African American men
• 1877: Compromise of 1877 ends Reconstruction; federal troops withdrawn from the South

Political Developments

• President Andrew Johnson's lenient policies towards the South (Presidential Reconstruction) led to conflict with Radical Republicans in Congress
  • Johnson granted pardons to former Confederates and allowed Southern states to re-enter the Union without guaranteeing rights for African Americans
• Radical Republicans in Congress pushed for a more aggressive approach to Reconstruction (Congressional Reconstruction)
  • Aimed to punish the South, protect the rights of African Americans, and restructure Southern society
• Formation of the Freedmen's Bureau to provide aid and support to former slaves
• Emergence of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups in the South, using violence and intimidation to suppress African American rights and political participation
• Shift in political power in the South, with African Americans and Republicans gaining influence during Reconstruction
• Gradual restoration of Southern Democrats' power through the use of violence, intimidation, and discriminatory practices

Constitutional Amendments

• 13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime
• 14th Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States, including former slaves
  • Prohibited states from denying equal protection under the law to any person
  • Introduced the concept of birthright citizenship
• 15th Amendment (1870): Granted voting rights to African American men
  • Prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude
• These amendments, known as the Reconstruction Amendments, aimed to establish equality and protect the rights of African Americans
• Despite the amendments, Southern states found ways to circumvent their intent through discriminatory practices (poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses)

Social and Economic Changes

• Emancipation of nearly 4 million slaves, leading to a significant shift in Southern society and economy
• Establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau to provide aid, education, and legal support to former slaves
• Rise of sharecropping and tenant farming as a replacement for the plantation system
  • African Americans often trapped in a cycle of debt and poverty due to exploitative contracts and practices
• Expansion of educational opportunities for African Americans through the establishment of schools and colleges (Fisk University, Howard University)
• Emergence of African American churches and religious institutions as centers of community, support, and political activism
• Urbanization and industrialization in the North, leading to increased economic opportunities and migration of African Americans from the South
• Continued economic struggles in the South due to the destruction caused by the Civil War and the shift away from a slave-based economy

African American Experience

• Emancipation brought freedom but also new challenges for African Americans
  • Struggle to find employment, housing, and basic necessities in the aftermath of slavery
• Establishment of African American communities and institutions (churches, schools, businesses)
  • Provided support, education, and a sense of identity in the face of adversity
• Participation in the political process, with African Americans serving in local, state, and federal government positions during Reconstruction
  • Notable figures include Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce, the first African American U.S. Senators
• Continued violence, intimidation, and discrimination from white Southerners
  • Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups targeted African Americans and their allies
• Development of African American culture and artistic expression (spirituals, folk tales, literature)
• Ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality, laying the foundation for future movements

Southern Resistance and Challenges

• Many white Southerners resented the changes brought about by Reconstruction and the increased rights and freedoms of African Americans
• Formation of white supremacist organizations (Ku Klux Klan, White League) to intimidate African Americans and suppress their political participation
  • Used violence, threats, and discriminatory practices to maintain white dominance
• Implementation of Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans
  • Segregation in public spaces, discrimination in employment and housing, and barriers to voting
• Resistance to the Reconstruction governments, which were seen as illegitimate and imposed by the North
• Economic struggles in the South due to the destruction caused by the Civil War and the shift away from a slave-based economy
  • Resentment towards Northern "carpetbaggers" and Southern "scalawags" who profited from the situation
• Gradual erosion of Reconstruction policies and the restoration of white Southern Democrats' power

Northern Perspective and Involvement

• Many Northerners initially supported Reconstruction as a means to reunite the country and ensure the rights of African Americans
  • Radical Republicans pushed for a more aggressive approach to punish the South and protect African American rights
• Establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau and other organizations to provide aid and support to former slaves
• Passage of the Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) to establish equality and protect the rights of African Americans
• Gradual decline in Northern support for Reconstruction due to various factors
  • Economic concerns, corruption scandals, and the desire for reconciliation with the South
• Compromise of 1877, which ended Reconstruction and led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South
  • Reflected the waning commitment of the North to enforcing Reconstruction policies
• Focus on industrialization and westward expansion in the North, shifting attention away from the ongoing struggles in the South

Long-Term Impact and Legacy

• Reconstruction laid the foundation for the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality in the United States
  • Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) established important legal principles and protections
• Despite the end of Reconstruction, African Americans continued to fight for their rights through various means (legal challenges, activism, education)
• Jim Crow laws and segregation in the South persisted well into the 20th century, perpetuating racial inequality and discrimination
  • Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) established the "separate but equal" doctrine, upholding segregation
• The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s built upon the legacy of Reconstruction, pushing for an end to segregation and discrimination
  • Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, declaring segregation in public schools unconstitutional
• Ongoing debates about the role of the federal government in protecting civil rights and promoting social and economic equality
• The legacy of Reconstruction continues to shape discussions about race, justice, and the American political system