Rebuilding the South 1865-1876. Sharecropping – Freedmen or poor whites worked someone else’s land Owner provided them with a place to live, seed, tools,

Rebuilding the South1865-1876

Sharecropping – Freedmen or poor whites worked someone else’s land

Owner provided them with a place to live, seed, tools, and food on credit.

Many sharecroppers were cheated or taken advantage of

Tenant Farming – Tenants provide their own tools and seed, while the owners provide the housing. Profits are shared by both.

Lincoln- plan to “reconstruct” the South and bring them back into the Union (started planning in 1863) Requirements:

10% of white male voters had to pledge an oath of allegiance to the Union

High ranking Confederate military leaders and officers- not allowed to take oath

A new constitution was to be written by each state including the banning of slaveryRepresentatives could be seated in Congress, vote on state government, status as state returned

Lincoln is assassinated-1865 Andrew Johnson becomes President Johnson’s plan- similar, but with added

requirements: Ratify 13th amendment Cancel Ordinance of Secession Cancel all wartime debts Still need to write new constitution that

includes abolishing slavery Georgia follows the regulations

Radical Republicans-South needed to be punishedToo lenientPardons- too easy to earnSaid Johnson didn’t have authority

to do this without Congressional approval

Created by Congress to help the freedmen and poor whites obtain food, shelter, and clothing

Education was an important focus

Help the newly freed black become citizens

Black Codes- restricted freedmen’s rightsProhibited interracial marriageNo serving on juriesNo testifying against whitesDisorderly behavior or unemployment meant jail time

Whipping is allowed for minor crimesHours and duties of workers are regulatedCan be fired without receiving money owed

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 Guaranteed the rights of freedmenBlocked the South’s black codes

Freedmen’s Bureau time limit is extendedCongress passes the 14th Amendment

Guarantees citizenship and equal rights to ALL persons born in the U.S. except Native Americans“ All persons born or naturalized in the Unites States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges of immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”.

Southern states are required to ratify the 14th

President Johnson says to reject itGeorgia’s legislature does reject it

Military Reconstruction ActsSouth is divided into military districtsSouth is placed under military ruleFormer Confederate officeholders were not allowed to vote or run for office

States- write new constitutions (again!)

Guarantee Black males over 21 right to vote

Approve the 14th amendment Confederate officers- not allowed to

vote or hold office

Georgia was placed under military rule.Blacks were registered to vote and even ran for officeMajor General John Pope

is in charge of GA

A constitutional convention was to be held in Milledgeville, the state capital, but the hotels wouldn’t rent rooms to the black delegates

The capital is moved to Atlanta, as is the convention

Voting rights given to all adult malesProhibition of slaverySupport of free public educationWhipping abolished as a punishmentPoll tax is establishedCapital officially moved to Atlanta

Henry McNeal TurnerHe had been raised free in the southLicensed preacherAfter the war started the first African American church in MariettaElected to the state legislature-Bibb CountyHe promoted land ownership, education and voting rights for blacks

NORTHERN ABOLITIONIST BECAME MILITARY GOVERNOR OF

ISLANDS- ST CATHERINES, OSSABAW, AND SAPELO during Reconstruction

GA SENATOR OUTSPOKEN CRITICIZED WHITE EFFORTS TO LIMIT

VOTING RIGHTS SON- STATE LEGISLATOR FROM

MCINTOSH CO.

Born a slave Become a tailor in Macon Elected to the House of

Representatives Worked for a bill to keep former

Confederate officers from holding public office

September- White GA Democrats removed the black members of the state legislatureThey stated that the constitution did not say that blacks could hold office

Just because they could vote and be citizens did not mean they could be elected officials

Ku Klux KlanStarted in Tennessee as a social and political organization for Civil War Veterans-1866Became a growing problem in Ga in 1868 Goes astray and starts using violence and terror to oppress the freedmen

No voting, holding office, or exercising their rightsUsed lynching and other attacks such as burning crosses

Congressional hearings on violence in the south

Governor of Ga asked for help due to violence

Federal troops return in December Put black members back in

Congress and the General Assembly

Congress passes the 15th AmendmentGuarantees all men the right to vote“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

GA and 3 other states had to ratify this amendment before they could reenter the Union

Georgia ratifies the 15th AmendmentGA is re-admitted to the UnionGA citizens elect a Democratic governor (1872)

There are no Republican governors until Sonny Perdue in 2003Federal troops leave GA and Reconstruction ends