RECONSTRUCTION The Aftermath of the American Civil War 1865-1877.

RECONSTRUCTION

The Aftermath of the American Civil

War

1865-1877

LINCOLN’S 10% PLAN Lincoln believed that since secession was

illegal, Confederate governments in the

Southern states were illegitimate and the

states had never really left the Union. He

believed that Reconstruction was a

matter of quickly restoring legitimate

Southern state governments that

were loyal to the Union.

Lincoln also believed that to reunify the

nation, the federal government should

not punish the South, but act “with

malice towards none, with charity for

all… to bind up the nation’s wounds….”

1. The President is in

charge, not Congress. Goal

= reunite nation ASAP, NOT

punish the South..

2. When 10% of the voters

from 1860 pledge their

allegiance, Reconstruction

is over & the South can

rejoin the Union.

PROVISIONS--

JOHNSON’S PLAN Radical Republicans in

Congress clashed

repeatedly with Lincoln’s

successor as president,

Andrew Johnson, over the

issue of civil rights for freed

slaves, eventually

impeaching him, but failing

to remove him from office.  

PROVISIONSClick icon to add picture

1. A majority of 1860 voters

had to pledge their

allegiance

2. Goal = punish Southern

leaders for secession

3. Leaders had to personally

get a presidential pardon,

but allowed Black Codes.

CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION

The assassination of Lincoln just a few

days after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox

enabled Radical Republicans to

influence the process of Reconstruction

in a manner much more punitive

towards the former Confederate states.

The states that seceded were not allowed

back into the Union immediately, but

were put under military rule.

They also believed in aggressively

guaranteeing voting and other civil

rights to African Americans.  

PROVISIONS

Click icon to add picture1. Congress is in charge, NOT

the President. Goal= punish

the South & guarantee rights

for Freedmen

2. Created Freedman’s Bureau

to help former slaves

3. Military Reconstruction

Act= replaced Southern states

with military districts under

martial law

The three “Civil War Amendments”

to the Constitution were added:

· 13th Amendment: outlaws slavery in

the United States

· 14th Amendment: gives former

slaves citizenship

· 15th Amendment: gives Freedmen

the right to vote

COMPROMISE OF 1877

The Reconstruction period ended following

the extremely close presidential election of

1876. In return for support from Southern

Democrats in the electoral college vote,

the Republicans agreed to end the military

occupation of the South. Known as the

Compromise of 1877 this enabled former

Confederates who controlled the

Democratic Party to regain power. It

opened the door to the “Jim Crow Era”

and began a long period in which African

Americans in the South were denied the

full rights of American citizenship. 

ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE CIVIL WAR

OPPOSITION TO RECONSTRUCTION

1. Ku Klux Klan-

Created to oppose

Reconstruction & use

violence to intimidate

African Americans

from voting.

2. Redeemer

Governments- After

the Compromise of

1877 Southern voters

elected anti-

Reconstruction

governments to pass

Jim Crow laws

SNIDE SOUTHERN RECONSTRUCTION TERMS

Scalawags Carpetbaggers

• Southerners who cooperated with Reconstruction

• Northerners who came south to make money off of Reconstruction

Poorest people in South.Rented land, food, supplies & shelter from rich land owners in return for a share of their crops.

Mostly black farmers

Middle classfarmers. Owned their own homes but rented land from rich landowners in return for cash payments.Mostly white Farmers.

Did not own land.Had to pay rent for use of land.

CIVIL WAR LEADERS DURING RECONSTRUCTION

IMPEACHMENT OF ANDREW JOHNSON

Impeachment: Hearing to decide if a

President has broken the law & if

there should be a trial.

 Who: President Johnson is tried by

the members of the House of

Representatives

 Why: Johnson broke the law by firing

his Secretary of War & ignoring the

Military Reconstruction Act

 What Happened: Johnson is

impeached, but the Senate votes to

not kick him out of office.