Reconstruction Pt. 2

Congressional Reconstruction

Election 1868

• Rep. US Grant

• Reconstruction main issue

• Racist election

• Grant wins close race

15th Amendment

• 1869

• Fed. & state gov’t can’t deny vote b/c of race.

• Women not included.

• Abolitionists 40 yr. struggle over.

Citizenship

• 1790 only white immigrants can become citizens.

• 1857 Dred Scott - blacks could never be citizens.

• New laws apply to North too.

Change in Constitution’s Focus

• B of R linked civil rights to states.

• Reconstruction showed rights needed federal enforcement.

• Vulnerable minorities could claim freedom and protection in Constitution.

Radical Reconstruction

• Majority black men registered to vote.

• 1870 all Southern states readmitted w/ new Rep. constitutions & black politicians.

Black Officeholder

• Black vote most of Rep. support.

• Whites highest office.

• 2000 AA did hold office

• Shift in Southern power & US gov’t.

• 14 House, 2 Senate (both MS)

• 700 in state leg. and many more in local

AA Politicians

Black US Senators

• Hiram Revels (MS 1870)

• Blanche Bruce (MS 1875-1881)

• Edward Brooke (MA 1967-1978)

• Carol Moseley Braun (IL 1993-1998)

• Barrak Obama (IL 2005-2008)– Roland Burris (IL 2008-2011)

Black Officeholders

• Black w/ White allies meant blacks treated fairly.– Courts, road repair jobs, taxes, relief

• SC & LA educated & wealthy

• Some northern blacks

• Most former slaves - leadership– soldiers, ministers, teachers, craftsmen

Carpetbaggers

• Northerners in Rec. govts.– “Reap spoils of South”– Some corrupt– Many former soldiers

• Investors – land & RR– Opportunity to make $ & rebuild South

• Freedmen’s Bureau – help former slaves– Teachers & agents

Scalawags

• Most southern born white Republicans.

• “Traitors” to race & region

• Wartime Unionists– Help to prevent Cons. coming to power

• Small but important swing vote

Southern Republicans in Power

• Huge challenges/ some great accomplishments– 1st state public school– Civil Rights Laws– Assist poor & needy– Economic recovery?

Mixed Results

• Economy didn’t grow enough

• AA locked in poverty

• Biracial democratic gov’t worked

• Public facilities & schools

• Racism removed from laws

• Conservative elite excluded – 1st time

Reconstruction’s Opponents

• South’s traditional leaders

• Gov’t corrupt, inefficient, “black supremacy”

• Fraud small compared to North– Whiskey Ring & Tweed Ring– 10’s of millions of $

• Tax increases

• Most whites can’t accept black equality

Opposition

• Military rule bitterly opposed

• Carpetbaggers• Scalawags• Ku Klux Klan 1866

– Promote white supremacy

– Resist through terrorism

Violence

• Goal – Restore white supremacy & disciplined reliable labor force.

• Reconstruction must be overthrown

• Challenge to Reconstruction govt’s & DC

“A Reign of Terror”

• Early on local & unorganized– Blacks assaulted & murdered

• After 1867 Rep. govt’s violence increases– Politics– Secret societies to destroy Rep. Party– Attack local leaders, blacks, officials

Terror

• Ku Klux Klan – Military arm of Dem. Party– 1866 TN social club– Respectable citizens– Criminal conspiracy

• Attack Republicans B & W

Ku Klux Klan

Victims

• Wartime Unionists, politicians, teachers, party organizers.

• AA leaders, buy land, defied white supremacy

• York County SC, 11 murders & 100’s whippings. (whole male pop. Klan)

KKK

• Mass terror & insurrections– 1871 Meridian MS 30 blacks & 1 white judge

murdered.– 1873 Colfax LA (Bloodiest) armed white

attack town

So. Govt’s Ask for Help

• 1870-1871 3 Enforcement Laws – Outlawed terrorist societies– Allowed president to use army – Fed. authority expanded– Denying rights now a federal crime not state

Grant vs. Klan

• 1871 sent fed. marshal's & troops

• 100’s arrested

• Trials

• 1872 Klan gone & peace 1st time

Republicans Changing

• Commitment to reconstruction weakening– Radicals dead or gone– Commitment to black rights going

• North attitude– South solve own problems w/o DC– Slaves free, citizens, vote now leave them

alone

Liberal Republicans

• Mad at Grant corruption– Immigrants & working men vs. (elite)

education & talent– Machines kept them from office

• Curtail fed. power

Horace Greeley 1872

• So. Corruption = So. Returned to “natural leaders”

• Put CW & Rec. in the past & unite

• Dems endorsed him too.

• Lost big.

• New policy for South (Lib. Rep. & Dems unite)

The North’s Retreat

• After 1872 Lib. Rep. attack Reconstruction– Increased racism in North

• 1874 The Prostrate State – James Pike– Report on SC– total political corruption, extravagance– “mass of black barbarism”– Problems from “Negro Government”– Solution- restore whites to power

Newspapers Change Position

• Against blacks participating in govt

• Visual expression in engravings

• Image change– CW vets, good citizens, victims– Caricatures as wild animals

• Racism convenient explanation for failure of reconstruction.

Depression 1873

• Economy Rep. new priority

• Dems benefited in south (really hurt)– 1874 elections Dems control House (1st CW)

• Civil Rights Act 1875– Last law of outgoing congress– Outlawed racial discrimination in public places

The Triumph of the Redeemers

• By mid 1870’s Dems control TN, NC, TX

• Redeemers– Saved white south

• Corruption• Misgovernment• Northern & black control

Grant won’t stop Violence

• 1875-1876 violence in daylight

• 1875 MS rifle clubs drill in street– Openly assault & murder Rep.

• Northern public “tired out” by So. problems

• MS Dems destroy ballots & drive blacks – Dems win landslide & end Reconstruction– SC did same

1876 A Disputed Election

• Rep. Gov. Hayes OH

• Dem. Gov. Tilden NY

• Only SC, FL, LA under Rep. control– Close & both parties claim victory

1877 Electoral Commission

• 15 men-Sen., Reps., SC justices

• Republican 8-7 majority

• Hayes chosen to win all 3 states = next pres.

• Bargin?

Bargain of 1877

• Behind the scenes

• Hayes recognize Dem. control of south– Fed. aid for TX to CA RR

• Dems. promise to accept election results– Respect civil & political rights of AA

Results

• Hayes President– Orders troops back to bases

• So. Dems wont recognize blacks as citizens

Post Script

• Black continue voting & hold office in some states into 1890’s.

• When Rep. controlled – blacks had a lot of political power & fed. protected rights of all Americans.

• It ended.

• 100 yrs will pass before nation would try again to bring rights to descendents of former slaves.

• 1950’s & 1960’s Civil Rights = 2nd Reconstruction