Chapter 11 Promises and Pitfalls of Reconstruction From Slavery
to Freedom 9 th ed.
Slide 2
2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2
Enfranchisement of African Americans
Slide 3
Presidential Reconstruction Lincolns Ten Percent Plan Conflict
between President and Congress over who was to set conditions of
Souths readmission Lincolns plan allowed states to be readmitted if
one- tenth of eligible voters swore loyalty to the U.S. and
accepted abolition of slavery; gave general amnesty to certain
high-ranking civil and military officers Criticized by some members
of Congress as too lenient Also disagreed over status of
freedpeople 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. 3
Slide 4
Presidential Reconstruction Andrew Johnsons Policies Conflict
between two branches continued after Andrew Johnson became
president Johnson wanted to leave black suffrage up to the states
and began to dictate Reconstruction policy Extended general
amnesty; seen as a champion of the South Black Codes Southern
states began to pass laws that curbed black freedom and bore
resemblance to the Slave Codes 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. 4
Slide 5
Presidential Reconstruction In 1865, the South elected many
Confederate leaders to represent them in Congress Republicans under
Thaddeus Stevens argued that Congress should take over
Reconstruction Joint Committee on Reconstruction Congress Takes
Charge Conditions for freedpeople terrible; southern whites waging
a kind of guerilla warfare on blacks 2010 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 5
Slide 6
6 Selling a freedman to pay his fine at Monticello,
Florida
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Presidential Reconstruction 1866, Congress passed Civil Rights
Act over Johnsons veto Gave federal statutory protection against
the Black Codes Different northern interests began to promote the
enfranchisement of black men Fight between Congress and President
continued Johnson eventually repudiated at polls because of his
conduct Swing around the circle 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. 7
Slide 8
Presidential Reconstruction The Black Conventions Blacks
politically mobilized against presidential Reconstruction Statewide
conventions in South convened in 1865-6 Demanded Equal Rights
before the Law Black Mobilization Churches and fraternal societies
provided infrastructure for political activism in southern cities
Mobilization more advanced in places where federal troops remained
the longest 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. 8
Slide 9
Radical Reconstruction Reconstruction Act of 1867
Ex-Confederate states divided into five military districts under
martial law Each state required to hold a constitutional convention
based on universal male suffrage All states required to ratify the
Fourteenth Amendment before admittance Some condemned gendered
language; fought for universal suffrage 2010 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 9
Slide 10
Radical Reconstruction New National Officials Fifteenth
Amendment extended suffrage to black men creating a black
electorate in the former Confederacy Two African Americans sent to
the U.S. Senate Hiram Revels Blanche K. Bruce Twenty blacks served
in the U.S. House between 1877 and 1901 2010 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 10
Slide 11
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The first black senators and representatives, in the Forty- First
and Forty-Second Congress of the United States
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Radical Reconstruction Blacks as State Legislators Blacks
served with varying success as state legislators Wielded greatest
influence in South Carolina The Union League Became spearhead for
Southern Republicanism during Reconstruction Depended on black men
for bulk of Republican strength 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. 12
Slide 13
Radical Reconstruction Black Women and the Black Community
Black women active in getting out the vote and vocal in political
discussion Civil Rights Act of 1875 clarified rights of African
Americans to freely use public accommodations Declared
unconstitutional in 1883 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. 13
Slide 14
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Robert Brown Elliott speaking before Congress
Slide 15
The Social Consequences of the War The Freedmens Bureau
Responsible for relief and rehabilitation programs for the newly
emancipated Provided food and medical services, established
schools, supervised contracts, managed land First large-scale
federal welfare program The Pivotal Role of Education Most saw
education as key Bureau worked with private northern institutions
and established black educators 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved. 15
Slide 16
The Social Consequences of the War Educators, Black and White
Teachers came from North; many were missionaries; number of black
teachers steadily increased By 1870, task of education completely
transferred to local communities and religious organizations Black
Churches Offered spiritual and material relief First social
institutions fully controlled by blacks 2010 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 16
Slide 17
Economic Adjustment The Desire for Land Ex-slaves resisted
signing labor contracts, fearing a new form of enslavement Saw
landownership as a source of economic independence; landownership
considered more favorable than wage labor Southern Homestead Act of
1866 Blacks still prevented from landownership by white hostility
By 1870s, many abandoned landownership dreams to move to urban
centers 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
17
Slide 18
Economic Adjustment Women in the Labor Market Attempt to
withdraw black females and children from labor market had economic
consequences Contributed to decline in per capita production Black
males took on new assertive role as representatives of their
families Evidenced by the gender differences in dealings with
Freedmens Bureau Many whites did not think black women should have
same fashion and leisure styles as whites Lambasted if wore
fashionable attire 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. 18
Slide 19
Economic Adjustment Majority of black women, however, worked,
primarily in the fields Changing Conditions of Farm Labor Blacks
resisted conditions placed on agricultural workers Overall per
capita labor hours reduced by one-third Incentives and flexibility
were provided to blacks to meet urgent labor needs 2010 The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 19
Slide 20
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Upland Cotton
Slide 21
Economic Adjustment Sharecropping Sharecropping a compromise
between planters need for stability and control over agricultural
production and freedpeoples need for less risk in economic
compensation Flawed system; most sharecroppers assumed great debt
due to cost of maintenance Under this system, white South recovered
more quickly than freed blacks 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. 21
Slide 22
Economic Adjustment The Freedmens Bank Chartered by federal
government for use by blacks; encouraged blacks to save money Some
of its financiers acted unscrupulously Frederick Douglass unable to
save it; closed in 1874 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. 22
Slide 23
Reconstructions End Democratic party revived in South after
general amnesty given to most ex-Confederates The Reign of Violence
White supremacist secret societies grew Used legal and extra-legal
means to deny blacks equality Camelias and Klan most powerful; used
violent means to stop blacks from participating in politics 2010
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 23
Slide 24
Reconstructions End Efforts to outlaw organizations and stop
the violence were unsuccessful Societies had success in influencing
politics Mississippi Louisiana South Carolina Despite black
defiance to the intimidation, blacks began to stay at home and
political power shifted to the Democrats 2010 The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 24
Slide 25
Reconstructions End Corruption in Republican Governments
Republican corruption hastened end of Radical Reconstruction
Following deaths of old antislavery leaders, Republican Party
headed in new direction Supreme Court Decisions 1875 Supreme Court
decisions weakened black voting rights United States v. Cruikshank
United States v. Reese 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. 25
Slide 26
Reconstructions End The Campaign of 1876 Controversy over who
won 1876 election led to formation of commission charged with
deciding the presidency To break impasse, Republicans promised to
withdraw troops; assist South with obtaining federal subsidies; and
allow for better representation in Washington Rutherford B. Hayes
declared winner Withdrew federal troops while Congress removed
other restrictions 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. 26