Chapter 10 - Ideals and Realities of Reconstruction 1865-76

Ideals and Realities of Reconstruction, 1865-76

Chapter 10

After the war and loss of 618,000 men, explosion of the Sultana at Vicksburg killing 1,547 of the 2,100 Union soldiers trying to get home. Northern victory in the Civil War decided the fate of the Union and of slavery, but posed numerous problems. How should the nation be reunited? What system of labor should replace slavery? What would be the status of the former slaves? How would they reunify the nation? Who or what would replace the slavery work force? Who would pay for that?

1.    Define Reconstruction. What three phases were involved?

a.      Presidential Reconstruction: the south should be admitted to the Union as quickly as possible, Lincoln’s 10 percent plan…It decreed that a state could be reintegrated into the Union when 10 percent of the 1860 vote count from that state had taken an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and pledged to abide by emancipation with as little as possible punishment for the Confederates, 2) the freedmen should obtain full emancipation which did not seek to compensate them for their years in bondage or make them citizens.

b.    Congressional Reconstruction: sought full political equality for freedmen, economic compensation with 40 acre-and-a-mule concept, and more serious punishment for former Rebels. After rejecting the Reconstruction plan of President Andrew Johnson, the Republican Congress enacted laws and Constitutional amendments that empowered the federal government to enforce the principle of equal rights, and gave black Southerners the right to vote and hold office.

c.    Radical Reconstruction lost its steam which lost public support. Efforts to help the blacks were totally abandoned. Threats of another war were already brewing over this caustic topic. Southern Democrats, known as Redeemers, restored white supremacy and intimidated blacks with segregation or “Jim Crow” laws which squeezed blacks out of positions of power and other rights. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h396.html

2.    How did Andrew Johnson become president? How was he received by the North? The South?  The nation was totally unprepared to transition the presidency after Lincoln’s assassination. He was the only southerner left in Lincoln’s cabinet and was against secession. Lincoln hoped that his VP nomination would appease the “War Democrats”. Johnson was detested by both the north and the south. He supported the Fugitive Slave Law and was distrusted by the south. Every cabinet member vied for the presidency, yet it was literally “given” to a weak man detested by the entire nation. Though each man shook his hand and promised support, it was not long that Ben Wade, and other radicals demanded that Johnson replace the cabinet with men more in line with their political views.       *How would the outcome been different had a strong northerner been appointed president? Slavery was abolished by the Thirteenth amendment to the Constitution. READ pg 358. How is this wording flawed? (does not make them citizens or address suffrage.) Each southern state was forced to adopt this amendment before they were readmitted to the union.

3.    What was the GAR? How did it affect the lives of veterans? “The Grand Army of the Republic” was formed to help and assist veterans of the Union army to be compensated for their service and to keep in touch with fellow soldiers. The GAR initially grew and prospered as a de facto political arm of the Republican Party during the heated political contests of the Reconstruction. The commemoration of Union veterans, black and white, immediately became entwined with partisan politics. The GAR did promote voting rights for black veterans, extolling their demonstrated patriotism. Blacks, unfortunately, were never compensated. Having learned many news skills during the war, many veterans were hired into various fields. Being a veteran brought status to him and his employer. *The north largely decreased its military force and cut its naval capacity drastically, but still required 60,000 troops to “babysit” the unrepentant south. The economy grew at a snail’s pace; only 2 percent per year.

4.    Describe the economic devastation of the postwar south. What results, if any, would have been different had the south simply been allowed to secede? Once lush lands and plantations were burned to the ground. Cotton and corn fields gone. 35,000 people now dependent on the government for subsistence. Many people colonized to Brazil, New Zealand, Mexico, etc. The Confederate flag remained flying until 1999. Many southern women complained at “having to comb their own hair.”  The south was rebuilt quickly to the capacity of the prewar era. So to blame the north because of its destruction, does not hold water. Had the south simply been allowed to secede, could they survive only with the profitability of slavery?  Would we be divided even today? Would slavery still exist? How would WWI and WWII have been fought differently? How about the North and their radical views? Would we be speaking German having elected a socialist dictator?

5.    Describe postwar congress. How effective was Johnson at unifying both sides of the political spectrum? Very divisive. Johnson had practically no power or influence over either northern or southern factions. Radical republicans wanted to completely annihilate the south and strip the Democratic party of any authority whatsoever. They didn’t care a bit about the freedmen except that they represented a vast bloc of voters. And though the southerners “pledged” allegiance to the Union, their hearts were still Confederates. They were in complete gridlock.

6.    What was the “Joint Commission on Reconstruction”? What were the four main concerns? Radicals could no longer support the weak Andrew Johnson. They formed this commission to investigate what was really going on in the south. As the southern states attempted to rejoin the union, they simply skirted the points they did not agree with or want to submit to. Fuming, Radicals decided to take matters into their own hands and get rid of Johnson.

·        Four Postwar Questions: 1. Economic compensation to the freedmen? 2. What would their political status be? 3. To what extent would federal laws governing either economics or politics in the South be enforced and prosecuted? 4. Who would determine the pace and priorities of the process – the president or the congress? Thaddeus Stevens’ priority was to give the freedmen land or send them back into slavery. Frederick Douglass said that emancipation was moot unless the freedmen could vote. Could the government confiscate southern land? If so, they had to be charged with a crime. But what crime? Slavery had been legal up to that point and could not retroactively be assigned as such.

7.    What were the pros and cons of sharecropping? Without a land policy, many freedmen entered into an agreement with former plantation owners called “sharecropping” where whites and blacks would share profits 50/50. Each contract was daunting because some whites owned the land and the implements, whereas some had blacks owning implements and seeds and were performing the labor. Other blacks simply replaced the work force that they provided in slavery. Pros: 1) provided a natural work environment: whites who needed labor, and blacks who needed land and crops. 2) Flexible contracts – temporary time frame. 3) both parties had to work together to adjust to market and weather changes. 4) lack of education minimized transaction costs but gave the freedmen new responsibility.

Cons: 1) neither party had incentive to upgrade land or implements. 2) Both refrained from making technological or management changes to improve productivity. 3) opportunity to gauge sharecroppers – workers knew where to go to get a better contract so monopolies were less frequent.

o   Blacks contributed greatly to America’s industry and became important entrepreneurs.

8.    Describe the struggle of the freedmen after emancipation. What difficulties did the die-hard southerners deal with? White southerners were very suspicious of the black freedmen.  They were exploited and taken advantage of because of their lack of education. They suffered from racism and discrimination, and had a difficult time locating their family members having been split during the slave trade. Political status: Their sudden movement terrified whites. Therefore, annual employment contracts were developed that prohibited movement between counties without permission. Laws regarding black ownership of weapons, negotiating contracts and travel were restricted. Black youth could be arrested with “vagrancy” if they appeared to not have a job. They were charged $100 and if they could not pay, could be “hired out” to earn his release. Though black marriages were now recognized, confirmed their rights to own property, rights to sue – which was ridiculous because of lack of education. Stiff fines were assessed to those coming across state lines to lure freedmen to come work for them. All these statutes were merely to suppress the blacks and keep them in line. In Florida, half the population was black which made government paranoid. It was law that burglary or insurrection was punished by death – except for an ex-confederate! Death for rape of a white (only) woman, prohibited from bearing arms, or assemble after dark. Could have schools but not at state expense.

9.    What debilitating effects did the “do gooder” Freedmen’s Bureau have on the blacks? As

with any other government agency it made more people dependent on the government. Those in charge tended to pat themselves on the back with their good intentions. This actually led to northerners referred to as “carpetbaggers” moving south seen as leaches sucking off the Southern vitality. Third, the bureau itself had an influx of money and zealous followers which almost always spells corruption. Though their intention was the self-sufficiency of blacks, it was mainly a “feel good” idea for the bureau. They had little concept of capitalism and entrepreneurial ideas. They had worked for nothing for generations! It did have some positive points, however. Reconstruction schools were 90% black. It was indispensible in helping to educate blacks even though attendance was around 5%. They then instituted “mandatory attendance” which, again, expanded the scope of government. “Reconstruction could not change either human nature or historical prejudices.”

·        A War on Four Fronts:

1.      Congress vs president for policy dominance

2.      North’s desire to dominate the south in political and industrial superiority

3.      Republican’s intention on destroying the Democrats

4.      Racial, social and political tensions – mainly below the Mason-Dixon Line.

·        The Radicals in congress began to realize that although blacks could not vote, they nevertheless, counted as 100% not 60% of a person which would, therefore, give more power to the south. As a result, they would not allow southern representatives to be seated.

·        Johnson won his last battle in 1866 over Congress when he vetoed an extension of the Freedmen’s Bureau on the grounds that until Southern states were readmitted into the Union, congress could legislate no such law. Although they sustained his veto, they were more furious and determined to get him out of office.

10. How did Andrew Johnson feel about the Civil Rights Bill of 1866? Defining black as U.S. citizens and promising them “full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person and property, as is enjoyed by white citizens.” Johnson’s goal was to “elevate poor whites, not create black competitors for them.” Would not support any law that would significantly improve the rights of blacks.

o   14^th Amendment: READ pg 374 – para 2 “How has this law been distorted throughout history?

How is it interpreted today? Is that how this congress intended it to be understood?

11. Define the “Military Reconstruction Act” Under the authority of the north, the south was divided into 5 military districts, each led by a Radical rep. general. Johnson vetoed but congress overrode. The south needed to reconvene and restructure their constitutions which forced each state to give their black population the right to vote and to accept the Fourteenth Amendment which discusses citizenship rights. Military tribunals determined loyalty and actually disqualified as many as a half million whites from voting.    What was the triumvirate that resulted in southern radicals gaining power? Scalawags, In United States history, scalawag was a nickname for southern whites who supported Reconstruction following the Civil War. Some were former Unionists.  Carpetbaggers, (northerners who came to impose their views to “save” the south) and black Republicans – freedmen viewed by the south as pawns of the Republicans, hated by the south because they posed a threat to social order.

12. Describe the role of blacks in government during/after reconstruction. Between 1869 and 1901, there were 2 black U.S. senators, (Blanche Kelso Bruce and Hiram Revels) 16 congressmen. Reconstruction governments soon yielded to corruption and pork barrel spending. Northern reformers, Southern opportunists and blacks with little or no experience handling money and responsibility.

13. Contrast Andrew Johnson’s impeachment process to that of Bill Clinton’s. The fight between congress and President Johnson continues. They would try to pass an act that would further debilitate him, he would veto, they would counter, etc. After dismissing Stanton in the War Department with General Grant – twice… the Radicals had had it. They decided to impeach him.  The vote to impeach Johnson was 126 to 47 compared to Clinton’s 228 to 206.  Johnson was charged with “unconstitutionality” whereas Clinton was charged with lying to congress.  What was similar? In both cases, the senate usurped the power of the house in rearguing the presumption of guilt and whether the punishment fit the crimes. Johnson was acquitted by a one vote margin. Radicals realized that the nation did not necessarily agree with them after all, that blacks should be treated equal. In the next election, they easily nominated Grant.

14. How did most of the south view reconstruction? The south felt that the whole Reconstruction thing was a ruse to conceal the Northerners and the Republicans’ true objective of crushing the South politically, economically, and culturally.

15.  As always, corruption creeps in. Describe the Fisk and Gould scandals and the Credit Mobilier scandal. Having barely taken office, two of Grant’s associates, the infamous speculators, Fisk and Gould, tried to corner the market on gold. Black Friday ensued, where gold prices skyrocketed because of their backroom deal. They involved Grant’s brother-in-law, Abel Corbin, who acquired insider information from Grant over dinner that in the event of a run on gold, the fed would not sell its gold which would drive the price up. Fortunately, Grant was informed and ordered the Treasury Secretary to sell its gold to stabilize the price. Gould made millions, but far below what he expected. Although Grant was in no way connected, his reputation was tarnished. The Credit Mobilier scandal had to do with massive public funding for railroads particularly Union Pacific and Central Pacific. Agreeing to join at Promontory, Utah, they were given cash incentives of $16,000 per mile of flat track laid, and $32,000 for hilly terrain. Duh… guess what they did?? Took the most circuitous routes they could, meandering through hilly terrain, and even through South Dakota spurring on the Sioux wars. Union Pacific laid track on ice which then had to be replaced in the spring. They stole wood from private property and totally misused public funding. Fed up, congress came up with the Credit Mobilier which controlled the monies for the railroads. The railroads would give the construction contracts to CM, which then would balloon the costs of construction to double the genuine expenses. Union Pacific paid CM with its own checks, which the directors of the credit company promptly used to purchase railroad stock at th par value of $100 per share. Or… the railroad was buying its own stock. The CM sold the stock on the open market far below par.

16. Scandals plagued Grant’s administration. In your opinion, why did (does) corruption always seem to abound under these circumstances?

17. How did the Ku Klux Klan begin? What was its purpose? The new Southern governments confronted violent opposition from the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups. In time, the North abandoned its commitment to protect the rights of the former slaves, Reconstruction came to an end, and white supremacy was restored throughout the South. Reconstruction was widely viewed as an era of corruption and misgovernment, supposedly caused by allowing blacks to take part in politics. This interpretation helped to justify the South's system of racial segregation and denying the vote to blacks, which survived into the 1960s.KKK whose goal was to scare and intimidate blacks into submission. They disguised themselves in white hoods based on the superstitious beliefs of blacks. They would burn their homes, businesses, crops and even hang them. They would leave a “calling card” of a burning cross in their front yard. They were very rarely convicted of these horrendous crimes.

18. How did the fervor of radical reconstruction begin to wane and lose the north’s interest? Radical Reconstruction lost its steam which lost public support. Efforts to help the blacks were totally abandoned. Threats of another war were already brewing over this caustic topic. Southern Democrats, known as Redeemers, restored white supremacy and intimidated blacks with segregation or “Jim Crow” laws which squeezed blacks out of positions of power and other rights.

19. What did congress hope to achieve by passing the first Amnesty Act of 1872? Did it work? Allowed Confederate leaders to vote and hold public office. It did not work because both sides slowly tried to turn back to their pre-war ideals.

20. How did the presidential election of Hayes/ Tilden resemble the Bush/Gore election of 2000? http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h396.html The Compromise of 1877 was a “back room” deal that assured Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency as long as southern demands were met: Union troops leave the south, Under the terms of this agreement, the Democrats agreed to accept the Republican presidential electors (thus assuring that Rutherford B. Hayes would become the next president), provided the Republicans would agree to the following:

·        To withdraw federal soldiers from their remaining positions in the South

·        To enact federal legislation that would spur industrialization in the South

·        To appoint Democrats to patronage positions in the South

·        To appoint a Democrat to the president’s cabinet.