Reconstruction
Reconstruction was America's first confrontation in interracial democracy for men. The Civil War involved a dramatic expansion of the roles and responsibilities of the central government that resulted in the ratification of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the stitution. These amendments made forced servitude a federal crime, created a new federal extension of citizenship for all Americans, and sought to guarantee universal male suffrage. Once they were ratified, Congress was constitutionally obligated to protect and enforce them.
As the restoration of America was expanding, fairly lenient Reconstruction plans were created by presidents Lincoln and Johnson, who were both restless to see the former Confederacy return to the Union. As the ineffective Presidential Reconstruction was obvious in terms of deliberate violations of the freed peoples' constitutional rights and liberties, northern voters elected Republicans to Congress which was a huge victory,
thereby providing an approval for the Republicans to take control of putting the Union back together again.
When white southern persistence followed the nation's first Civil Rights Act, Congress passed the Ku Klux Klan Act, which gave federal authorities authority over both states and individuals who tried to remove freedmen and women of their newfound rights. Never before had the federal government interfered so forcefully and directly on behalf of its citizens, let alone it’s most penalized and indigent minority.
Nonetheless, as whites regained power over the South by 1877 and throughout the century that followed, whites from both North and South ridiculed the Reconstruction period as a disaster because blacks weren’t inferior to whites any longer, and, by their interpretation, were racially unfit to rule and unprepared for the rights, responsibilities, and freedoms granted to them in postwar America. The Reconstruction-era illustrations
of corruption or bribery were vastly exaggerated. The two sides of the Civil War reunited during the late nineteenth century by directing the fate of the black population aside and basing numerous aspects of their reunited culture, education, and society on the concept of white supremacy. In fact, whites during Reconstruction had responded the same way to all Reconstruction governments. The white South turned to force the end of the
country's first experiment in integrated government because of black success, not black failure. Evidence of black ambition, confidence, and aptitude threatened the power structure, institutions, labor system, and society of the former Confederacy more than black corruption or ignorance ever could.
As the restoration of America was expanding, fairly lenient Reconstruction plans were created by presidents Lincoln and Johnson, who were both restless to see the former Confederacy return to the Union. As the ineffective Presidential Reconstruction was obvious in terms of deliberate violations of the freed peoples' constitutional rights and liberties, northern voters elected Republicans to Congress which was a huge victory,
thereby providing an approval for the Republicans to take control of putting the Union back together again.
When white southern persistence followed the nation's first Civil Rights Act, Congress passed the Ku Klux Klan Act, which gave federal authorities authority over both states and individuals who tried to remove freedmen and women of their newfound rights. Never before had the federal government interfered so forcefully and directly on behalf of its citizens, let alone it’s most penalized and indigent minority.
Nonetheless, as whites regained power over the South by 1877 and throughout the century that followed, whites from both North and South ridiculed the Reconstruction period as a disaster because blacks weren’t inferior to whites any longer, and, by their interpretation, were racially unfit to rule and unprepared for the rights, responsibilities, and freedoms granted to them in postwar America. The Reconstruction-era illustrations
of corruption or bribery were vastly exaggerated. The two sides of the Civil War reunited during the late nineteenth century by directing the fate of the black population aside and basing numerous aspects of their reunited culture, education, and society on the concept of white supremacy. In fact, whites during Reconstruction had responded the same way to all Reconstruction governments. The white South turned to force the end of the
country's first experiment in integrated government because of black success, not black failure. Evidence of black ambition, confidence, and aptitude threatened the power structure, institutions, labor system, and society of the former Confederacy more than black corruption or ignorance ever could.
Comparison
Jefferson Davis
|
Abraham Lincoln
|
Presidential Reconstruction
On April 11, 1865 Lincoln delivered his last public address which described a generous Reconstruction policy and pronounced that the Confederate states did not leave the Union but Congress viewed Confederates as "conquered provinces." On April 14 Lincoln held a cabinet meeting to discuss post-war rebuilding in detail, but he had issued his Ten Percent Plan before the war ended . He wanted southern state government in operation before the meeting in December to avoid persecution of the Radical Republicans. Also on April 14 Lincoln was assissinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre. The reason he was killed is because in July of 1864, the Radical Republicans passed the Wade-Davis bill in response to Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan but he pocket-vetoed it. Andrew Johnson, Lincoln's Vice President then took office. Johnson's plan was very similar to Lincoln's but with few adjustments. Johnson called for special state conventions to repeal ordinances of secession, abolish slavery, deny all debts acquired to aid the Confederates, and ratify the thirteenth amendment. On December 6, 1865 he announced that southern states had met his conditions for Reconstruction and the Union is now restored in his opinion.
Abraham Lincoln's Reconstruction Plan
|
Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction Plan
|
Congressional Reconstruction
While the conflict between President Johnson and Congress over reconstruction rose, Johnson's power was slowly disinigrating as the Republicans gained the majority in Congress. Johnson's lenient reconstruction plan with the south's aggressive tactics led Congress to reject Johnsonian Reconstruction and create the Joint Comittee. It determined that by the south's secession, they rejected all civil and political rights under the Constitution. The Comittee denied seating of Southern legislatures and maintained that only Congress could determine if, when, and how reconstruction would take place. The Fourteenth Amendment served as an example for the comittee's reason to deny Johnson's plan. The northern republicans didn't want to give up political advantage, especially by letting former confederate leaders. Without the South in Congress, legislation was in favor of the north. They made a Morrill Tariff, the Pacific Railroad Act, and the Homestead Act. Republicans worried abouth the South's congressional representation. Since slaves don't count for only 3/5 of population anymore, it would tip congressional leadership to the south which would ensure the Black Codes and the re-enslavement of blacks. Radical Republicans afraid that if the South reentered the Union, slavery would reappear again. the Strained relations between Congress and the President strengthened because Johnson vetoed a bill to extend the life of Freedmen's Bureau. With the reoccurence of Congress' power to override the president's veto, they did just that until early 1870s when the Bureau came to an end.
Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill in March 1866, Johnson vetoed it which promoted the republicans to believe in no chance of cooperation with him so on April 9, 1866 Congress once again overrode presidential veto which was done frequently by Congress. The Civil Rights Bill granted American citizenship to blacks and denied states power to restrict rights to hold property, testify in court, and make contracts for their labor. All republicans agreed that no state would be welcomed back to the Union without ratifying the fourteenth amendment. Johnson recommended that states reject it and they did except Tennessee, Johnon's home state, who was the first to ratify it. The Military Reconstruction Act was the final plan for reconstruction. it identified new conditions under southern governments that would be formed but Tennessee was exempt because it ratified the fourteenth amendment. Legislation divided former confederacy into five military districts, each occupied by a Union soldier and its troops who were called "bluebellies." Officers had power to maintain order and protect civil rights of all persons. Southern states required to ratify the fourteenth amendment and adopt new state constitutions garunteeing blacks the right to vote in order for their representation in Congress and military rule which paved the way for an easy ratification of the fifteenth amendment later. The Civil Rights Act was the last congressional reconstruction measure which ensured rights. It prohibited racial discrimination in jury selection, transportation, restaruants, and public places but did not garuntee equality in schools, churches, and cemeteries.
Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill in March 1866, Johnson vetoed it which promoted the republicans to believe in no chance of cooperation with him so on April 9, 1866 Congress once again overrode presidential veto which was done frequently by Congress. The Civil Rights Bill granted American citizenship to blacks and denied states power to restrict rights to hold property, testify in court, and make contracts for their labor. All republicans agreed that no state would be welcomed back to the Union without ratifying the fourteenth amendment. Johnson recommended that states reject it and they did except Tennessee, Johnon's home state, who was the first to ratify it. The Military Reconstruction Act was the final plan for reconstruction. it identified new conditions under southern governments that would be formed but Tennessee was exempt because it ratified the fourteenth amendment. Legislation divided former confederacy into five military districts, each occupied by a Union soldier and its troops who were called "bluebellies." Officers had power to maintain order and protect civil rights of all persons. Southern states required to ratify the fourteenth amendment and adopt new state constitutions garunteeing blacks the right to vote in order for their representation in Congress and military rule which paved the way for an easy ratification of the fifteenth amendment later. The Civil Rights Act was the last congressional reconstruction measure which ensured rights. It prohibited racial discrimination in jury selection, transportation, restaruants, and public places but did not garuntee equality in schools, churches, and cemeteries.
Citations
"Presidential and Congressional Reconstruction Plans." AP Study Notes. StudyNotes.org, n.d. Web. 24 Nov 2012. http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/presidential-and-congressional-reconstruction-plans/.
"Raymond Years Ago". 2008. Pattie Snowball and Rebecca DrakeWeb. 25 Nov 2012. http://www.raymondhistory.org/harper/part15.htm.
Abe Lincoln in Person. 2008. Heading EastWeb. 25 Nov 2012. <http://www.mexicanpictures.com/headingeast/2008/10/abe-lincoln-in-person.html>.
The Civil Rights Act of 1866. 2012. Milestone DocumentsWeb. 25 Nov 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?q=real pictures of civil rights bill 1866&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&rlz=1R2ADRA_enUS349&biw=1024&bih=653&tbm=isch&tbnid=p8DVLDBVgu3BVM:&imgrefurl=
http://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/civil-rights-act-of-1866&docid=vOnzhH5Zzmn-XM&imgurl=http://www.milestonedocuments.com/images/content/documents/142_A.jpg&w=
"Raymond Years Ago". 2008. Pattie Snowball and Rebecca DrakeWeb. 25 Nov 2012. http://www.raymondhistory.org/harper/part15.htm.
Abe Lincoln in Person. 2008. Heading EastWeb. 25 Nov 2012. <http://www.mexicanpictures.com/headingeast/2008/10/abe-lincoln-in-person.html>.
The Civil Rights Act of 1866. 2012. Milestone DocumentsWeb. 25 Nov 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?q=real pictures of civil rights bill 1866&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&rlz=1R2ADRA_enUS349&biw=1024&bih=653&tbm=isch&tbnid=p8DVLDBVgu3BVM:&imgrefurl=
http://www.milestonedocuments.com/documents/view/civil-rights-act-of-1866&docid=vOnzhH5Zzmn-XM&imgurl=http://www.milestonedocuments.com/images/content/documents/142_A.jpg&w=