Notes CH 22 Part 1 pp. 477 – 488 “republican” The Ordeal of Reconstruction 1865-1877

There is a lot J here… take your time to read through this a few times J… take your own notes from these… I have attempted to enlarge and color what I believe to be the most important ideas---but remember this is a story where chronology is important and understanding the actors and the intentions of each is significant. At the heart of the story---is-- What kind of America does each group want—once war is over? and What are they willing to do/or not willing to do--- to construct their vision?

IMPORTANT NOTE: Reconstruction, 1865 -1877, goes through many phases and changes due to the constant changing dynamic of power within the Federal Government and the power vacuum (who is in charge) which occurs in the South with the fall of the Slave-Labor system and the fall of the CSA at the conclusion of the Civil War. Huge changes politically, economically, and socially occur and with these changes comes very different views of what actually should be accomplished during this period… and there is a “2nd Civil War” to determine who and what groups would determine what this NEW SOUTH would look like. It is a complex time. J

Reconstruction begins during the Civil War as Union Troops begin to occupy areas of the South. They then have the responsibility to attempt to bring stability and government to these areas. How they do this during the War is scripted by Abraham Lincoln…starting in 1863 with his Proclamation of Reconstruction and Amnesty…or the basis of the 10% plan. Lincoln’s policies are consistently evolving during the war due to the changing conditions and he is learning from trial and error how best to resolve the myriad of issues as time passes… Congress is involved during this period beginning in 1864 with the Wade-Davis Bill yet is ineffective due to Lincoln’s pocket veto of this bill and his firm grasp of War Policy as commander-in-chief…especially after his re-election. Lincoln addresses the future some in his public statements…he mentions that he [Lincoln] believes that some freedmen should have the vote… he mentions freedmen working for wages, the FREE-LABOR ideology taking over from the Slave-Labor system…BUT his death precedes the end of the War….and so Reconstruction as a complete policy is never completed by Lincoln***…and after his death Johnson, certainly very different in his views of blacks and what this new southern society should look like than AL AND REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS (remember he IS a DEMOCRAT), AJohnson begins HIS PRESIDENCY BY IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENTING his views and his plan…due to Congress not being in secession until December of 1865… BUT THERE WILL BE A CONFLICT BETWEEN THESE TWO [a Republican controlled Congress and AJohnson]…AS WELL AS THE SOUTHERN PLANTERS ATTEMPTING TO IMPLEMENT THEIR PLANS…

As you begin now to study RECONSTRUCTION—THERE ARE 3 PLANS***

1-Lincoln’s begun during the War called the 10% plan—

2-Andrew Johnson’s Plan---the 10% plan “+” …done with Congress not in session…and opposed by Congress which leads to ---

3-Congress’ MILITARY RECONSTRUCTION—begun in earnest after AJ is impeached and continued during U.S. GRANT’S PRESIDENCY {1869-1877} until the end of RECONSTRUCTION WITH THE COMPROMISE OF 1877****

****3 Significant Constitutional Amendments are passed during this period….the 13th, 14th, and 15th . These together are called, “The Reconstruction Amendments.” You need to know the details of each. J These 3 Amendments are the 1st to actually give the Federal Government power.

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and orphan, to do all which many achieve and cherish a JUST AND LASTING PEACE AMONG OURSELVES and with all nations.”

Abraham Lincoln-Second Inaugural, March 4, 1865

Lincoln clearly calls for a “just and lasting peace” in the spirit of “charity.” What will this look like after the war ends a little over 8 weeks after his second inaugural address and what effect will his death, which occurs about 5 weeks later, have on this “PEACE?”

THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT HAVE ANSWERS…HOW WILL…THESE ANSWERS …BE RESOLVED…HOW WILL THE ANSWERS LEAD TO OTHER CONFLICTS…answers that some say….. their effects still linger with us today.

Intro

THE STAGGERING CHALLENGE OF PEACE…after a civil war…

**********FOUR QUESTIONS LOOMED LARGE: VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER********

1 HOW WOULD THE SOUTH, PHYSICALLY DEVASTATED BY WAR AND SOCIALLY REVOLUTIONIZED BY EMANCIPATION, BE REBUILT?

- Depending on your perspective…the least of the concerns, initially….but an overarching theme to these four questions is that they all have to be considered to be intertwined or their answers considered contextually as effecting each other.

2 HOW WOULD THE LIBERATED BLACKS FARE AS FREE MEN AND WOMEN?

-Again…perspective….for some THIS IS THE CENTRAL ISSUE…for others…ISN’T BEING FREE ENOUGH and for many Southerners this is NOT RIGHT AT ALL… this question still lingers with us today, as we are aware. Consider: Is the North willing to fight another WAR to guarantee that these newly freed people are allowed to be FULLY FREE CITIZENS OF THE USA? To what length will the North go…to what length will the desperate WHITE South go to continue their HERRENVOLK DEMOCRACY?

3 HOW WOULD THE SOUTHERN STATES BE REINTEGRATED INTO THE UNION?

-The question below will dictate the answer to this question…and because power is not static, and shifts dramatically, the answer will change over time*** FROM THE PRESIDENTS, AL & AJ, TO CONGRESS, TO SOUTHERN PLANTERS… AND NO ONE is REALLY PLEASED WITH THE END RESULT.

4 WHO WOULD DIRECT THE PROCESS OF RECONSTRUCTION – THE SOUTHERN STATES THEMSELVES, THE PRESIDENT, OR CONGRESS?

-THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION DICTATES ALL OTHERS…and this is a fluid, dynamically changing situation.

-AT first…The President, LINCOLN being COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF allows him to dictate the beginning of this process because we are at War still…it begins with experimentation by AL in Louisiana, Tennessee, and parts of many other States where the Union Army is in control…. however, it is contentious between Lincoln and Congress-even MORE SO after the WAR ENDS>between JOHNSON, who implements his own plan… and Congress, and even between Grant and Congress as time passes. CONGRESS NEXT TAKES CONTROL DURING THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION, AND CREATES MILITARY RECONSTRUCTION**** as Grant takes office in 1868 and during Grant’s two terms…. THE NORTHERN RESOLVE BEGINS TO EASE (especially after the depression of 1873)…..Eventually, THE PLANTER ARISTOCRACY of the South (BOURBONS-“redeemers”) TEAM UP WITH ELITE NORTHERN BUSINESS INTERESTS TO TAKE OVER THIS PROCESS beginning slowly in the 1870’s and fully by 1877…with their common PATRIARCHAL interests, Scientific Racism, $$$, at heart THEY DICTATE THE FINAL SOLUTION… one that will take over 100 years to overcome, if it truly ever has. Both groups {Northern Captains of Industry and Southern Plantation owners} want to overcome the growing political power of the masses—Jacksonian Democracy—which began before the WAR---in the North it is the power of the immigrant voting groups in the ever enlarging cities that concerns many “Captains of Industry” ---In the South---it is the growing power of 4 million freed slaves who now due to the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are “citizens” with the males being a powerful voting block in the South--- this leads to the combination that ends reconstruction in the South and will continue to reconcile to attempt to control politics in the hands of the WEALTHY (of course for the “good of all” because, of course, being wealthy they are the “FITTEST” AND MOST EDUCATED, AND MOST FAVORED BY “GOD” TO KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR THE MASSES---who are uneducated and due to their racial limitations do not know what is best for themselves—and need to be taken care of and guided to what is best, by their “betters.”

The Problems of Peace

What should be done with the captured Confederate leaders, all of whom had to answer to charges of TREASON?

Jefferson Davis, former President of the CSA – 2 year imprisonment then released.

ALL Rebel leaders were eventually pardoned by President Andrew Johnson by Christmas of 1868.

BUT…. Some Confederate Leaders lost their ability to vote or serve in any government for almost 30 years. This leads to the “Redeemers” violent approach to Reconstruction---to RE-ESTABLISH THE “HERRENVOLK” (MASTER RACE) DEMOCRACY IN THE SOUTH---TO “REDEEM” THE SOUTH.

Question #1 from the Intro…How would the South physically be rebuilt…(slowly)-“THE NEW SOUTH”***

The economic and social structure of the South had collapsed. Most major cities were in ruins, banks and many businesses were closed due to runaway inflation and destruction, the few Factories were dismantled, the transportation system was in ruins, Agriculture – the former lifeblood of the South was crippled…weeds grew in place of crops, -the slave-labor system was abolished - seed was scarce- livestock was plundered by both sides during the war…(there were pockets of recovery in this area due to some areas that were either not touched by the fighting or minimally) NOT UNTIL 1870 DID THE SOUTHERN STATES PRODUCE AS LARGE A COTTON CROP AS 1860, MUCH OF THAT CAME FROM THE LESS DEVASTATED SOUTHWEST…Arkansas, Texas, Western Louisiana..

The Planter Aristocrats (Bourbon Democrats[conservative pro-business]-Redeemers) were humbled by the war, TEMPORARILY…mansions burned and gutted, lost investments, ALMOST worthless land…lost 2 Billion$ in slaves. BUT they would not stay down for long….they were DANGEROUSLY DEFIANT AND CURSED THE “DAMNYANKEES”THESE FORMER CONFEDERATES CONTINUED TO BELIEVE THEIR VIEW OF SECESSION WAS CORRECT…AND THAT THE WAR WAS JUST…IT WAS A “LOST CAUSE,” BUT ONE THEY STILL CONTINUED TO FIGHT…JUST NOT ON A BATTLEFIELD…THE “WAR” WOULD CONTINUE…THIS TIME TO DEFEND THE “HERRENVOLK DEMOCRACY,” (WHITE MAN’S POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DOMINANCE) and they used every ounce of their blood to maintain their SUPREMACY…even if it took combining with some of he leading Northern capitalist industrialists[pro-business-Monopolists ]- who had their own battles with their human refuse (immigrants) to deal with….THIS DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR THE NEWLY FREEDMEN AND WOMEN OR THE POOR OF BOTH REGIONS…THE FOCUS BECOMES INDUSTRY AND WEALTH …Elitism… *******Social Darwinism – “survival of the fittest,” scientific racism….backs this COMBINATION OF THE ARISTOCRACY….TO GAIN COMPLETE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONTROL OF THE USA….THE GILDED AGE (named by Mark Twain) 1865- 1900.

Freedmen Define Freedom

Confusion and Chaos ran rampant throughout the South.

How do slaves receive their freedom?

*****UNEVENLY…depending on where they lived…the circumstances varied dramatically. Many slaves being freed and then re-enslaved several times. FOR MANY SLAVES THE SHACKLES OF BONDAGE WERE NOT STRUCK OFF IN ONE DRAMATIC BLOW BUT…LINK BY LINK…

What were the varieties of responses to emancipation?

Complex…for sure…some slaves were loyal to their former masters…while some reacted violently to their former masters… EVENTUALLY ALL MASTERS WERE FORCED TO RECOGNIZE THEIR SLAVES PERMANENT FREEDOM.

-Tens of thousands TOOK TO THE ROADS…some to test their new found freedom, others to SEARCH FOR THEIR FAMILIES…and formalized slave marriages and brought families back together. Some went to towns or cities or formed communities of Blacks for protection and mutual assistance…an example from 1878 to 1880, 25,000 blacks from Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi leave and settle in KANSAS…CALLED EXODUSTERS…

THE CHURCH BECAME THE FOCUS OF BLACK COMMUNITY LIFE AFTER EMANCIPATION. They formed their own churches pastored by their own ministers and they grew quickly. 500,000 n the Black Baptist Church…400,000 in the African Methodist-Episcopal Church… These churches formed the bedrock of black community life…and from these organizations sprang many others that attempted to help these newly freed people find their way in a strange capitalistic democratic competitive society and to PROTECT THEIR NEW FOUND FREEDOM AND HELP TO DEFINE WHAT EXACTLY WHAT FREEDOM MEANT. THE UNION LEAGUE FOR EXAMPLE*** organizing, after the 15th amendment, the Black Vote…Black Businesses…

EDUCATION was important for these newly freed people….Learning to read and write had been denied most due to the laws of the South. THIS WAS A MAJOR FOCUS FOR ALL NEWLY FREED PEOPLE…and they wasted no time in creating self-improvement organizations to raise $$$ to purchase land, build businesses, build schoolhouses, and hire/train teachers. THE SCHOOLHOUSE WOULD BE THE FIRST PROOF OF THEIR INDEPENDENCE. The American Missionary Association, as well as other private benevolent associations, most funded by white churches (Methodists and Baptists most notably) SENT A HUGE NUMBER OF WHITE WOMEN INTO THE SOUTH TO TEACH. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALSO HELPED…..ESPECIALLY THE FREEDMEN’S BUREAU********

The Freedmen’s Bureau

Unskilled, Unlettered, without Property or Money, and little knowledge of the capitalistic system they were about to enter, YET they were FREE…was this enough…to SURVIVE…maybe…but could this be enough to PROSPER…probably not.

To cope with the above-mentioned issues, and some others, THE FREEDMAN’S BUREAU was created March 3, 1865 (about a month before the end of the war) …by CONGRESS and ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The Freedman’s Bureau survives, barely, Andrew Johnson’s attempt to kill the agency…and ends in 1872…

FB was intended to be a WELFARE AGENCY…(the 1st in our nations history****) The FB provided food, clothing, medical care, and EDUCATION (ITS GREATEST SUCCESS******) to FREEDMEN & POOR WHITE REFUGEES….

GENERAL O.O. HOWARD {OLIVER OTIS-I knew you would be curiousJ } later he founds Howard University in Washington DC….GEN. OLIVER HEADS THE FB.

THE FB GREATEST SUCCESSES WERE IN EDUCATION…educating over 200,000 FREEDPEOPLE had a passion for education …to be able to participate in society and to READ THE WORD OF GOD.

THE FB’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN OTHER AREAS WAS MEAGER AT BEST*****sometimes even seemingly working against the best interests of the people they were supposed to aid. ESPECIALLY IN LAND DISTRIBUTION TO THE FREED PEOPLE. [40 acres and a mule became a joke…some take advantage of the SOUTHERN HOMESTEAD ACT…but this was very limited and most often whites persuaded blacks to apply and then sell them the land for close to nothing…a kind of swindle…you give me your land or you die) OTHER AREAS: the slave-labor system was crushed…so what would take its place? Often SHARECROPPING –TENANT FARMING… WHERE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT TO FARM SOMEONE ELSE’S LAND…OFTEN THESE POOR BLACKS AND WHITES WERE DEPENDENT ON LOANS TO FARM ANYTHING….AND PAID THEIR LOANS BACK FOR SEED,ETC..WITH A “SHARE” OF THEIR CROP…OFTEN THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE LAND AND LOANED THEM $$$ FOR SEED ETC.. WOULD ALSO CHARGE THEM TO LIVE IN THE SAME SLAVE SHACK ON THEIR PROPERTY…AND THAT LANDOWNER WOULD ALSO BE THE ONE WHO “VALUED” THE CROP, OFTEN TO THEIR BENEFIT…WHICH LEFT THESE POOR WHITES AND BLACKS PERPETUALLY IN DEBT*********HUGE*********