Ch XVII
Reconstruction: period of history immediately after the Civil War
3 changes to the Constitution after the Civil War
13th Amendment: forbids slavery
14th Amendment:
Makes former slaves citizens of USA
15th Amendment:
Provides suffrage to former slaves
Many southerners accepted the changes, but some were not able to accept civil rights for African-Americans. A group of former CSA soldiers gathered in 1866. A secret organization formed dedicated to doing everything possible to keep political rights away from African-Americans. This group was the KKK.
Ku Klux Klan
· established in 1866
· created by Nathan Bedford Forest, former CSA cavalry general
· the KKK targeted blacks, immigrants, & Catholics
· the KKK used terror and violence to keep African-Americans from exercising their right to vote
Segregation (separation of races)
Besides the KKK, many southerners adopted ways around the 13th, 14th, & 15th Amendments. For example, Black Codes allowed African-Americans to be forced to work on plantations to pay off fines. Orphaned children could be taken on as unpaid apprentices.
Technically, slavery did not exist, but the results were the same. Racism continued.
Jim Crow laws were passed. These laws established segregation. Whites and blacks were forced by law to live in separate areas.
Eventually, a Supreme Court case established the legality of this practice. In 1896, Plessy v. Ferguson was declared the law of the land. This Supreme Court case legalized segregation.
Impeachment
Of President Andrew Johnson
1. Johnson was a Democrat from Tennessee
2. Johnson was elected as Lincoln’s Vice President.
3. Johnson was hated & mistrusted by Republicans in Congress
Upon Lincoln’s death, Johnson became the 17th President. Days after the conclusion of the Civil War, a southern democrat was President.
President Andrew Johnson
Many Republican leaders could not believe this. They vowed to get Johnson removed from office. They became known as Radical Republicans.
(Republicans that wanted to punish the South. They hate Johnson.)
President Johnson did not like a member of Lincoln’s Cabinet,
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.
President Johnson fired Stanton.
The Republicans in Congress demanded that Johnson should be impeached for firing Lincoln’s Secretary of War.
The proceedings to impeach President Johnson began in
the House of Representatives.
Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives.
He was found “Not Guilty” in the Senate by one vote.
The last vote cast in the trial of President Johnson was by a Republican Senator named Edmund Ross.
Edmund Ross of Kansas
(Republican Senator)
Senator Ross knew that the Radical Republicans expected him to cast a guilty vote.
Ross believed that President Johnson was being unfairly targeted by the Republicans. With the entire nation hanging on the vote, Ross voted, “Not
Guilty.” By one vote Johnson escaped prison.
Johnson was accused of violating the Tenure of Office Act.
(fired the Secretary of War)
IMPEACHMENT
1. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court serves as judge
2. Senate is the jury
3.
House initiates an impeachment with a vote greater than a simple majority
(Anything over 50%)
4. The Senate must have a 2/3 (66.6%) guilty vote
Richard M. Nixon
Nixon was never impeached. He resigned from the Presidency in August 1974. He is the only president to resign.
Nixon was concerned with the plans of the Democratic Party in the 1972 election. He ordered staff members to break into the Democrat’s National Headquarters to photograph their strategy to win the 1972 election. The Democrats National Headquarters was in a building called, Watergate.
The White House staff workers were caught breaking into the building and arrested. Nixon was held responsible for the break in. Nixon lied repeatedly on television and destroyed tapes the FBI had called for as evidence.
William J. Clinton
Bill Clinton was the governor of Arkansas. While governor, a woman filed a lawsuit claiming she was the victim of harassment. A court trial began. During the trial, Clinton said that he was not involved with any woman in a romantic manner. He was involved with a 21 year old staff member at the White House. Her name was Monica Lewinsky.
She lived in an apartment at the Watergate Building.
The woman was named Monica Lewinsky. Her neighbor was Senator Robert Dole. Clinton defeated Senator Dole during the 1996 Presidential election.
Clinton lied repeatedly on television and destroyed evidence the FBI needed for the trial.
Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives, but not convicted by the Senate. Eleven more votes were needed to convict Clinton of perjury.
Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice.
Blago (happy B-Day Dec 10th )
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich(Democrat)
Senator Barack Obama was elected President in November 2008. As a result, Senator Obama resigned his seat in the Senate to become President. This gave Governor Blagojevich the authority to appoint a replacment to the Senate. Governor Blagojevich was impeached for trying to sell the position of Senator to the highest bidder. Allegedly, this person was Congressman Jesse Jackson. (Democrat)
In January 2009, the Illinois House of Representatives voted 114-1 to impeach. The Illinios Senate voted 59-0.
The FBI began investigating Congressman Jackson for criminal activity. Jackson resigned from Congress in November 2012. On 26 October 2013, was sent to prison.
Jackson began a 30 month prison sentence.
Blago was sent to federal prison in March 2012. He may be released in 2024.