THE FAILURE OF RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION L/O To analyse the failed presidencies of the 1870’s. Why did Radical Reconstruction fail?
OVERVIEW – THE JOHNSON PRESIDENCY 1864-1868 • The Johnson presidency had been blighted by political infighting, vetoes and threats of impeachment. • There had been huge differences over the Freedmen Bureau, proposals for the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, and how southerners should be treated in the aftermath of the war. To Johnson, the radical Republicans went too far. • Even moderate Republicans joined sides with the Radicals such was the ineffectiveness of Johnson’s leadership. The Office of Tenure Act of 1867 manoeuvered Johnson into a difficult position. His sacking of Stanton led to almost impeachment.
KEY LEVER…………………………… • What was meant by radical reconstruction? (Think back to how the Republicans differed from Lincoln and Johnson in their views on the South)
THE FAILURE OF RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION
1868 1868
1870-1871
1870
1873 1872
1876 1875
Summary - Failure
The 1868 Election
Opposition
Outcome
Became known as the “Reconstruction Election”
The Democrat party attacked Radical Reconstruction as unconstitutional and offensive
Grant and the Republicans won by a slender 300,000 votes.
Key Issues •
Grant was chosen as the Republican nominee – why?
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Voting rights for black people
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Ideas for radical reconstruction – what would this entail and who would be worried about this?
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Accused Democrats of being disloyal to the Union
The Republicans knew they owed their victory to the 7million black voters. They therefore focused even more heavily on the extension of voting rights for black people.
RADICAL POLICIES The 15th Amendment
The Enforcement Acts
The Fifteenth Amendment immediately introduced. This went further than the fourteenth amendment.
The US army in the south was seen as an occupying force. The 14th and 15th amendments were enforced by the Freedman’s Bureau.
Proposed by Radical Republican Charles Sumner n 1870, eventually passed in 1875.
The right to vote was
The KKK responded with increasing violence.
What did it do?
“not to be denied on account of race, colour or previous servitude”
Three enforcement acts were passed by the Federal government to fight the KKK and discrimination. These were passed between 1870 and 1871.
It was passed by Congress in February 1869 and ratified by 1870 by a majority of states.
These acts gave the4 Freedman’s Bureau more power to enforce the 14th and 15th amendments. They became known as the KKK laws, as this group was the target.
The Civil Rights Act
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Guaranteed equal treatment in jury services and public transport.
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This created unease, even amongst some Republicans. To some, it went too far in terms of federal interference in the lives of southern people.
WHAT DO YOU SEE? The Enforcement Acts A Freedman Bureau agent stands between angry whites and African Americans Late 1868
2 Key Questions – Do you understand? Why do you think Jury representation was so important? What surprises you about the 1875 Civil Rights Act? Think of what you learnt at GCSE about public transport.
OPPOSITION INCREASES Violence
Political Representation
1868 – Louisiana – More than a thousand people were killed during the election. Many of these were Freedmen. This was encouraged by “respectable” white politicians.
As more states re-entered the Union by the early 1870’s, political opposition increased (The “Redeemers” )
1873 – New Orleans - Colfax Massacre – 5000 whites rebelled against the Republican governor. Put down by Federal troops.
1872 – The Amnesty Act allowed large number of ex-confederate soldiers and supporters to return to political life. This was also helped by the slender majority in Congress. Unlike Johnson;s presidency, Republican power was not as dominant.
Redeemer “quiet legal rebellion” Other rebellions took place in Alabama and Mississippi. This took the form of legal forms of discrimination. •
Literacy tests and vagrancy laws were passed to reduce black voting.
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Public posts went back into the hands of old plantation owners.
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By 1876 Redeemers had helped the Democrats win back the south. Only Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina were “unredeemed”
• A cartoon threatening that the KKK will lynch carpetbaggers (1869)
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SUMMARY – THE RETURN OF THE SOUTH The civil rights act of 1875 was the last major victory for the Radical Republicans.
• Support was waning in Congress for radical reconstruction as sympathy also increased for the south. • Moderate and Liberal Republicans were uneasy about the use of troops to enforce Federal law. • In 1872 the Amnesty Act allowed confederates to return to political power. • In March 1876 the Supreme Court ruled in favour of two rulings by southern conservatives over federal laws.
South
EVALUATING HISTORICAL EXTRACTS Stick extract 2 and 3 into your book. With reference to extracts 2 and 3 and your understanding of the period, which of these two extracts are the most convincing interpretation of reconstruction between 1865 and 1876?