Lesson 2: Radical Reconstruction

Question 1

Black Codes Definition

Answer 1

southern laws that severely limited the rights of African Americans after the Civil War

Question 2

Fifteenth Amendment Definition

Answer 2

an 1869 amendment to the United States Constitution that forbids any state to deny African Americans the right to vote because of race

Question 3

Fourteenth Amendment Definition

Answer 3

an 1868 amendment to the United States Constitution that guarantees equal protection of the laws

Question 4

Impeach Definition

Answer 4

to bring charges of serious wrongdoing against a public official

Question 5

Radical Reconstruction Definition

Answer 5

a period beginning in 1867 when the Republicans, who had control in both houses of Congress, took charge of Reconstruction

Question 6

Radical Republican Definition

Answer 6

a member of Congress during Reconstruction who wanted to break the power of wealthy southern plantation owners and ensure that freedmen received the right to vote

Question 7

Reconstruction Act Definition

Answer 7

an 1867 law that threw out the southern state governments that refused to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment

Question 8

What rights did the black codes grant? Despite those, what was the predominant purpose of black codes? What did some black codes in states have regarding servanthood and farm labor?

Answer 8

The black codes did grant some rights. For example, African Americans could marry legally and own some kinds of property. Still, the codes were clearly meant to keep freedmen from gaining political or economic power. Black codes forbade freedmen to vote, own guns, or serve on juries. In some states, African Americans were permitted to work only as servants or farm laborers. In others, they had to sign contracts for a year’s work. Those without contracts could be arrested and sentenced to work on a plantation.

Question 9

Why did Republicans protest that President Johnson’s lenient approach was allowing the South to pass black codes? How did violence make them despise his plan more? After ignoring information from the Joint Committee on Reconstruction, when did Reconstruction become Radical?

Answer 9

Republicans charged that, by placing too few restrictions on the South, Johnson’s Reconstruction plan had encouraged southern legislatures to pass the black codes. Republicans were also outraged by reports of violence against freedmen. In 1866, white police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, attacked African American Union soldiers, who fired back at the officers. A protest against the police ended in violence, and rioting broke out. Angry whites burned homes and schools in a black section of the city. Similar riots broke out in New Orleans when freedmen met to support the right to vote. A report by the Joint Committee on Reconstruction accused the South of trying to “preserve slavery … as long as possible.” When President Johnson ignored the report, members of Congress called Radical Republicans vowed to take control of Reconstruction.

Question 10

Who led the Radical Republicans in the House and the Senate? What were their two main goals? What types of reforms did they use to achieve those goal?

Answer 10

The Radicals were led by Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania in the House and Charles Sumner of Massachusetts in the Senate. Radical Republicans had two main goals. First, they wanted to break the power of wealthy planters who had long ruled the South. Second, they wanted to ensure that freedmen received the right to vote. They used legislative reforms, or changes in laws, to achieve their goals.

Question 11

How were Republicans able to control both parts of Congress? Why did the Radicals need the support of the Moderate Republicans? What was the Civil Rights Act of April 1866, and what did it state?

Answer 11

Radicals needed the support of moderate Republicans, the largest group in Congress. Moderates and Radicals disagreed on many issues, but they shared a strong political motive. Most southerners were Democrats. With southerners barred from Congress, Republicans could control both houses. To combat the black codes, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in April 1866. It gave citizenship to African Americans. When Johnson vetoed the bill, Congress overrode the veto.

Question 12

What fear moved Republicans to propose the Fourteenth Amendment? What did the Fourteenth Amendment state? When was it ratified?

Answer 12

Republicans feared that the Supreme Court might use its power of judicial review to declare the Civil Rights Act unconstitutional. In the Dred Scott decision of 1857, the Court had ruled that African Americans were not citizens. To avoid a similar ruling, Republicans proposed the Fourteenth Amendment. It defined citizens as “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” (The amendment did not apply to most Native Americans.) It guaranteed citizens “equal protection of the laws” and forbade states to “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” Thus, states could not legally discriminate against a citizen on unreasonable grounds, such as race.
The Fourteenth Amendment was proposed in 1866. As you will read, it was not ratified for another two years. Under the Fourteenth Amendment, any state that denied any male citizen age 21 or older the right to vote would have its representation in Congress reduced. Republicans believed that freedmen would be able to defend their rights if they could vote.

Question 13

What was the impact of the Fourteenth Amendment?

Answer 13

Republicans hoped the impact of the amendment on life in the United States would be to secure basic political rights for African Americans in the South. That goal would take a century to achieve. In the 1950s, the Fourteenth Amendment became a powerful tool in the struggle for citizenship rights.

Question 14

How did President Johnson respond to the Fourteenth Amendment?

Answer 14

President Johnson encouraged former Confederate states to reject the Fourteenth Amendment. He also decided to make the amendment an issue in the 1866 congressional elections.

Question 15

How did President Johnson’s loss of temper along with violence in New Orleans lead to the re-election of Republicans in Congress?

Answer 15

Across the North, Johnson urged voters to reject the Radicals. When a heckler yelled for Johnson to hang Jefferson Davis, Johnson shouted, “Why not hang Thad Stevens?” Many northerners criticized the President for losing his temper. In July, riots in New Orleans killed 34 African Americans who had gathered in support of a convention backing voting rights. White mobs attacked the crowd and fired into the convention. The violence convinced many northerners that stronger measures were needed. In the end, the elections were a disaster for Johnson. Republicans won majorities in both houses of Congress.

Question 16

What is the period known as Radical Reconstruction?

Answer 16

In 1867, Republicans in Congress prepared to take charge of Reconstruction. With huge majorities in both houses, Congress could easily override vetoes. The period that followed is often called Radical Reconstruction.

Question 17

What was the first Reconstruction Act of March 1867, and what did it state? What were the Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867, and what did they state and organize in the South? Why did Southerners resent the Military Reconstruction Acts? What was the new way of getting back into the Union?

Answer 17

Congress passed the first Reconstruction Act in March 1867. It threw out the state governments that had refused to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment—all the former Confederate states except Tennessee. The Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867 divided the southern states into five military districts, each governed by a military general. Army commanders were given broad permission to enforce Reconstruction. Military rulers in these military districts had nearly unlimited power. They sometimes conducted trials without juries in the South. Many southerners bitterly resented the imposition of military rule. They argued that the military occupation violated their rights because it was done without their consent or representation. Congress, however, continued to impose new rules. To rejoin the Union, former Confederate states had to write new constitutions and ratify the Fourteenth Amendment. The Reconstruction Act also required that southern states allow African Americans to vote. With the new constitutions in place, reconstructed states held elections to set up new state governments. The Fourteenth Amendment barred former Confederate officials from voting. Many other white southerners stayed away from the polls in protest. Protected by the army, freedmen proudly exercised their new right to vote. Most favored the Republican party, since it had supported their rights. As a result, Republicans gained control of all of the new southern state governments.

Question 18

Why did Republicans want to remove President Johnson from office?

Answer 18

Congress passed other Reconstruction acts over Johnson’s veto. As President, Johnson had a duty to execute the new laws. However, Johnson did what he could to limit their effect. He fired several military commanders who supported Radical Reconstruction. Republicans in Congress decided to try to remove Johnson from office.

Question 19

How did President Johnson’s Impeachment Trial play out? What did Charles Sumner admit about the trial? How many votes shy were the Republicans from convicting the President?

Answer 19

On February 24, 1868, the House of Representatives voted to impeach, or bring formal charges against, Johnson. According to the Constitution, the House may impeach a President for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The President is removed from office if found guilty by two thirds of the Senate. During Johnson’s trial, it became clear that he was not guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors. Even Charles Sumner, Johnson’s bitter foe, admitted that the charges were “political in character.” Despite intense pressure, seven Republican senators refused to vote for conviction. The Constitution, they said, did not allow Congress to remove a President just because they disagreed with him. In the end, the vote was 35 to 19—one vote shy of the two thirds needed to convict.

Question 20

What role did the Fourteenth Amendment play in Grant winning the Election of 1868?

Answer 20

Johnson served out the few remaining months of his term. In May 1868, Republicans nominated the Union’s greatest war hero, Ulysses S. Grant, for President. In July 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment finally passed, granting citizenship to African Americans. Former Confederate states had to ratify the amendment as if they were in the Union—even though they had not yet been readmitted. On the other hand, states that had been loyal to the Union during the war felt that the Confederate states had lost their constitutional rights by rebelling. This rule did not affect Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, or Missouri, slave states that did not secede. By election day, most southern states had ratified the amendment and rejoined the Union. As Congress demanded, the southern states allowed African American men to vote. About 500,000 blacks voted—nearly all of them for Grant. With support from most northerners as well, he easily won the election.

Question 21

In 1869, what were the political and moral reasons for the Republicans proposing the Fifteenth Amendment? When was the true impact of this amendment felt, due to the South finding ways around it?

Answer 21

In 1869, Congress proposed the Fifteenth Amendment. It forbade any state to deny any citizen the right to vote because of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Republicans had moral and political reasons for supporting the Fifteenth Amendment. They remembered the great sacrifices made by African American soldiers in the Civil War. They also felt it was wrong to let African Americans vote in the South but not in the North. In addition, Republicans knew that if African Americans could vote in the North, they would help Republicans win elections there. The Fifteenth Amendment was ratified in 1870. At last, all African American men over age 21 had the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment was a difficult amendment to enforce. The South soon found ways around it, as you will read. It was only in the mid-1900s that new legislation protected voting rights and the full impact of the amendment was felt.