Reconstruction Era (Presidency + Congress)

Question 1

Economic impact of the Civil war

Answer 1

• had lasted 4 years with 625,000 lives lost
• agriculture, trade and overseas markets had been dislocated
• the war had stimulated vast economic expansion with an acceleration of industrialisation and modernisation
• in the south there was physical destruction of towns and cities
• the south economy relied heavily on agriculture and therefore slavery

Question 2

Lincoln

Answer 2

• led north to victory in civil war
• set up the freedmen’s bureau in 1865

Question 3

Andrew Johnson - own reconstruction

Answer 3

• 1865 - 68—> originally Abraham Lincoln’s vice-president
• democrat
• May 1865 he launched his own programme of presidential reconstruction
• issued 13000 pardons to southerners - caused opposition from Republicans as he allowed the new state governments to be dominated by the same old southern elites
• Johnson only cared about poor white southerners - kept vetoing Congress’ attempt to extend the freedmen’s bureau - first time in February 1866
• he did insist on ratify in the 13th amendment but it was congress that insisted that the former confederate states ratify the 14th amendment

Question 4

Johnson + congress

Answer 4

• when congress convened in December 1865 it was dominated by angry Republicans determined to wipe out the black codes + to remove former confederates from power
  February 1866 - Johnson’s first use of veto was against the renewal of the freedmen’s bureau which congress voted to extend for 3 years to strengthen its power to prosecute those guilty of discrimination against freedmen
  March 1866 - congress past the Civil Rights Act re-enstating the rights of African Americans + authorising federal intervention to enforce it - Johnson vetoed it

Question 5

Who were radical republicans?

Answer 5

• dominated when congress convened in December 1865
• driving force for much of the implementation of and ratification of the Reconstruction Amendments and Civils Rights Act (1866 and 1875)
• turning points, considering the absence of legislation or constitutional amendments previously to support black rights

Question 6

What did Johnson do for the civil rights of freed slaves?

Answer 6

• basically nothing - allowed the southern states to develop their own Black Codes to limit African American civil rights

Question 7

What did Grant do?

Answer 7

• asked for the KKK Act (1871) in response to white supremacism
• this was passed within one month of Grant’s request to congress
• however ineffective in the south - klan members in the police force and state governments
• Grants financial scandals overshadowed further civil rights progress

Question 8

Why did radical republicans die out?

Answer 8

• Stevens and Sumner died in 1868 and 1874 - their death lead to the strength of the radical republicans weakening
• no real majority from congress for civil rights legislation until the 1960s

Question 9

When did Radical Republicans come to power?

Answer 9

• congressional elections of 1866
• they wanted to punish the south + prevent the ruling class from continuing power

Question 10

What did Radical Republicans pass?

Answer 10

• Military Reconstruction Acts 1867
• president Johnson vetoed all the radical initiatives (sympathetic to the south) - but congress overrode him each time

Question 11

Opposition to Radical Republicans?

Answer 11

• democratic ‘redeemers’ - fought to redeem the south - formed of conservative, pro-businessmen + southern democrats
• violent ‘white terrorists’ - 1868 1,000 Freedmen were killed in Louisiana + 1874 federal troops had to intervene to prevent lynches
  = increased intimidation meant black voting levels dropped

Question 12

What was the compromise 1877?

Answer 12

• Hayes vs. Tilden
• 1876 = corrupted election = impossible to know who won
• Commission launched to investigate who won
• Hayes offered to withdraw Union troops (stripping AA of their newly acquired rights) = in return democrats recognised Rutherford Hayes as president

Question 13

Impact of compromise

Answer 13

• Hayes was a weak president - democrats redeemed the rest of the south + tried to dismantle reformist legislation
• era of political corruption until 1890 - Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Harrison
• large cartels bought off politicians at federal + state level
• by 1890 there was a backlash against congress passed - Sherman Anti-trust Act = ensured fair competition + stop monopolies

Question 14

Summary of 1865-90

Answer 14

• 2 political parties developed
• ideology + identity of parties developed
• politics were reacting to huge economic + social changes