Civil Rights - FP1 - The politics of Radical Reconstruction Flashcards
The Radical Reconstruction Acts: Military Reconstruction Act
Military Reconstruction Act - divided former confed states into 5 districts under commanders empowered to protect AA - written constitutions of states
The Radical Reconstruction Acts: The Command of the Army and Tenure of Office
Command of Army - Required all orders to army to go through army HQ’s under control of repub Grant
Tenure of Office- required consent of Repub senate to remove any officeholder
The Radical Reconstruction Acts: Effects
Ex confed states had to accept AA vote, 14th amendment accepted, Direct military rule able to implement wishes of congress, and protect against violence
Transformed politics: Reconstruction Acts 1867 temporarily disenfranchise 15% of white voters, who were ex confeds, whilst enfranchising 703,000 ex-slaves, blacks outnumber whites by 100k
Carpetbaggers and scalawags move South to support reconstruction
All Southern states readmitted 1871
The 15th: What?
Approved by congress Feb 1869, ratified 1870
Intended to secure black vote, prohibited denial of suffrage because of race
80.5% AA could vote Dec 67 compared to 0.5% the year before
The 15th: Positives - creation of new state constitiutions
Ex slaves took part in political conventions and joined union leagues
1867 reconstruction act means all confed states except TN must draft new constitutions to grant 14th - 265 AA(25% of delegates)
This led to radica reform of schools, railways, asylums etc - AA advocation for land, schools, against violence - 600 in state legislatures
The 15th: Positives - state and federal legislatures
16 congressmen 1869-77, 2 senators in reconstruction
South Carolina until 1874 87 blacks and 40 whites in lower house
Missisipi 1872 Lynch Speaker of House, Hill Secretary of State
Senate Revels and Bruce for Missisipi
HoR 20 representatives - Elliott, GIbbs and Smalls
The 15th: Positives - other positions of authority
19 AA in Louisianna, 15 in Missisippi sheriffs
Leading of churches, mayors, police chiefs, school commissioners, juries
The 15th: Limitations - southern and federal response
Loopholes ie poll tax, literacy tests
Anger as social reform cost millions and ran up large debts $305 million by 1871
Corruption also blamed on AA
Equality achieved? - they can stand on their own
Supreme court 1876 US v Reese court stated 15th did not give vote to anyone just that it barred states from using race to disqualify
The 15th: Limitations - obstacles
Lack of education, organisation and experience and divisions between balck community of ex slaves vs freeborn blacks
Republican party usually put up white candidates to atract white voters though black vote was certain
Violence Caldwell, senator in Mississippi state legislature shot over 30 times 1875
