Exam 1 Flashcards
John Wilkes Booth
April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was at the Ford Theatre with his wife Mary, his body guard had been called away to Richmond and the policeman assigned to his theater box had stepped away from his post. This gave John Wilkes Booth the perfect opportunity to slip into the presidential box. John Wilkes Booth was a crazed actor and confederate sympathizer. He fired his pistol point-blank at the back of President Lincoln’s head, as Lincoln slumped over, Booth stabbed Lincoln’s aide and jumped from the box to the stage, breaking his leg in the process. Booth then mounted a waiting horse and fled to the city. Booth was pursued into Virginia and killed in a burning barn.
Why Lincoln picked Andrew Johnson as a running mate in 1864
It was a gesture of unity. His plan to restore the Union resembled Lincolns and he believed in limited government. Strict adherence to the Constitution. Unity is the key word. Johnson was a pro-Union southerner, and a Democrat, and his inclusion on the ticket was calculated to appeal to pro-Union southerners, and Democrats in the North.
Johnson’s Reconstruction plan
Johnson didn’t believe in the word ‘reconstruction’, he preferred “restoration” because he said “those states have not gone out of the Union therefore reconstruction is unnecessary.” In each state a Unionist became a provisional governor with authority to call a convention of men elected by voters. Johnson called upon the state conventions to invalidate the secession ordinances, abolish slavery, and repudiate all debt incurred to aid the Confederacy. Each state had to ratify the 13th amendment ending slavery.
Johnson’s Proclamation of Amnesty
Issued May 1865, excluded not only those Lincoln barred from pardon of debt but also everybody else with taxable property worth more than $20K, but there would be 13K special applications directed to the president for pardon. Johnson’s pardon, as well as Lincolns was not a pardon for debt, but rather a pardon for having participated in or for supping the rebellion.
Reaction when former Confederates returned in Congress after the Civil War
Congress met in Dec. 1865 for the first time since the end of the war. Saw that state government in Post War new south was the same as it was in the Confederate South. Southern voters had acted with extreme disregard for Northern feelings. New member were Alexander Stephens (GA) the former VP of the Confederacy, now claiming a seat in the senate along with 4 Confederate Generals, 8 Colonels and 6 cabinet members. Congress denied seats to all such officials. It was too much to expect that the Unionist’s would allow them in Congress after 4 years of war.
“Black codes”
Black Codes were established in 1865. These laws were designed to restrict the freedom of African Americans. The white sothern legislatures wanted to uphold slavery for as long as they could. These black codes were all different depending on the state. Some factors were the same throughout states such as existing marriage, inlcuding common law marraige but interracial marraiges were not allowed. They could own land except in Mississippi and South Carlolina unless they bought special licenses. codes in some of the states restricted black ownership of property and limited the type of labor they could perform. Perhaps worst of all, black codes allowed authorities to arrest African Americans and then auction them off to work in the fields of those willing to pay for their labor.
Why Radical Republicans wanted to disenfranchise former Confederates
Radical Republicans wanted to disenfranchise former Confederates to keep them from helping to elect democrats who were eager to restore the old southern ruling class to power.
The Radical-led Congress and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
March of 1866 the Radical-led Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, written by Senator Lyman Trumbull (Ill) who also drafted the 13th amendment. A response to the black codes and to the Neo-slavery system created by unrepentant Southern State legislature, it declared “all persons born in the US and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians who were not taxed, were citizens entitled to “full and equal benefit of all laws”. Johnson vetoed the bill saying it would “foment discord among all races”. On April 9, 1866 Congress overrode the presidential veto.
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act that was overrode by Congress, he also vetoed the “Freedman’s Bureau Bill” the Congress enacted on July 16, 1866 again overriding the president’s veto. From that point on Johnson steadily lost both public and political support. By 1868, Radical Republicans decided Johnson should be removed from office. 8167 The Republicans unsuccessfully tried to impeach Johnson, alleging a variety of flimsy charges, nothing that was an indictable crime. Johnson deliberately violated the “Tenure of Office Act” in order to test its constitutionality. Johnson wanted Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton to resign. On August 12, 1867 during a congressional recess, Johnson suspended Stanton and named General Ulysses S Grant in his place. When senate refused to confirm Johnsons actions Grant returned the office to Stanton. On Feb 24, 1868 the Republican dominated House passed 11 articles of impeachment by a party-line vote of 126-47. Most of the articles focused on the charge that Johnson unlawfully removed Secretary of War Stanton. The senate trial ended with a vote of 35-19 for conviction. Only one vote short of the 2/3rds needed for removal from office. The impeachment of Johnson was in the end, a mistake. For the failure to remove the president damaged Radical Republican morale and support. The radical cause did gain something though, to stave off impeachment, Johnson agreed NOT to obstruct the process of congressional-led reconstruction. Johnson had no political base, and once the Radicals got control of Congress, he was basically powerless. Impeachment was not necessary. The decisive vote that saved him was from a Kansas senator named Ross, and his story is a chapter in JFK’s book Profiles in Courage
Why former Confederates resented the new state Constitutions imposed by Radical Republicans
The former Confederates resented the new state constitutions because of their provisions allowing for black voting and civil rights.
Carpetbaggers
The top positions in Post War Southern states governments went for the most part to White Republicans whom the opposition whites labeled “Carpetbaggers” and “Scalawags” depending upon their place of birth. Northerners who allegedly rushed South with all their belongings in carpet bags to grab the political spoils were more often than not Union Veterans drawn south by the hope of economic opportunity and other attractions that many of them had seen in their Union service. Many other so-called carpet-baggers were teachers, social workers, or preachers animated by a sincere missionary impulse.
A carpet bag was a cheap suitcase made from a carpet, and someone who carried one was lowlife trash, coming south to profit from the suffering of the South.
The term “Carpetbagger” is still used in politics against people who have lived in one area and run for office in another. It was used against Robert Kennedy and Hilary Clinton when they ran for senate seats from New York. Kennedy was from Massachusetts, and Clinton from Arkansas. It is ironic about Clinton, as she was coming from a southern state to a Northern state.
The primary objective of the Ku Klux Klan was:
The Ku Klux Klan was organized in 1866 by men in Pulaski, TN as a social club. At first a group of pranksters, soon turned to intimidation of blacks and white Republicans, spreading horrendous rumors, issuing threats, harassing African Americans and wreaking violence and destruction. They focused their terror on prominent republicans, both black and white.
Black Civil Rights after Reconstruction
In 1877, new president Hayes withdrew federal troops form Louisiana and South Carolina, and those Republican governments collapsed soon after. Over the next 3 decades the protection of black Civil Rights crumbled under the pressure of restored white rule in the South and the force of the Supreme Court decisions narrowing the scope of the Reconstruction Amendments to the Constitution.
Waving “the bloody shirt”
1876 Campaign raised no burning issues. Both candidates favored the trend toward relaxing federal authority and restoring white conservative rule in the south. In absence of strong differences the Democrats aired Republicans’ dirty linen. In response Republicans waved “the blood shirt”. Which is to say they linked the Democratic party to secession, Civil War, and the outrages committed against Republicans in the South. Republicans “waved the Bloody shirt” by running prominent Union soldiers for office, and reminding voters that the Republicans had saved the Union while the Democrats had supported the rebellion. “A Democrat killed your father or brother” was a potent message to northern voters.
The Compromise of 1877
On Feb 26, 1877 prominent Ohio republicans and powerful Southern Democrats struck a secret bargain. The Republicans promised that if Hayes was elected, he would withdraw the last federal troops for Louisiana and South Carolina, letting Republican governments there collapse. In return, Democrats promised to withdraw their opposition to Hayes, accept in good faith the Reconstruction Amendments (including Civil Rights for blacks), and refrain from partisan reprisals against Republicans in the South. Republicans promised to include a Southerner in the Hayes cabinet, and they agreed to give aid to construction of the Texas Pacific Railroad, which would have given the South its own transcontinental railroad. As it turns out, Southern Democrats did not honer the pledge to support black civil rights, and Republicans did not provide the expected aid to the T&P RR.
Factors that helped accelerate economic growth after the Civil War
The nation’s unparalleled natural resources-forests, mineral wealth, river-along with a rapidly expanding population, were crucial ingredients. Inventors and business owners developed more efficient, labor-saving machinery and mass-production techniques that spurred dramatic advances in productivity and efficiency. Innovative, bold leadership was another crucial factor spurring economic transformation. Fertile business opportunities, federal and state politicians after the Civil War actively encouraged the growth of business by imposing high tariffs on foreign imports as a means of blunting competition and providing land and cash to finance railroads and other transportation improvements. Federal government was issuing massive land grants to railroads and land speculators, it was also distributing 160-acre homesteads to citizens, including single women and freed slaves through the Homestead Act of 1862. The only thing is the fact that the government adopted a hands off attitude in terms of regulation or oversight of business activities, allowing businessmen a free hand.
Why a transcontinental railroad was not built before the Civil War
Before the Civil War, differences between the North and South over the choice of routes had held up the start of a transcontinental line. Each section wanted to enjoy the economic benefits that a transcontinental railroad would bring to their section.
Impact of electric motors in late nineteenth century industrialization
The invention of electric motors enabled factories to locate wherever they wished; they no longer had to cluster around waterfalls and coal deposits for a ready supply of water. The electric motor also led to the development of elevators and streetcars. Buildings could go higher with electric elevators, and cities could spawn suburbs because of electric streetcars providing transportation.
Holding companies
The basic issue was that in the late 1800’s a corporation had to obtain a charter from the state in which it operated and these charters often included restrictions, like not allowing operations in another states, or taxing operations in another states. Rockefeller avoided restrictions by forming a trust. It also helped him avoid taxes, but when the trust became public knowledge, it was attacked in court by several states. Changes in New Jersey’s laws reduced restrictions on corporations, so Rockefeller set up his holding company there to do what his trust had been doing. Instead of all his operations being contolled by a board of trustees, it was controlled by a corporation that held most of the stock in his various companies. Now you know how he became the richest man in the world.
Why “Trusts” were vulnerable
they were vulnerable to prosecution under state law against monopoly or restraint of trade. A “Trust” is to consolidate scattered business interest under more efficient control.
Workers living conditions in Gilded Age America
In the crowded tenements of major cities, the death rate was much higher than that in the countryside. Factories often maintained poor health and safety conditions. American industry had the highest accident rate in the world. The United States was the only industrial nation in the world that had no workmen’s compensation program to provide financial support for workers injured on the job.
Critics of child labor
In 1880, by working full time,(1/6) millions of children were being deprived of their education. They were running risks of immediate injury by working around dangerous equipment, they were being exposed in some cases to toxic materials, and working in unsafe conditions that could cause long term health issues. In short, children were being killed and maimed by working in factories, and shortening their long term life expectancy. Most states ignored these issues, and in the states that did pass child protection laws, these were often ignored or unenforced.
The Knights of Labor:
Evoked the aura of medieval guilds. Founder of the Knights of Labor, Uriah S. Stephens, a Philadelphia tailor, felt that along with a semireligious ritual, secrecy would protect members from retaliation by employers and create a sense of solidarity. The Knights of Labor, started in 1869, as other unions collapsed, it spread more rapidly. Its preamble and platform indorsed the reforms advanced by previous workingmen’s groups, including the creation of bureaus of labor statistics and mechanics’ lien laws (to ensure payment of salaries), elimination of convict-labor competition, establishment of the eight-hour day, and use of paper currency. One plank in the platform called for equal pay for equal work by men and women. Throughout its existence it emphasized reform measures and preferred boycotts to strikes as a way to put pressure on employers. It also proposed to organize worker cooperatives that would enable member, collectively, to own their own large-scale manufacturing and mining operations. Theoretically, it was one big union of all workers, skilled and unskilled, regardless of race, color, creed, or sex. The Knights were a large union welcoming everyone, and focused not only on labor issues, but political and social reform. The AFL was a union consisting of only skilled workers, focuing almost exclusively on “bread and butter” issues of wages, hours and working conditions.
The Haymarket affair
grew indirectly out of prolonged agitation for an eight-hour work day. In 1884, Knights of Labor organizer set May 1, 1886 , as the deadline for adopting the eight-hour workday. When the deadline passed 40K Chicago workers went on strike. May3, 1886, violence erupted at the McCormick Reaper Works plant, where farm equipment was made. Striking union worker and “scabs” (non-union workers who defied the strike) clashed outside the plant. The police arrived, shots rang out, and two strikers were killed. A mass demonstration the following night at Haymarket Square to protest the killings. On the evening of May 4, after listening to long speeches complaining about low wages and long working hours and promoting anarchism, the crowd was beginning to break up when a group of policemen arrived and told the militants to disperse. At that point someone threw a bomb at the police; seven were killed and sixty wounded. Amid the chaos of America’s first terrorist bombing, the police fired into the crowd, killing and wounding an unknown number of people.
Another source says that 4 of the demonstrators were killed by the police after the bombing, plus an unknown number wounded.
