Reconstruction & 1876

1. a challenge the nation faced was having to reintegrate a formerly slave population and a formerly rebellious population

1.1. Lincoln's approach was to facilitate reunion and reconciliation

1.1.1. while Andrew Johnson believed that the south didn't initially have the right to secede

2. the new governments set under Johnson's presidency resembled a lot to the old confederate governments which had been replaced

2.1. the new governments divided confiscated confederate land for former slaves, primary and secondary schools were created

2.1.1. important because land ownership was key to freedom as slaves had been promised by the union army . . . which didn't happen because the south remained mainly agricultural

3. Andrew Johnson was racist and believed African Americans should not have a role in reconstruction

4. share cropping replaced slavery . . . land owners provided housing to share croppers along with tools, in return they'd receive a part of those crops

4.1. by the great depression most sharecroppers were white

5. the republicans and congress took the lead in reconstruction after 1867

6. congress amended the constitution with the 14th amendment

6.1. which defined citizenship, guaranteed equal protection and extended the rights in the bill of rights to all states

6.1.1. 14th amendment is argues to be the most important amendment in the whole constitution

7. congress passed the reconstruction in 1867 (after Johnson's veto) divided the south into 5 military districts

7.1. this is important because it required each state to create a new government that included the participation of African American men

7.1.1. in order to get back into the union those states had to ratify the 14th amendment . . . beginning radical reconstruction

8. black codes were created to show how unwilling Americans were to ensure right of newly freed citizens

9. the 1868 election was won by Ulysses S. Grant (republican + former union general)

10. 15th amendment prohibited states to deny the right to man of voting based on race

10.1. not explicit enough because it din't prohibit based on gender or literacy

10.1.1. the federal government could basically dictate who could vote and who could become a citizen or not

11. ensuring rights of African Americans increased when there were African American office holders this meant there would be black juries, less discrimination in state and local governments, provide with basic services

11.1. this created a school system that tried to educate a mix of both races, and it created a functioning government of both races where all could participate

12. 2,000 African Americans held office during reconstruction

13. the republican party became dominant int he south because most African Americans were republicans and could vote and made up a large part of the population