Chapter 18 The Reconstruction Era (1865-1896)

Lesson 2 The Radicals Take Control

African Americans’ Rights

• Some whites tried to terrorize African Americans (Burning churches and homes)
• Southern states created new governments based on Johnson’s plan
• Also elected new reps to Congress
• When the representatives arrived Congress refused to seat them

Black Codes

• Southern states pass black codes
• Plantation owners could exploit African American workers
• Officials could arrest and fine jobless African Americans
• Banned African Americans from owning or renting farms

Freedmen’s Bureau

• Congress gives Freedmen’s Bureau new powers
• The Bureau could try people charged with violating the rights of African Americans
• African Americans could serve on juries
• Congress passed Civil Rights Act of 1866- Granted full citizenship to African Americans (rights protected)
• Overturned the black codes

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The Two Bills

• Johnson vetoed both
• Because the decision did not include representatives from all the states
• Republicans in Congress had enough votes to override both vetoes and the bills became law
• Radical Republicans drafted their own Reconstruction plan

The 14^th Amendment

• Congress passed the 14^th Amendment
• Granted full citizenship to all born in the United States
• Most African Americans became full citizens
• Gave all rights to African Americans

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14^th Amendment Continued

• If a state prevented any adult male citizen from voting, then it could lose representation in Congress
• Barred former Confederate leaders from holding office
• The 14^th Amendment excluded Native Americans
• Southern states had to ratify the amendment to rejoin the Union
• Only Tennessee ratified it

Republican Victory

• Congressional elections of 1866
• President Johnson campaigned against Radical Republicans
• Feared clashes between whites and African Americans
• The Republicans won a solid victory, and took Reconstruction into their own hands

Reconstruction Acts of 1867

• Johnson had no power
• Congress passed the First Reconstruction Act and the Second Reconstruction Act
• The 10 Southern states that didn’t ratify the 14^th Amendment had new governments created
• The 10 states were divided into 5 military districts , each run by a military commander

Reconstruction Acts of 1867

• African American men guaranteed right to vote
• Also banned former Confederate leaders from holding public office
• To rejoin the Union, the states had to ratify the 14^th Amendment and submit new state constitutions to Congress for approval
• Military commanders prepared state constitutional conventions

Readmitting the States

• Many white Southerners refused to vote
• 1000s of newly registered African American voters voted
• Republicans gained control in South
• By 1868- 7 states were readmitted
• By 1870- Mississippi, Virginia, and Texas were restored to the Union

President Johnson

• Johnson opposed Radical Reconstruction
• Johnson used his power to direct the military governors
• Congress passed laws to limit the presidents power,
• Tenure of Office Act
• Prohibited president from removing government officials, including members of his own cabinet, without approval

Johnson and the Radicals

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• Johnson suspended Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without approval
• Congress refused to approve the suspension, Johnson removed Stanton from office
• This violated the Tenure of Office Act
• Johnson also appointed people to command some of the Southern military districts

Impeaching the President

• The House of Reps voted to impeach the president
• The case went to the Senate for a trial that lasted almost 3 months
• The senators failed to achieve the 2/3^rd majority required for conviction (1 vote)
• As a result, Johnson stayed in office

Election of 1868

• Republicans nominate Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War hero
• The Democrats chose Horatio Seymour
• Grant won most of the African American votes in the South and won the presidency
• This election showed that voters supported Republican Reconstruction

15^th Amendment

• Congress passed the 15^th Amendment
• Prohibited governments from denying the right to vote to any male citizen
• African American men won the right to vote in 1870
• Republicans believed the power of the vote would enable African Americans to protect themselves