Chapter 17 Reconstruction and

the New South (1865-1896)

Section 2 Radicals in Control

A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D

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Rate your agreement with the following statement: The system of checks and balances prevents any branch of government from having too much power.

A. Strongly agree

B. Somewhat agree

C. Somewhat disagree

D. Strongly disagree

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What were the results of Radical Reconstruction?

African Americans’ Rights • Some whites tried to

terrorize African Americans (Burning churches and homes)

• Many events happened like this and convinced Radical Republicans that President Johnson’s Reconstruction plan was not strong enough

• Fall 1865- Southern states created new governments based on Johnson’s plan

• Also elected new representatives to Congress

• When the representatives arrived in Washington, D.C., Congress refused to seat them

Black Codes • Early 1866- Southern

states passes black codes

• Laws to control freed men and women

• Allowed plantation owners to exploit African American workers

• Also allowed officials to arrest and fine jobless African Americans

• Banned African Americans from owning or renting farms

• To many, the black codes resembled slavery

Freedmen’s Bureau • Early 1866- Congress

passed a bill giving the Freedmen’s Bureau new powers

• The Bureau could set up courts and try people charged with violating the rights of African Americans

• African Americans could serve on juries in these courts

• Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866- Granted full citizenship to African Americans

• The federal government could also intervene in state affairs to protect their rights

• Also overturned the black codes

• Also contradicted the 1857 Dred Scott decision

The Two Bills • Johnson vetoed both

• Johnson argued that both the Freedmen’s Bureau bill and the Civil Rights Act were unconstitutional

• Because they were approved by a Congress that did not include representatives from all the states

• Republicans in Congress had enough votes to override both vetoes and the bills became law

• Congress and the President were not working together

• Radical Republicans abandoned the idea of compromise and drafted their own Reconstruction plan

The 14th Amendment • Fearing the Civil Rights

Act might be overturned in court, Congress passed the 14th Amendment in 1866 (enacted in 1868)

• Granted full citizenship to all born in the United States

• Most African Americans became full citizens

• Gave all rights to African Americans

• Life, liberty, and property

• Every citizen was entitled to “equal protection of the laws”

14th Amendment Continued • If a state prevented any adult

male citizen from voting, then it could lose representation in Congress

• The amendment also barred former Confederate leaders from holding office (unless pardoned by Congress)

• The 14th Amendment excluded Native Americans

• Southern states had to ratify the amendment to rejoin the Union

• Of the 11 Southern states, only Tennessee ratified it

• It did not take effect until 1868

Republican Victory • Congressional

elections of 1866

• President Johnson campaigned against Radical Republicans

• Many Northerners objected to the nasty tone of Johnson’s campaign

• Also 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

(overrides)

• Congress passed the First Reconstruction Act and the Second Reconstruction Act

• The 10 Southern states that didn’t ratify the 14th Amendment had new governments created

• The 10 states were divided into 5 military districts , each run by a military commander

• African American men were guaranteed the right to vote

• Also banned former Confederate leaders from holding public office

• To rejoin the Union, the states had to ratify the 14th 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 of Southern state governments

• By 1868- 7 states were readmitted (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina)

• By 1870- Mississippi, Virginia, and Texas were restored to the Union

President Johnson • Johnson opposed Radical

Reconstruction

• Johnson used his power of commander in chief of the army to direct the military governors

• Congress passed laws to limit the presidents power, such as the Tenure of Office Act

• This Act prohibited the president from removing government officials, including members of his own cabinet, without the Senate’s approval

• Conflict between Johnson and the Radicals grew more intense

Johnson and the Radicals • August 1867- Congress was

not in session

• Johnson suspended Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without the Senate’s approval

• Congress met again and refused to approve the suspension, Johnson removed Stanton from office

• This violated the Tenure of Office Act

• Johnson also appointed people the Radical Republicans opposed to command some of the Southern military districts

Impeaching the President • Outraged by Johnson’s

actions, the House of Representatives voted to impeach the president

• Formally charge him of wrongdoings

• 1868- the case went to the Senate for a trial that lasted almost 3 months

• Both sides made their arguments

• The senators failed to achieve the 2/3rd majority required for conviction (1 vote)

• As a result, Johnson stayed in office until the end of 1869

Election of 1868 • The Republicans

nominated 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 the

Republican approach to

Reconstruction

15th Amendment • 1869- Congress passed the

15th Amendment

• Prohibited state and federal governments from denying the right to vote to any male citizen

• Because of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude”

• African American men won the right to vote in 1870

• Republicans believed the power of the vote would enable African Americans to protect themselves

• This belief was too optimistic

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-African Americans gained full citizenship with the rights due all citizens, although protecting these rights proved difficult

-African American men gained the right to vote

-African American voters, combined with the refusal of many white Southerners to vote, put Republicans in control of Southern state governments

-By 1870 all of the Southern states had met the requirements under Radical Reconstruction and were restored to the Union

Chapter 17 Section 2 Quiz

African Americans were granted

full citizenship by the A. 14th Amendment.

B. Ten Percent Law.

C. Civil Rights Act of

1866.

D. black codes.

All individuals born in the United States

were granted full citizenship by the

A. Thirteenth

Amendment.

B. black codes.

C. Civil Rights Act of

1866.

D. Fourteenth

Amendment.

The only Southern state to immediately

ratify the Fourteenth Amendment was

A. Maryland.

B. Tennessee.

C. Kentucky.

D. North Carolina.

When President Andrew Johnson violated

the Tenure of Office Act, the House of

Representatives voted to A. impeach.

B. applaud him.

C. abstain.

D. override.

Which amendment gave African

American men the right to vote? A. Thirteenth

Amendment

B. Fourteenth

Amendment

C. Fifteenth

Amendment

D. Sixteenth

Amendment