Reconstruction
Lincoln's plan to re-admit southerners into the U.S. after the Civil War is known as Reconstruction. This plan was a cause and effect of many major events in the years to come. Reconstruction also angered many southerners as the fight against racism continued. This was a period of time filled with ups and downs, as wild as a roller coaster ride. Below are three major events that were caused by Lincoln's Reconstruction and a video going a little more in depth about the whole deal.
Because of this...
*Congressional Republicans wanted to protect their Reconstruction Plan. They also worried that southern states might try to keep black voters from polls in future elections. But a huge controversy arose since many northern states still had laws preventing African Americans from voting.
*Around this time, more African Americans were taking office. Resistance to the Reconstruction plan increased among white southerners. They also disliked having federal soldiers stationed in their states.
*Northern support for Reconstruction was fading. Voters' attention was focused on economic problems (Panic of 1873). In 1874, Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives to Democrats. The U.S. was abandoning Reconstruction. With the new election arriving, Democratic Samuel J. Tilden ran against Republican Rutherford B. Hayes. Fighting to win the election, Democrats used violence to win. The results were very close, but Tilden had appeared to win. Republicans then challenged electoral votes in Oregon and three southern states.
|
This happened...
*15th Amendment (1869/1870)
*Ku Klux Klan (1866)
*Compromise of 1877
|
And this was the result...
*The 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote. Although this was a huge gain for black males, it angered many women across the country. The amendment didn't give them the right to vote.
*The Ku Klux Klan was a secret society of white southerners from Tennessee that opposed civil rights for African Americans, particularly suffrage (the right to vote). The K.K.K. used violence and terror against African Americans. As time passed, membership grew rapidly throughout the south. They attacked and murdered not only African Americans, but also white Republican voters and public officials. Local governments did little to stop them. So, Congress passed laws that made it a federal crime to interfere with elections or to deny citizens equal protection under the law.
*Hayes won presidency by one electoral vote. Democrats agreed to accept Hayes' victory. In return, all remaining federal troops in the south were removed. Democrats also asked for funding for internal improvements in the south and the appointment of a southern Democrat in the president's cabinet.
|