THE RECONSTRUCTION

ERA
W. E. B. Du Bois :
"The slave went free stood a moment in the sun ; then moved back
again towards slavery"
Meaning of Reconstruction and Background :
Reconstruction means to get something constructed again after getting
damaged same was in the case of USA where they had to reintegrate a
formerly slave population and formerly rebellious population of South
and this whole process was preceeded by the Civil War that lasted from
1861-1865 .
Presidential Reconstruction
• After Lincoln was assasinated we were left with
Andrew Johnson who was a southerner and a racist
who didn't think that blacks should have any role in
reconstruction.
• In May 1865 with Congress out of session, Johnson
shocked Republicans by announcing in two
proclamations.
• Almost all southerners who took an oath of alliance
would receive pardon and amnesty and all their
property except slaves.
• Johnson later added that each state belonged to the
confederacy has to ratify the 13th Amendment
which was done in 1865 to abolish slavery with a
special clause in it that "Neither slavery not
involuntary servitude, except as punishment
for crime shall exist".
Radical Republicans
• The Radical Republicans like Congressmen Thaddeus
who hoped to impose black suffrage on the former
confederacy were infuriated by the passing of the
black codes and the reason why there angered were
that :
• Black codes were to replace the slave codes that
regulated slavery. Some estd. racial seggregation in
public places, most prohibited racial interchange.
• "WHAT CAN BE HATCHED FROM SUCH AN
EGG BUT ANOTHER REBELLION ? " asked a
Boston newspaper.
FREEDMEN BUREAU
• It was estd in 1865 and was an idea of moderate
Republican SENATOR LYMAN TRUMBALL OF
IILIONIS.
• They built many schools
• and Fiske and Harward
• University.
• According to James
• MC Pherson :
• By 1870 there were more than 1000 schools for
freedmen in South.
14TH AMENDMENT
• In March 1866 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act
of 1866 . Andrew Johnson vetoed the law but for
the first time in American History thethe decision of
the President was overroded leading to 14th and
15th Amendment .
• The 14th Amendment held the statement :
• "TO PROTECT ALL PERSONS BORN OR
NATURALIZED IN US WERE CITIZENS OF THE
NATION AND THAT NO STATE COULD
ABRIDGE THEIR RIGHTS WITHOUT DUE
PROCESS OF LAW".
CONGRESSIONAL
RECONSTRUCTION AND 15TH
AMENDMENT
• The Reconstruction Act of 1867 invalidated the State
Govt. formed under Lincoln and Johnson plans. This
act was moremore radical as it enfranchised the
blacks.
• Republicans at this time didn't succeed in impeaching
Johnson but succeeded in introducing the 15th
Amendment which gave Right to vote and
prohibition of denial of suffrage on the basis of race,
color or previous conditions of servitude
• Loopholes :
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony
: Only word male is mentioned and no
prohibition of denial of rights on the basis of
sex.
Carpetbeggars and Scalabags
• The new electorate provided a base for the
Republican Party which had never been in South.
• To scornful democrates southern Republicans
consisted of three types : Northern carpetbeggars
who had come South seeking power and wealth.
• Second were Scalabags who were predominantly
poor and ignorant.
• Third were the uneducated freedmen .
• In 1866 when Johnson govt was still in power, six
young confederate war vetrans formed Ku klux
Klan which sought to supress black voting, estd.
white supremacy and topple the Reconstruction.
CONCLUSION :
• The reconstruction era came to an end with the
COMPROMISE OF 1877 to settle intensely disputed
1876 presidential elections between Republicans and
Democrats
• Though if we talk of impact of reconstruction we find
some historians praising it and some criticising it.
• Black leader Booker T Washington :
• 'The Reconstruction failed as it started at wrong end,
emphasizing political means and civil rights rather
than economic means '.
• DUNNING SCHOOL OF SCHOLARS :
• Reconstruction as failure and termed carpetbeggars
and scalabags as corrupt.
• REVISIONISTS LIKE CHARLES A. BEARD
• Focused on economic downplaying of political and
constitutional issues.
• NEO ABOLITIONISTS LED BY ERIC FONER , LEON
LITWACK:
• REJECTED DUNNING SCHOOL AND FOUND A GREAT
PRAISE TO RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION
THANK
YOU