The Agony of Reconstruction

Lincoln sets forth 10 percent Reconstruction plan

Jan 1, 1863

The Ten Percent Plan promised that once ten or more percent of the voting population had taken an oath of allegiance to the union and acknowledged the legality http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nps.gov/liho/historyculture/images/Lincoln-portrait.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nps.gov/liho/historyculture/alincolnbio.htm&usg=___qBra9WufXzWA1AamIVwjTij9jo=&h=402&w=325&sz=18&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=95R7froM6xjc_M:&tbnh=124&tbnw=100&prev=/images?q=lincoln&gbv=2&ndsp=20&hl=en&safe=active&sa=G

Wade-Davis Bill passes Congress but in pocket-vetoed by Lincoln

Jan 1, 1864

The Wade-Davis Bill was congress' reconstruction bill that required at least 50 percent of the voting population to take an oath of future loyalty to them before the restorat http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://amhist.ist.unomaha.edu/module_files/Wade%20Davis%20Bill2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://amhist.ist.unomaha.edu/module_files/&usg=__mZxY3OFTwrSmSeCoXTeZqiJdiO0=&h=791&w=500&sz=77&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=EDNnrK8VCqPTKM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=90&prev=/images?q=wade-+davis+bill&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active

Johnson moves to recontruct the South on his own initiative

Jan 1, 1865

Johnson placed states under provisional governors who were responsible for calling constitutional conventions http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.easypedia.gr/el/images/shared/7/7c/Andrew_Johnson.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.easypedia.gr/el/articles/a/n/d/%CE%95%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CE%BD%CE%B1~Andrew_Johnson.jpg_bf11.html&usg=__XScQlzTDsXAkvcaYcoHqmn2Fytg=&h=608&w=577&sz=88&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=_glc0JccN0wDiM:&tbnh=136&tbnw=129&prev=/images?q=andrew+johnson&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X

Congress refuses to seat representatives and senators elected from states reestablished under presidantial plan

Dec 1, 1865

Congress would not seat southern delegation and established a joint commitee to review Reconstruction policy and set further conditions for sece http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wppl.org/wphistory/EdwardGurney/SwearingInHouseOfRepresentatives1962.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wppl.org/wphistory/EdwardGurney/index.html&usg=__zoOci87e_aXoBOPCYhcxoB_aeWI=&h=338&w=432&sz=43&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=3DW9SKLg07oRJM:&tbnh=99&tbnw=126&prev=/images?q=representatives&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X

Johnson vetoes Fredman's Bureau Bill

Feb 1, 1866

The Bill presented a temporary agency that aided former slaves by helping them obtain land, education, and legal help. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab11a.gif&imgrefurl=http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab11.htm&usg=__46Na_ay6ri8EoPwsv3GEob4J9cs=&h=222&w=350&sz=92&hl=en&start=19&tbnid=SsWVr7sUrcPIvM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=120&prev=/images?q=freedmen%27s+bureau&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X

Johnson vetoes Civil Rights Act; passes over his veto

Apr 1, 1866

The Civil Rights Act ensured more opposition to Johnson's Reconstruction plan. It was the first time Congress had ever overridden a presidential veto. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/images/LBJ-CivilRightsAct.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/aboutfheo/history.cfm&usg=__qUkN-XfqNFMHLcn16pIS1vGdahA=&h=346&w=512&sz=44&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=ENODRnLy0MUwoM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=131&prev=/images?q=civil+rights+acts&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=G

Congress passes Fourteenth Amendment

Jun 1, 1866

The Amendment gave the federal goverment the power to guarantee equal rights to all Americans under law. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://kellenebishop.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/14th-amendment1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://kellenebishop.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/the-heartstrings-that-will-bankrupt-%E2%80%9Cus%E2%80%9D/&usg=__oCQes6foGxvWbiAFdypeCa9C64A=&h=320&w=320&sz=27&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=AZM4N0wQdswCeM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=118&prev=/images?q=fourteenth+amendment&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X

Republican increase their congressional majority in the fall elections

Jul 1, 1866

Johnson retaliated by dismissing officers who believed in Radical Reconstruction and some Radical generals were transferred and replaced by conservative Democrats. http://www.wvculture.org/history/government/1866election01.jpg

First Recontruction Act is passed over Johnson's veto

Mar 5, 1867

The amendment was designed to grant citizenship and protect the rights of recently freed slaves. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jeffstarkbooks.com/files/reconstruction%20act.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jeffstarkbooks.com/&usg=__kR_wJmeHNJkR0LCgjLVotWjfo80=&h=1755&w=1275&sz=289&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=XtacOAhx-nMx7M:&tbnh=150&tbnw=109&prev=/images?q=reconstruction+act+1867&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X

Johnson is impeached; he avoids conviction by one vote

Feb 1, 1868

Attorneys for the president claimed that the president could only be impeached if he had commited a crime. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.historyplace.com/specials/calendar/docs-pix/impeach.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.historyplace.com/specials/calendar/march.htm&usg=__7XCym5Gpju7BbqZWD_eyHqjjb1w=&h=406&w=594&sz=107&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=XswWheUy2hd2bM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=135&prev=/images?q=impeachment+of+johnson+1888&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X

Southern blacks voted and serve in constitutional concentions

Jun 4, 1868

Most African Americans who served in state or national offices during the Reconstruction proved to be more competent and have more integrity than whites who also served at the time. http://www.blackpast.org/files/blackpast_images/Freedmen_Voting__South_Carolina__1868.jpg

Grant wins presidential election, defeating Horatio Seymour

Jul 4, 1868

Many people blamed Grant for the failure the nation went through while he was president. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mrlincolnandnewyork.org/upload/Seymour_HHPHp651_sm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mrlincolnandnewyork.org/content_inside.asp?ID=68&subjectID=3&usg=__lIp9qserCS6jPZ4VOzmudLZtkR8=&h=125&w=100&sz=8&hl=en&start=17&tbnid=oC3-UUEtLf0zrM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=72&prev=/images?q=Grant+wins+presidential+election,+defeating+Horatio+Seymour&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=G

Congress passes Fiftheenth Amendment, granting African Americans the right to vote

Jan 1, 1869

States could still limit the amount of people who voted by giving literacy tests, property conditions, and creating poll taxes. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hartford-hwp.com/HBHP/exhibit/05/15-a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hartford-hwp.com/HBHP/exhibit/05/index.html&usg=__FV9ersKBAwZutsnLO7UgY_BAtwc=&h=395&w=278&sz=49&hl=en&start=6&tbnid=XFvTVTruxW1xjM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=87&prev=/images?q=fifteenth+amendment&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X

Congress passes Ku Klux Klan Acts to protect the black voting rights in the South

Jan 1, 1870

The Ku Klux Klan intimidated African Americans who wanted to become involved in politics and believed in white supremacy http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkkk2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkkk.htm&usg=__HJXhn3mY5M426OSkdr8-gkSBWfM=&h=316&w=543&sz=35&hl=en&start=6&tbnid=i-aZQKys2H1ndM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=132&prev=/images?q=Congress+passes+Ku+Klux+Klan+Acts+to+protect+the+black+voting+rights+in+the+South&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&sa=G

Grant re-elected president, defeating Horace Greeley, candidate of Liberal Republicans and Deomcrats

Jan 1, 1872

Grant won the election because many Republicans did not want an ex-rebel to have power in the south. Also, Greenley died before the electoral college could vote. http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/greeley.jpg

Financial panic plunges nation into depression

Jan 1, 1873

The depression lasted five years and nearly three million Americans lost their jobs, It ultimately led to the Greenback Party. http://www.philadelphia-reflections.com/images/panic-button.jpg

Congress passes Specie Resumption Act

Jan 1, 1875

Some wanted to keep using "soft money" or greenbacks, while others wanted to go back to http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://hangrightpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/r-hayes-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hangrightpolitics.com/2007/10/28/the-americanpresidentspart19rutherfordhayes/&usg=__8mPHqpUjn7T7se69Bzz3ZomlRUM=&h=600&w=504&sz=112&hl=en&start=21&tbnid=PpNdvG2HYB5vtM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=113&prev=/images?q=Congress+passes+Specie+Resumption+Act&gbv=2&ndsp=20&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&start=20

"Whiskey Ring" scandal exposed

Jan 2, 1875

The "Whiskey Ring" scandal occured when federal officials worked with distillers to help undo the fraud that http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.harpweek.com/Images/SourceImages/CartoonOfTheDay/March/031876m.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.american-presidents.org/2007/10/whiskey-ring-scandal.html&usg=__X3KzJy6XXGgjUOyl8Eqsl8l7HIE=&h=480&w=460&sz=57&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=hnOKqQae8Qr6TM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=124&prev=/images?q=%22Whiskey+Ring%22+scandal+exposed&gbv=2&ndsp=20&hl=en&safe=active&sa=G

Disputed presidential election resolved in favor of Republican Hayes over Deomorat Tilden

Jan 1, 1876

In the beginning, the electoral commision was represented by 7 democrats, 7 republicans, and one independent party. The independent member resigned and his place was then filled by a republican. The houses were then uneven. http://www.teachersparadise.com/ency/en/media/b/bc/electoralcollege1876_large.png

Compromise of 1877 ends military intervention of the South and causes fall of the last Radical governments

Jan 1, 1877

The South was under the control of white democrats and the trauma of the war and Reconstruction demolished any ideas of competition with white Southerners. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://claver.gprep.org/fac/sjochs//end%20of%20reconstruction-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://americanpicturelinks.com/19rh.htm&usg=__oDXiNFH3tV6MFdLmQ-6I0X4aJGI=&h=986&w=572&sz=454&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=90OP72SW7tPz6M:&tbnh=149&tbnw=86&prev=/images?q=Compromise+of+1877+of+the+South&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active