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Reonstruction Begins.
People had to build a new society not based on slavery. -
Rebuilding brings conflict.
The southern states passed laws, known as black codes, which limited the freedom of former slaves. -
The Civil Rights Act
Congress passed a bill promoting civil rights those rights granted to all citizens,. The act declared that all persons born in the United States (except Native American) were citizens. -
The Fourteenth Amendment
Republicans were not satisfied with passing laws that ensured equal rights. They wanted equality to be protected by the Constitution itself. So congress proposed the Fourteenth Amendment. It stated that all people born in the United States were citizens and had the same rights. -
Johnson Is Impeached
President Johnson fought against many of Congress's reform efforts during Radical Reconstruction. President Johnson was impeached by one single vote. -
The New Southern Governments
Southern voters chose delegates to draft their new state constitutions. Three fourths of the delegates were Republicans. -
Reconstruction Ends.
The final blow to Reconstruction came with the 1876 presidential election, and Hayes became president.
