1.
Read the
introduction on pages 477-478 and list the problems faced by the nation after
the Civil War
After the Civil War, the nation faced many
unprecedented problems. First and foremost, what should be done with the newly
freed blacks? Should they be granted equal rights guaranteed by the federal
government or should they be left own their own. The whole Southern structure
was based on Slavery, and with it gone, how would the Southern culture and
structure evolve.
The second question was how to allow the Southern
states back to the Union. Were they to be added quickly or were they to be
treated as conquered territories. Who would have the power to decide the fate
of the Southern States- Congress or the President? And lastly, what should be
done with the confederate leaders. Should they be pardoned or disenfranchised
and charged with treason.
2.
Based on your
reading, why was Andrew Johnson impeached by members of his own party? What are some specific reasons? Why did the
Senate fail to get the 2/3 required for conviction?
Andrew Johnson was a stubborn, white supremacist who
became president after Lincoln’s assassination. During the Civil War he was the
only Southern Senator to remain loyal to the Union. He hated blacks, but he
also hated the Southern gentry. His reconstruction plans included providing
provisional state governors, having the states declare succession illegal,
ratify the 13th amendment. When the South created Black Codes,
Johnson did not stop them. He practically handed out special pardons allowing
the old confederate generals to take control of the government.
All of this was
done while Congress was out of session. Congress was furious on its return. It
formed its own reconstruction plan that was less forgiving towards the
former-confederates and more helpful towards the newly freed blacks. President
Johnson tried all in his power to stop the plan. He went on his “Swing Around
the Circle”, going around the country campaigning against congressional
reconstruction plan. The campaign completely failed. Now the Congress was
filled with Republicans who hated Johnson. But Johnson continued to antagonism
Congress by removing Cabinet members who were supportive of the Republicans. He
finally crossed the line when he tried to fire Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. The
House of Representatives impeached for the violation of the Tenure of Office Act. However the impeachment did not pass by one vote
in the Senate. The senators did not want to set the precedent of impeaching a
president just because Congress did not like him. That would upset the balance
of powers. So Johnson was not impeached.
3.
What was the
Freedman’s Bureau? What were some of the
jobs available? Why did Johnson veto
it? What black institutions organized to
assist the Freedmen?
The
Freedman’s Bureau was established in 1865 to offer assistance to former slaves
and protect their new citizenship. It provided emergency food, housing, medical
supplies to the freed blacks. It promised “40 acres & a mule”. They also
told the Africans to show them the labor contracts before signing on with
landlords. They also created new schools. It could run special military courts
to settle labor disputes and could invalidate labor contracts forced on freedmen
by the black codes.
4.
Why did the
Republicans abandon the South in the 1870’s?
Give an example of the Supreme Court’s support for this abandonment of
Reconstruction.
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