1. POSC 104S Reconstruction and Black Disfranchisement

2. Reconstruction • 1860s Civil War erupts and concludes • 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments abolish slavery, invoke equal protection, mandate universal suffrage • Lincoln Assassinated and Andrew Johnson becomes president • Debate began over what to do with freed southern blacks • Republican Party sought to augment black political participation in the South, and disfranchise former rebels

3. Reconstruction • Andrew Johnson is actually a Southern Democrat from Tennessee and fairly quickly moves to put white aristocracy back in control in the South • U.S. General Grant and Secretary of State believe this threatens the U.S. Army, so secretly work with the Republican Congress • Republican Party in crisis over electoral coalition. • If Republicans do nothing, African Americans will effectively be placed back into slavery/indentured labor • White South will have even greater representation in Congress than before; Republicans will be out of power.

4. Reconstruction • “The reward of treason will be an increase representation in the House” – Illinois Republican Congressman • This sentiment was shared by Black political leaders • The perception among Republican leaders was that they stood to lose a great deal as a party: they created a new electoral coalition that anchored future success • Thus the main impetus behind Republican action for Reconstruction was electoral and political control

5. Reconstruction • Republicans pass a series of Reconstruction Acts and override President Johnson’s veto • The Tenure of Office Act • Command of Army Act • Supplementary Reconstruction Act • These acts resulted in Constitutional conventions, which passed laws that effectively franchised Blacks and disfranchised many former White confederate rebels • Black suffrage protected GOP’s future – something many northern Democrats had recognized as early as 1965

6. Reconstruction • About 703,000 adult male Blacks but only 627,000 adult male Whites were registered during military reconstruction • Black community played an important role in their own incorporation: • Black Soldiers: New found confidence to fight oppression • Church/Religion: Reverends and Pastors often became candidates • These social networks served as the basis of the Republican Party in the South, which otherwise was built from the ground up

7. Reconstruction

8. Reconstruction • Hayes-Tilden Presidential Election of 1876 is stalled • Huge debate, some states close to seceding again. • Compromise of 1877: • Hayes (Republican) wins election • Reconstruction military pulls out of South • Federal funding for rivers and harbors • This set off eventual redemption of all Southern states from carpetbaggers and Black Republicans

9. Reconstruction

10. Reconstruction

11. Disfranchisement • Now go into techniques, etc….