1. The main goals of the reconstruction of the South were to readmit the southern states to the Union, rebuild the South's economy, and promote the rights of former slaves. This included ensuring the loyalty of the southern states to the federal government, guaranteeing freedmen's rights, and providing support and assistance to both black and white refugees in the South.
2. Andrew Johnson's relationship with Congress during the Reconstruction era was contentious and marked by conflict. Johnson sought to restore the political status of the southern states quickly and did not support granting African Americans the right to vote. He also vetoed legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 that sought to protect freedmen's rights. Congress, on the other hand, passed laws like the Fourteenth Amendment and the Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 to safeguard the rights of freedmen and set requirements for states to rejoin the Union. The power struggle between Congress and the President ultimately led to Johnson's impeachment in 1868, though he was not removed from office.
During the era of Reconstruction (1865-1877), the federal government struggled with how to return the southern states to the Union, rebuild the South's ruined economy, and promote the rights of former slaves. Some argued that states should be allowed to rejoin the Union quickly with few conditions. But many claimed that the defeated states should first satisfy certain stipulations, such as swearing loyalty to the federal government and adopting state constitutions that guaranteed freedmen's rights.
President Lincoln wanted to readmit southern states as soon as ten percent of a state's voters took a loyalty oath to the Union.
"Radical Republicans" in Congress opposed this plan, insisting that the Confederates had committed crimes. Congress passed the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864. It required a majority of a state's prewar voters to swear loyalty before the state could be readmitted, and it demanded full equality for African Americans. Lincoln killed the bill with a "pocket veto." However, he supported the Freedmen's Bureau. Its goal was to provide food, clothing, healthcare, and education for both black and white refugees in the South.
Lincoln's assassination in April 1865 thrust his Vice President, Andrew Johnson, into the presidency. Johnson wanted to restore the political status of the southern states as quickly as possible. He did not want African Americans to have the vote and had little sympathy for their plight. All the southern states instituted black codes, laws that limited the rights of African Americans. When Congress sought to overturn them by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1866, Johnson vetoed it.
Violence against African Americans in the South increased. To protect freedmen's rights, Congress passed the Fourteenth
Amendment, which guaranteed equality under the law for all citi-
zens. The Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 divided the South into five military districts and set requirements for states to reenter the Union. A power struggle between Congress and the President con-tinued. The House of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson in
1865. He escaped being, removed from office by one vote. In 1869, the Fifteenth Amendment was passed. It forbids any state from denying suffrage on the grounds of race or color.
Review Questions
1. What were the main goals of the reconstruction of the South
2: discuss Johnson’s relationship with congress.
9 answers
Can you write them in shorter sentences
1. The goals of Reconstruction in the South were to readmit states to the Union, rebuild the economy, and protect freedmen's rights.
2. Andrew Johnson clashed with Congress over how to handle Reconstruction, as he opposed giving African Americans the right to vote and vetoed legislation protecting their rights.
2. Andrew Johnson clashed with Congress over how to handle Reconstruction, as he opposed giving African Americans the right to vote and vetoed legislation protecting their rights.
Reading check: what was the goal of the freedmen’s bureau
The goal of the Freedmen's Bureau was to provide food, clothing, healthcare, and education for both black and white refugees in the South following the Civil War.
Vocabulary strategy: what does the word stipulations mean in the underlined sentence? Circle the word below that is a synonym for stipulations.
• requirements
• tests
• requirements
• tests
The word "stipulations" in the sentence refers to certain conditions or terms that must be met. A synonym for stipulations is "requirements."
Reading skills: identify main ideas: what did congress do to Protect the right or African Americans?
Congress passed laws such as the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 to protect the rights of African Americans during Reconstruction. They also passed the Military Reconstruction Act of 1867, which set requirements for states to rejoin the Union and safeguard freedmen's rights.