Congressional Reconstruction
In 1865, Republicans were angered with how the Southern states began to represent themselves in Congress with former Confederate generals and colonels. They were fearful about taking back their Confederate enemies in Congress because they were the only ones who had the supreme rule in Congress during the Civil War, but with the Southern states coming in they would go against an opposing party. The South would gained more representatives, which meant more control because slaves began to be counted as a whole person, and not just 3/5s of it, which made the South have a larger population. Republicans turned away from the newly-elected Southern delegates, but that all changed when President Johnson had said that the South was part of the Union again.
Black Codes also emerged which restored the system of race relations before the emancipation. They were meant to mocked the idea of freedom for the freedmen and created hardships for them as well. They were trying to get accustomed to the changes and were struggling against the mistreatment they were receiving and the poverty they had as free people. The codes forbade them to serve on a jury or to vote, which gave no equality and citizenship to them whatsoever.
Black Codes also emerged which restored the system of race relations before the emancipation. They were meant to mocked the idea of freedom for the freedmen and created hardships for them as well. They were trying to get accustomed to the changes and were struggling against the mistreatment they were receiving and the poverty they had as free people. The codes forbade them to serve on a jury or to vote, which gave no equality and citizenship to them whatsoever.
New Amendments
Right after the war, new amendments were passed, they were meant to be for the newly freed blacks.
13th Amendment: Emancipated blacks/Freed the slaves legally or formally. It was passed right after the North had won for their strong caused of abolishing the entire slavery act. It impacted the blacks greatly as they formally gained their freedom to start living for themselves and not following orders from anyone else. Plantation owners no longer had the amount of laborers they had desired to work on their crop fields and gained the profits.
14th Amendment: Gave civil rights and citizenship to the freedmen. It was passed in 1866 by the Congress in order to go against the Black Codes and President Johnson. This impacted a state's representation in Congress and the Electoral College because they would be reduced if they had denied blacks on the ballot. It also disqualified former Confederates, who were federal officeholders that had once sworn to support the Constitution of the US, from federal and state offices.
15th Amendment: Granted black men the right to vote. The moderate Republican goal in getting the freedmen to vote was to gain a lot of votes for the Southern states to get back into the Union, thus getting rid of the federal government's responsibility for the protection of black rights. This was another step in gaining the equality that the blacks desired and impacted more towards the freedmen's citizenship.
Although these amendments were a step further towards equality, but many feminists were angered by these because it gave rights to black males, but not to women, especially their right to vote.
13th Amendment: Emancipated blacks/Freed the slaves legally or formally. It was passed right after the North had won for their strong caused of abolishing the entire slavery act. It impacted the blacks greatly as they formally gained their freedom to start living for themselves and not following orders from anyone else. Plantation owners no longer had the amount of laborers they had desired to work on their crop fields and gained the profits.
14th Amendment: Gave civil rights and citizenship to the freedmen. It was passed in 1866 by the Congress in order to go against the Black Codes and President Johnson. This impacted a state's representation in Congress and the Electoral College because they would be reduced if they had denied blacks on the ballot. It also disqualified former Confederates, who were federal officeholders that had once sworn to support the Constitution of the US, from federal and state offices.
15th Amendment: Granted black men the right to vote. The moderate Republican goal in getting the freedmen to vote was to gain a lot of votes for the Southern states to get back into the Union, thus getting rid of the federal government's responsibility for the protection of black rights. This was another step in gaining the equality that the blacks desired and impacted more towards the freedmen's citizenship.
Although these amendments were a step further towards equality, but many feminists were angered by these because it gave rights to black males, but not to women, especially their right to vote.
Social Changes
There were many changes that happened right after the Civil War. For example, black communities arose from churches that contained their own ministers. Education became an opportunity for them due to the Emancipation Proclamation. They were able gained the privilege to learn how to read and write. They were aided by Northern white women from the American Missionary Association, who had volunteered to serve as their teachers, and the federal government.
The Freedmen's Bureau was able to provide the newly freedmen and white refugees clothing, medical care, food, as well as education to both. White Southerners now had to accept the fact that they were now equal to those who they thought was below them. Discrimination came about with the Invisible Empire of the South which was a group who had tried to intimidate and hurt the blacks. Sharecropping was another way to resume the social structure before the war, as many white southerners took advantage of the freedmen and poor whites to work on their plantations.
The Freedmen's Bureau was able to provide the newly freedmen and white refugees clothing, medical care, food, as well as education to both. White Southerners now had to accept the fact that they were now equal to those who they thought was below them. Discrimination came about with the Invisible Empire of the South which was a group who had tried to intimidate and hurt the blacks. Sharecropping was another way to resume the social structure before the war, as many white southerners took advantage of the freedmen and poor whites to work on their plantations.
Political Effects
After the 15th Amendment was passed, blacks began to organize politically. They became part of the Union League, which was a pro-Union organization. They had turned the league into political clubs and educated their members, and campaigned for Republican candidates. They had also helped out with their communities by recruiting militias in order to protect them from angry whites, and building black churches and schools. From 1866-2876, blacks became part of the government as they began to hold major offices, such as being senator or a congressman.
In the congressional elections of 1866, the ballots had gone to the Republicans. However, the Republicans had split up into radicals and moderates. Charles Sumner led the radical Republicans in the Senate for black freedom and racial equality, while Thaddeus Stevens led them in the House of Representatives. The moderate Republicans held the majority in Congress, and had preferred policies that held back the states from cutting citizens' rights, rather than have the federal government involved in an individual's life.
In the congressional elections of 1866, the ballots had gone to the Republicans. However, the Republicans had split up into radicals and moderates. Charles Sumner led the radical Republicans in the Senate for black freedom and racial equality, while Thaddeus Stevens led them in the House of Representatives. The moderate Republicans held the majority in Congress, and had preferred policies that held back the states from cutting citizens' rights, rather than have the federal government involved in an individual's life.
Economic impact
With the Black Codes having emerged, freedmen were forced to continue working on plantations to establish a stable and a submissive labor force. Sharecropping became quite popular as plantation owners rented out pieces of their land to the freedmen in order for them to make money, but the plantation owners had purposely made their rent higher than what the land had produced. They were force to work on the land until their contract of paying their debts to the plantation owners were finished. With the unfair contract and their inability to repay their debts, blacks began to run away from their contracts. The codes thus gave harsh penalties for those who had skipped out on their labor contracts. The South was still very much agricultural and many "carpetbaggers," or Northerners, had come down to the South to seek their share of power and profit by building their own businesses.
Reconstruction lost congressional support because many white Southerners felt that it was more of a painful process than the war itself. The Republican Party had wanted to protect the newly freed slaves and to advance the luck of their party. Despite their good intentions, the Old South was more resurrected than reconstructed as anti-black groups were formed. For example, The Ku Klux Klan was formed because white Southerners were angered by the success of black legislators. Not only that but with President Johnson vetoing anything that the Congress had tried to passed, it had caused more trouble for them as a whole. Radicals weren't able to impeach Johnson because of Senators fearing a poor precedent and opposition to abusing the checks and balances system, and so the party was stuck with his stubbornness and his decisions.
Election of 1876
The election of 1876 involved Samuel J. Tilden, a Democrat, and James G. Blaine, a Republican. The election results caused much tension as Tilden won the majority of the popular vote while Hayes ended up winning the electoral vote. In order to win, one of the candidates needed 185 electoral votes. Tilden had gained 184 votes while Hayes had 165. There were much dispute in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida as the Reconstruction Republican governments were still in charged. Congress ended up turning to Electoral Commission in order to solve the problem. The two parties came to an informal agreement, which was called the Compromise of 1877, which had persuaded the Democrats to accept the Commission's 8-7 vote, which had made Hayes the new president.