Impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction on Georgia.
After the Civil War, the thousands of freedmen (former slaves) faced even more challenges. They were now homeless and had little more than the clothes they were wearing. Many went from place to place looking for food, shelter, and work.
Others searched for spouses, children, and others who had been sold away from them during slavery. Some traveled just because they now had the freedom to do so.
Others searched for spouses, children, and others who had been sold away from them during slavery. Some traveled just because they now had the freedom to do so.
Freedmen’s Bureau
In an effort to help the freedmen, the U.S. government established the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands in March 1865 which later became known as the Freedmen’s Bureau. The Bureau was responsible for:
1.Supervise and manage all abandoned lands and "all subjects relating to refugees and freedmen from rebel states"
2.Issue provisions, clothing, fuel, and shelter for destitute refugees and freedmen
3.The authority to set apart abandoned or confiscated lands for use by freedmen and refugees with the possibility of purchase of such land after 3 years.
1.Supervise and manage all abandoned lands and "all subjects relating to refugees and freedmen from rebel states"
2.Issue provisions, clothing, fuel, and shelter for destitute refugees and freedmen
3.The authority to set apart abandoned or confiscated lands for use by freedmen and refugees with the possibility of purchase of such land after 3 years.
Share Cropping
After the war, land owners needed workers to work their land. Former slaves and landless whites needed jobs.
Landowners provided land, house, farming tools, animals, seeds, and fertilizer,everything needed to farm except labor. Workers agreed to give the owner a share of harvest.
Landowners provided land, house, farming tools, animals, seeds, and fertilizer,everything needed to farm except labor. Workers agreed to give the owner a share of harvest.
Tenant Farming
Similar to sharecropping, but tenants usually owned some equipment and farm animals.
They also bought their own seed and fertilizer.
Paid back set amount of money or share of crop and the end of the season.
Tenants usually make some profit.
They also bought their own seed and fertilizer.
Paid back set amount of money or share of crop and the end of the season.
Tenants usually make some profit.
Reconstruction Plans
Abraham Lincoln had thought about the process of restoring the Union from the earliest days of the war. His guiding principles were to accomplish the task as rapidly as possible and ignore calls for punishing the South.
Congress and many Northerners opposed Lincoln’s plan…thought the South should be punished.
Congress passed Wade-Davis Bill as their own plan for reconstruction.
1. A state must have a majority within its borders take the oath of loyalty
2. A state must formally abolish slavery
3. No Confederate officials could participate in the new governments.
After the Civil War, 3 amendments were passed and ratified to ensure the rights of the former slaves.
They are sometimes called the Reconstruction Amendments.
13th Amendment
Officially abolished slavery. It was passed by Congress in January 1865 and submitted to the states for ratification (approval/acceptance and implementation). President Johnson made ratification of the amendment a requirement for the southern states to rejoin the Union.
It abolished slavery, but it did not abolish discrimination. By 1865, most of the Southern states, including Georgia, had passed a number of laws known as Black Codes, which were designed to restrict the rights of freedmen.
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment was in response to the Black Codes. It granted citizenship to the freedmen and forbade any state from denying anyone the “equal protection of the law.”
15th Amendment
Granted all male citizens the right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Women still could not vote.
Voting age was 21.
Congress and many Northerners opposed Lincoln’s plan…thought the South should be punished.
Congress passed Wade-Davis Bill as their own plan for reconstruction.
1. A state must have a majority within its borders take the oath of loyalty
2. A state must formally abolish slavery
3. No Confederate officials could participate in the new governments.
After the Civil War, 3 amendments were passed and ratified to ensure the rights of the former slaves.
They are sometimes called the Reconstruction Amendments.
13th Amendment
Officially abolished slavery. It was passed by Congress in January 1865 and submitted to the states for ratification (approval/acceptance and implementation). President Johnson made ratification of the amendment a requirement for the southern states to rejoin the Union.
It abolished slavery, but it did not abolish discrimination. By 1865, most of the Southern states, including Georgia, had passed a number of laws known as Black Codes, which were designed to restrict the rights of freedmen.
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment was in response to the Black Codes. It granted citizenship to the freedmen and forbade any state from denying anyone the “equal protection of the law.”
15th Amendment
Granted all male citizens the right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Women still could not vote.
Voting age was 21.
Henry McNeal and the Black Legislators
In 1867, African Americans voted for the first time in Georgia electing 29 African Americans to the Georgia House of Representatives and 3 to the Georgia Senate, Henry McNeal was one of them.
All of these men were expelled on the grounds that although the Constitution had given them the right to vote, it did not specifically give them the right to hold office.
All of these men were expelled on the grounds that although the Constitution had given them the right to vote, it did not specifically give them the right to hold office.
Klu Klux Klan
The Klan was one of several secret organizations to keep freedmen from exercising their new rights.
Began in Pulaski, Tennessee as a social club for returning soldiers, but changed into a force of terror.
Members dressed in robes and hoods so no one would recognize them.
They terrorized and intimated African Americans to keep them from voting hoping to return control of the state to the Democrats.
nNumerous reports of beatings, whippings, and murder.
Began in Pulaski, Tennessee as a social club for returning soldiers, but changed into a force of terror.
Members dressed in robes and hoods so no one would recognize them.
They terrorized and intimated African Americans to keep them from voting hoping to return control of the state to the Democrats.
nNumerous reports of beatings, whippings, and murder.