U.S. History / Unit 4: Sectionalism, Civil War and Reconstruction
4.5 Reconstruction
Notes
Reconstruction (1865 to 1877) was the effort to rebuild the South and define freedom for nearly 4 million freed people.
- Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan was lenient. Andrew Johnson pardoned many Confederates and let Southern states pass Black Codes that restricted freed people.
- Radical Republicans in Congress wanted to protect freed people's rights and passed Congressional (Radical) Reconstruction, placing the South under military districts.
- The House impeached Johnson in 1868; the Senate fell one vote short of removing him.
- The Freedmen's Bureau provided food, schools and legal help.
| Amendment | Year | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 13th | 1865 | abolished slavery |
| 14th | 1868 | citizenship for all born in the U.S.; equal protection and due process |
| 15th | 1870 | voting cannot be denied based on race |
- Black men voted and held office; more than a dozen served in Congress, including Senator Hiram Revels.
Practice
Which amendment made all people born in the United States citizens and guaranteed equal protection of the laws?
The 14th Amendment (1868) overturned the Dred Scott ruling on citizenship.
Black Codes passed in Southern states after the Civil War were designed to:
They limited where freed people could work, live and travel.
Radical Republicans in Congress differed from President Andrew Johnson because they:
They passed civil rights laws and the 14th Amendment over Johnson's opposition.
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