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Emancipation Proclamation
By the time 1862 all border states decided to join the Union, and the northern army had packed enough victories for Lincoln to have the power he needed to declare the Emancipation Proclamation. It called for the emancipation of all slaves, it did not free them all. It brought upon gradual emancipation of the slaves in the southern states. -
Wade-Davis Bill
Was ratified by congress as an expression of congressional reconstruction. It was designed the make the southerners pay for what they did. In contrast the Lincoln’s 10% plan, southern states who wished to be part of the Union again had to get 50% of their population to swear allegiance. -
Election of 1864
This was mainly an election between war democrats and peace democrats, those who wanted to stop the civil war and those who wanted to bring it even harder to the south. George McClellan ran against Lincoln because of a grudge he had after Lincoln let him go as a general. Lincoln won alongside his Vice President, Andrew Johnson, a southerner. -
Black Codes
These were laws designed to regulate emancipation and keep blacks as slaves. It required slaves to sign labor contract, not unlike slavery as it was before. Of honorable mention are the Jim Crow Laws, which segregated the south completely and criminalized being African American. -
13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments
The 13th(1865), 14th(1868), and 15th(1870) amendments were huge steps in equality of the races, and forced the south to treat African Americans differently. The 13th emancipated all slaves and banned slavery. The 14th named that anyone born in the United States is a free citizen and is entitled to all their inalienable rights. The 15th granted black men and all people of color the right to vote. -
The War Ends
There wasn’t a treaty ending the Civil War, but rather a formal agreement between Lee and Grant that the fighting will be discontinued. General Grant had managed to corner Lee and his dwindling confederate army at Appomattox, where Grant gave generous terms to Lee in return for his surrender. -
Lincoln’s Assassination
Lincoln was able to celebrate winning the war for just a week before he was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre. John Wilkes Booth lied his way into the play and managed to get to Lincoln at his balcony seat where he shot Lincoln in the head and escaped. The South actually celebrated at first, but soon realized that Lincoln would have treated them better than Congress did. Andrew Johnson became the new president. -
Reconstruction Act
This was a harsh act passed towards the south to hold them responsible for the war. The South was divided into 5 military districts, each controlled by a Union general. These generals were not nice to the southern people. Those who wish to be excluded from martial law had to pass and enforce the 14th amendment.
