-
Abraham Lincoln announces plans for reconstruction
Known as the Ten Percent Plan, Liclns plan propossed a pardon to any confederate who pledged alligence to Union and accepted the federal policy on slavery. It denied pardons to all Confederates who killed an African American war prisoners, etc. It was a decently fair plan that focused on getting the union back together without punishing the south. -
Wade-Davis Bill recieves pocket veto
The Wade-Davis Bill was a program proposed for the Reconstruction of the South written by two Radical Republicans. Unlike Lincoln's more lenient "Ten percent plan," the bill made re-admittance to the Union almost impossible. The bill passed both houses of Congress on July 2, 1864, but was vetoed by Lincoln and never took effect. -
Lincoln re-elected president
In the election of 1864, Licoln up for re-election with democrat from Tennessee, Andrew Johnson were up against democrat George McClellan. Licoln won due to the ending of the Civil War on November 8th. -
Formation of the Freedman's Bureau
Freedmen's Burea was a federal agency, formed to aid and protect the newly freed blacks in the South after the Civil War. Established by an act of Mar. 3, 1865, under the name "bureau of refugees, freedmen, and abandoned lands," it was to function for one year after the close of the war. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
The great president was assassinated on April 14th, 1865 at Ford theater while attending "Our American Cousin" with his wife. He was assassinated by John Wilks Booth who along with his conspirators believed they could kidnap Lincoln and exchange him for confederate prisoners of war or even end the war entirely. After failed attempts, Booth seized his opurtunity, firing close range with a shot to the head. he was captured in South Carolina two weeks later. -
Ratification of the Thirteenth Ammendment
The Thirteenth ammendment to the Constitution of the United States ended the instution of slavery forever. Ratified on December 6th, in 1865. -
Florida requires segregation in places of public accomodation
Following reconstruction, "Jim Crow" laws appeared throughout the south. In places like Florida, African Americans were no required to segregate from whites in public accomodations. Such as, different bathrooms, water fountains, seating section and much more. -
Civil Rights Act (1866) Enacted
United States federal law that was mainly intended to protect the civil rights of African-Americans, in the wake of the American Civil War. The Act was enacted by Congress but vetoed by President Andrew Johnson. In April 1866 Congress again passed the bill. Although Johnson again vetoed it, a two-thirds majority in each house overcame the veto and the bill became law. -
Ratification of Fourteenth Ammendment
The 14th ammendment provides citizenship for all people born/ nationalized in the United States. Also declares those residing in a state are thus citizens of that state. This made black codes unconstitutional, with equal protection clause. -
President Andrew Johnson announces plans for reconstruction
Johnson's plan offered pardons to Southerners who pledged alligence to the Union. It permitted each state to hold a constitutional convention. It required states to void succession, abolish slavery, and repudiate the Confederate debt. Alos, it allowed states to hold elections and rejoin the union. -
Black Codes created in Mississippi
The black codes were a series of laws passed by angry white men after the civil war and ratification of 13th and 14th ammendments. These laws restricted the rights of african americans, such as the right to live in town, buy property and run a business. -
Reconstruction Acts Enacted
The US Congress passed four statutes known as Reconstruction Acts. Fulfillment of the requirements of the Acts were necessary for the former Confederate States to be readmitted to the Union. -
President Andrew Johnson Impeached
Impeached by one vote, Andrew Johnson was removed from authority due to high crimes and misdemeanors. During his control Johnson gave pardons to thousands of guilty southerners. -
Ulysses S. Grant elected President
Late in the presidency of Andrew Johnson, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant quarreled with the president and aligned himself with the Radical Republicans. As the symbol of Union victory during the Civil War, he was their logical candidate for President in 1868. -
Radification of the Fifteenth Ammendment
This ammendment garunteed the right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of sertivitude. -
Hiram Revels elected to Senate
Revels was a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and a politician. He was the first person African American to serve in the United States Senate. He was elected by a vote of 81 to 15 and represented Mississippi in 1870 and 1871 during Reconstruction. -
Klu Klux Klan created
Due to outrage of African Americans new rights, whites joined the countries first true terrorist organization, the Klu Klux Klan. They covered themselves in long white robes and hoods, planting burning crosses in front of victims homes, dragging, harrassing, torturing and even murdering their victims. -
Klu Klux Klan Act Enacted
With passage of the Third Force Act, popularly known as the Ku Klux Act, Congress authorizesd President Ulysses S. Grant to declare martial law, and impose heavy penalties against terrorist organizations, and use military force to suppress the Ku Klux Klan. -
Freedman's Bureau Abolished
The Bureau was widely criticized for its promotion of the Republican vote. The Bureau was the least liked tool of Reconstruction and after only 7 years it was disbanded and all remaining business was handed over to the war department. On June 28th, the Secretary of War issued an order discontinuing the bureau, from June 30th 1872 onward the remaining actions would be carried out by the us army general -
Civil Rights Act (1875) passed
In 1875, congress made one last attempt to garuntee African American civil rights with the Civil Rights Act of 1875. This guarunteed everyone regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude the same treatment at public accomodations. -
Last National Troops leave South Carolina
With Hayes elected President, he agreed to remove the federal troops from South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana, thereby allowing the last southern states to be "redeemed" by Democrats. Republican leaders also agreed that southern railroad projects, such as the Texas Pacific, would get the same kind of government aid given to the Union Pacific. -
Rutherford B Hayes elected President
Elected in one of the most controversial elections in history, Hayes was the 19th President of the United States and he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution. -
"Jim Crow" enters the American cultural language
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws, enacted between 1876 and 1965. They mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in Southern states. The separation led to inferior conditions for African Americans and an increase in racism and unfair treatment. -
Civial Rights Act Overturned (1883)
The Acts were overturned after the 8-1 decision of the Court after several cases brought to the court. The Court decided that the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was unconstitutional. Neither the 13th nor the 14th amendment empowers the Congress to legislate in matters of racial discrimination in the private sector. -
Case of Plessey v. Ferguson
In 1890, Louisiana passed a law separating blacks and whites on railcars. The case is a landmark US Supreme Court decision, that upheld the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities under the doctrine of "separate but equal." The decision was handed down by a vote of 7 to 1.
