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Freedman's Bureau
The Freedman's Bureau was a group that helped supply freed slaves and poor whites with food, clothing, fuel, and finding the locations of their families. They opened 4,000 schools that allowed blacks to attend even though many blacks were being denied education. -
Lincoln Assassinated
Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth who was a strong believer in the confederacy. He was shot at Ford's Theater which Booth performed at frequently. -
Civil War Ends
The war started when the Confederates bombed the Union at Fort Sumter in the year of 1861. It ended in 1865 when General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, -
13th Amendment Ratified
The 13th Amendment made slavery illegal throughout the United States. Many southern states didn’t want to accept it because they didn’t want to give up their slaves. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
This Act gave all African Americans the same rights as a white person. All citizens were equally protected under the law. African Americans could not be discriminated against because of race. -
Memphis Race Riots
The riots in Memphis lasted for 3 days. There was a series of violent events from white mobs against reconstruction. The violent event consisted of killing, rape, and robbing many African Americans. There was a couple of white people that died also due to there support of reconstruction. The white mobs also burned down many homes, schools and churches. -
1st Reconstruction Act
During the first act of reconstruction southern states began readmitting in the Union.This act divided the south except for the state of Tennessee into five military districts. The fourteenth amendment was ratified with the first Reconstruction act. -
2nd Reconstruction Act
This act established that it was the military commanders job to register voters and hold elections. This act required every voter to recite an oath saying that they support the constitution. Southern officers who gained their title before the civil war were stripper of their office because the didn't take the oath. African Americans began holding political titles during this time. -
3rd Reconstruction Act
This act gave power to the five Union general overseeing reconstruction in the south. These generals could remove any official if they felt as if they were messing up the reconstruction process. Southerners felt as if the North was just imposing on the former confederacy. This act also requires new constitutions with equality for blacks. -
New Orleans Race Riots
White republicans and African Americans were upset by the enforcement of Black Codes taken place in the south they gathered to talk about it. During the gathering they were attacked by confederates. Instead of the police defusing the situation they joined in on the confederates side afraid that they were losing control of the south. The republicans and African Americans were waving white flags in hopes of being able to surrender was ignored. Federal troops had to be called in to end the riot. -
4th Reconstruction Act
This act clarifies the second reconstruction act that a majority of voters can ratify state constitutions. This act also approves holding congress and state official elections at the same time as the vote to approve the state constitution. -
14th Amendment Ratified
The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to any person born or naturalized in the United States. This gave freed slaves equal protection under the law. All states except for Tennessee refused to ratify this Amendment. -
Grant Elected President
Before Grant was elected president he led the Union Army. When he was inaugurated he became the 18th president of the United States. He represented the Republican Party and took over majority of the reconstruction era. He served a s president until 1877. -
15th Amendment Ratified
The 15th Amendment allowed African Americans to vote. No person could be denied the right to vote because of race or previous conditions. -
1st Black Senator Elected
The first black senator elected was Hiram Revels. He represented the state of Mississippi during the reconstruction period. -
1st Black Governor Elected
The first black governor elected was P.B.S. Pinchback. He served in the state of Louisiana. He a former slave but he was also a Union Army officer. -
Civil Rights Act of 1875
The civil rights act of 1875 was a response from congress due to the violation against African Americans rights. This act guaranteed equal treatment and full citizenship to all African Americans. -
Compromise of 1876
The compromise was a way of ending the dispute after the presidential election as the democrats didn’t believe that the lost the election they thought they were being cheated. The only way the dispute would end was if the Hayes pulled the troops out of the south and let the south do as they pleased. This was the end of reconstruction as the white supremacist gained control over the south once again and the African Americans were left to deal with everything on their own. -
End of Reconstruction
The Compromise of 1877 began the end of reconstruction. White democrats took over politics. When Hayes became president he withdrew federal troops from the south leaving African Americans to fend for themselves. The civil rights that African Americans were promised during reconstruction fell under white rule in the south.
