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Freedmen's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau was founded to provide support to poor whites and blacks in the south, after the civil war. It dispersed food clothes and medicine, and would help in the relocation efforts. -
Civil War Ends
The end of the civil war was marked when General E. Lee handed his Sword over to Ulysses S. Grant. The end allowed for the federal government to push anti-slavery laws to the south. Even with this effort slavery and strong anti-black sentiments still lived in the south. -
Lincoln Assassinated
Lincoln was shot fatally by John Wilkes Booth at Ford Theater. John Wilkes Booth was captured and later recounted for saying after Lincolns victory speech: "Now, by God, I'll put him through. That is the last speech he'll ever make". The assassination of Lincoln weakened the republican party's government control and allowed a radical democrat, Andrew Johnson, to become president. -
13th Amendment Ratified
The ratification 13th Amendment freed all the slaves in the southern states that succeeded before the civil war freeing 3.5 million former slaves. Slavery within the border states still persisted and no black men had the right to vote. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 did something similar to the 15th amendment by granting all persons born in the U.S full citizenship. This was originally vetoed by Andrew Johnson, but was still passed by congress. -
Memphis Race Riots
from may 1st to 3rd, racial, political, and social tensions turned into race riots 46 black men and women were killed, and 75 were injured. Every black school and church was burned down. This event strengthened Radical Republicans motivation in congress. -
New Orleans Race Riots
The New Orleans Race Riots was a clash between white Democrats and mostly black Republicans who were parading outside the Mechanics Institute. over half of the Republicans were white Confederates and nearly half the blacks were Union army Veterans. -
1st Reconstruction act
The 1st reconstruction act readmitted the southern states under a certain set of conditions. It gave the southern leaders and ultimatum to join the union by abolishing slavery -
2nd Reconstruction act
This act allowed the Union army generals who governed territories to also govern elections and grant voting rights to southern citizens. This answered many of the questions of leadership the south had over the reconstruction period. -
3rd Reconstruction act
The 3rd Reconstruction act gave supreme power to the 5 Union generals who controlled the southern territories. This applied to all besides Tennessee as it was never occupied -
4th Reconstruction act
This act granted citizenship to black people in the south. It granted the right to vote and to a fair trial. -
14th Amendment Ratified
The 14th amendment Granted full citizenship people "born or naturalized" in the United States. All states accepted the amendment besides Tennessee. It overturned the decision made, in the Dredd Scott case, that deemed slaves property and granted full guarantee of due process in court. -
Grant Elected President
Ulysses S. Grant, famed Union Army General was elected president against Horatio Seymour. His two term presidency is often weighed as one of the weakest of all. His lack of conviction towards a mostly Democratic government made him quite ineffective. -
15th Amendment Ratified
The 15th amendment disallowed the restriction to vote based on race, color, or condition of servitude. Contrary to what it says, it only truly granted the right to vote for blacks in the south. The population in the south's biggest cities doubled within the next 5 years. -
1st Black Senator Elected
Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first black senator to be seated. Elected by the Mississippi state legislature, Hiram served for just a year before resigning to become president of a historically black college, the Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College -
1st Black Governor Elected
Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback was a famous Union Army officer and publisher. He was elected governor of Louisiana for only a couple months before leaving office. -
Civil Rights Act of 1875
The Civil rights act was know as the "Enforcement Act" and, as the last major reconstruction act to support blacks. The act granted fair use of public transportation, and accommodations. Along with equal service of juries. It was ultimately declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. -
Compromise of 1876
An unwritten deal, The compromise declared that Hayes would win the presidency if Union troops were moved from the south.Formally ending the reconstruction era. -
Reconstruction ends
The end of reconstruction was unofficial. It occurred with the compromise that gave over the election to the republicans if, when elected, the union troops would be pulled out of the south. Ending the protection and service the federal army were dong for the black people.
