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Creation of Freedman's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau was designed to help millions of former slaves and poor whites in the South. The organization provided food, housing, and medical aid. It also attempted to place displaced slaves onto land that was abandoned during the war. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. This left his vice president, Andrew Johnson in charge of the country. When Lincoln died, all of his dreams for reconstruction died with his, as President Johnson did not seek after freedom for all peoples. (Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UqcitsiY4o) -
Presidential (Radical) Reconstruction
Under President Johnson, the Presidential Reconstruction plan was announced. He believed that the South could choose its best plan of action for themselves, and that African Americans were unable to manage themselves. He also gave pardon to all wrong-doings of the South and gave back their land that was lost after the war. This era also took away many new rights given to African Americans -
Ratification of 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment made slavery illegal in the United States. This legally gave African Americans equal rights as whites. The amendment reads “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” -
Tennessee Readmitted Into Union
Tennessee was the first states to become readmitted into the Union. By being readmitted, the state was required to follow the constitution and the new amendments that relate to the equal opportunities of African Americans. -
Riot Outbreak in Tennessee
The riot took place in Memphis, Tennessee. White people began attacking African Americans. The result of the riot were the mass murder of 40 African Americans and the burning of many black churches. -
New Orlean's Race Riot
The black codes were the cause of this race riot. Many whites did not believe that African Americans should have the right to vote. Former confederate soldiers along with Louisiana police began attacking African Americans. This resulted in the killing of 34 African Americans -
Creation of Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan was created by Confederate Veterans in Tennessee. This organization was created in order to deteriorate African American's rights. It also served as a terrorism group, scaring African Americans by physical assaulting them and murdering them -
Reconstruction Act of 1867
This act forced the South to ratify the 14th amendment, which granted former slaves equal protection under the law. This Gave African Americans equal rights and provided solace to them. The act states it serves as, "an act to provide for the more efficient government of the Rebel States". -
Railroad Industry Booms
The United States offered substantial funding for the railroad industry. After doing this, the industry did not provide enough profits to match the input into it This dried up the economy and caused debt. -
Fails of the Grant Administration
Grant allowed many corrupt people to be in charge of different parts of the South. Even though he advocated for the right to vote despite "race, color or previous condition of servitude," by putting corrupt people in charge, he essentially lost control of the South -
Jonathan Jasper Wright elected for South Carolina's Supreme Court
Jonathan Wright was a former slave that became free during the Reconstruction Period. He became a teacher and laborer among the free slaves in South Carolina. He later became the head of the Freedman;s Bureau. He was a symbol of economic opportunities for African Americans during the Reconstruction Period. -
Ratification of the 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment gave African Americans the right to vote. The amendment states, "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." -
Georgia Joins the Unites States
Georgia is the last state from the south to join the United States. This was the official reunion of the states to join the United States, as in 1868, the states was kicked out the United States from refusing to accept and live by the 15th amendment. -
Ku Klux Klan Act
The Ku Klux Klan Act was put into place in order to combat attacks against African American suffrage. The documents states, "Every person who under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution..." -
Demise of the Freedmen's Bureau
Congress dismantled Freedman's Bureau due to pressure from white southerners. With this came the demise of educational opportunities and jobs for African Americans. Also, They started to be treated poorly again, as if they were still slaves. -
Coinage Act of 1873
New silver deposits were being found in Nevada, so the silver industry in the west was beginning to grow. However, this economy did not return much profit. Farmers and silver miners worked together and advocated for the unlimited coinage of silver at a 16:1 ration to gold. Because so much silver was being discovered, the price dropped. -
Grant Reduces Domestic Money Supply
By reducing the money supply, inflation started occurring. With inflation, businesses started to go bankrupt. -
Colfax Massacre
Over 100 African Americans were killed in this mass murder. A group of white people get into a fight with the state militia. The militia was made up mostly of African Americans. The militia surrendered, but over 50 of the people killed during the fight were killed after the surrender. -
Jay Cooke and Company Fails
After the war, the company funded its investments through United States treasuries. In 1870, the Northern Pacific Railroad made the company its exclusive bond agent. Cooke had difficulty marketing and wound up owning 75% of the company, overextending his business. -
The Mississippi Plan
The Mississippi Plan was made in order to refranchise African Americans in the South. White federal troops would stand outside voting booths in order to scare away African Americans from voting. It also required African Americans to be able to read and write. -
Congress Passes Civil Rights Bill
This was the last bill of the Reconstruction era. This bill made segregation in public places illegal. While this bill was put into place to protect African American peoples, the bill was later overturned in 1883. -
Compromise of 1877
This compromise disputed the 1876 presidential election. After Rutherford Hayes was elected, the United States pulling the last troops out of the South, and formally ended the Reconstruction Era. -
Police Brutality Against African Americans
In recent years, police brutality has become an overwhelming concern. In 2016, 250 unarmed African Americans were killed by police officers. This is a lasting effect of reconstruction because, if reconstruction was successful, events like unlawful killings of African Americans might not be happening. (Video:https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-people-killed-by-police-america_us_577da633e4b0c590f7e7fb17) -
Ku Klux Klan is Still Alive
In 2017, there were 72 Ku Klux Klan groups located in the United States. The majority of them reside in what used to be the South of the United States. These groups perform violent acts against African Americans and worship white supremacy. (Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ckGLkZBXU)
