Reconstruction
Rebuilding America After the Civil War
(1865-1877)
War Ends
Reconstruction Ends
Learning Goal: We will explore how America worked to rebuild and create a more just society after the Civil War.
What is Reconstruction?
What needed rebuilding?
The Civil War Ends - April 1865
War Ends
President Shot
New President
Key Word: Assassinate
Why This Mattered: Lincoln's death changed Reconstruction plans. He had wanted to bring the country together peacefully. The new president had different ideas about how to move forward.
Challenges to Address
Physical Damage
Cities, farms, and railroads needed repair
Economic Challenges
Many people had lost their jobs and savings
Social Changes
4 million people were newly free from enslavement
Political Questions
How should the nation reunite and move forward?
Key Word: Freedpeople
4 Million People Gained Freedom
Sought Education
Built Communities
Started Businesses
Important: Freedpeople showed great strength and determination as they built new lives and communities.
The Freedmen's Bureau (1865-1872)
What did the Bureau do?
Built Schools
Provided Food
Helped Find Jobs
Resolved Conflicts
Two Different Approaches to Reconstruction
Presidential Approach
Led by: President Johnson
Focus: Quick reunion of the nation
- Faster readmission process
- Fewer requirements for states
- Less federal oversight
Reconciliation Approach
Congressional Approach
Led by: Congress
Focus: Protecting rights of formerly enslaved people
- Stricter requirements for readmission
- Strong federal protection of rights
- Federal oversight of changes
Justice Approach
Key Word: Radical Republicans
Important Congressional Leaders:
Thaddeus Stevens
House of Representatives
Charles Sumner
Senate
The Black Codes (1865-1866)
What did Black Codes limit?
Housing choices
Job opportunities
Voting access
Freedom of movement
The Reconstruction Amendments
Three amendments were added to the Constitution to protect the rights of all Americans:
13th Amendment (1865)
Ended slavery throughout the United States
14th Amendment (1868)
Guaranteed citizenship and equal protection under law
15th Amendment (1870)
Protected voting rights regardless of race or previous enslavement
Important: These amendments established fundamental rights that are still protected today.
Key Word: Amendment
Fun Fact:
It's difficult to change the Constitution! You need approval from three-fourths of all the states.
Learning Check
Write down the three Reconstruction amendments in your notebook. Next to each one, write what it accomplished.
Military Reconstruction (1867)
5 Military Districts
Each district overseen by a U.S. Army commander
Goals of Military Reconstruction:
- Ensure new laws were followed fairly
- Protect people's rights and safety
- Help states write new constitutions
- Oversee the process of states rejoining the Union
African Americans in Government
For the first time, African Americans could vote and hold political office!
Historic Achievements:
Hiram Revels
First African American U.S. Senator (1870)
Joseph Rainey
First African American in House of Representatives (1870)
African Americans served in state and local governments
Resistance to Change
Some people opposed the changes happening during Reconstruction.
How they tried to stop progress:
Prevented voting
Attacked schools
Targeted churches
Intimidated leaders
Response: Congress passed laws to stop this violence, including the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, which made it a federal crime to deny people their rights.
New Economic System: Sharecropping
How Sharecropping Worked:
Landowner provides
Land + Tools + Seeds
Farmer provides
Labor
Crops shared
between them
Complex System: While sharecropping gave people work, it often kept families in debt and poverty. Many historians see it as a system that limited economic freedom.
The End of Reconstruction (1877)
Disputed Election
Political Deal
Federal Oversight Ends
The Agreement
Republicans keep
Presidency
Democrats regain
control of former
Confederate states
After Reconstruction: Jim Crow Laws
What segregation looked like:
Separate Signs
Separate Schools
Separate Seating
Separate Facilities
Critical Point: These laws claimed facilities were "separate but equal," but they were never truly equal. This system lasted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Key Word: Segregation
Understanding Segregation
School A
(Well-funded)
School B
(Under-funded)
"Separate but Equal" was not actually equal
Partner Discussion
Work with a partner to explain segregation using your own words. Discuss why this system was unfair and how it affected communities.
Evaluating Reconstruction's Impact
Reconstruction brought important changes, but also faced significant challenges:
✅ Important Achievements
- Ended slavery permanently
- Established citizenship rights
- Protected voting rights in the Constitution
- Built schools and infrastructure
- Created foundations for future civil rights movements
- Demonstrated federal power to protect rights
❌ Ongoing Challenges
- Rights were not fully protected when federal oversight ended
- Economic inequality continued
- Violence and intimidation persisted
- Segregation became legally enforced
- Women's voting rights were not addressed
- Many gains were reversed after 1877
Understanding this complexity helps us learn from history.
Reconstruction Timeline Review
Demonstrate Your Learning!
Choose Your Assessment Format
Select ONE way to show what you've learned about Reconstruction:
Option A: Visual Timeline
Create an illustrated timeline showing key Reconstruction events
Option B: Historical Perspective
Write from the viewpoint of someone who lived during this period
Option C: Change Analysis
Analyze what changed and what stayed the same during Reconstruction
Vocabulary Terms to Include:
Reconstruction, freedpeople, amendment, segregation, sharecropping, Black Codes, Jim Crow Laws, Freedmen's Bureau, Radical Republicans
Making Connections
Thoughtful Discussion Questions
- What do you think were the most important achievements of Reconstruction?
- How do the lessons of Reconstruction help us understand the importance of protecting rights today?
- What can we learn from this period about creating positive change in society?
Connecting Past and Present
Think about how communities today work to ensure equality and justice. What similarities and differences do you see between then and now?
Learning from History to Build a Better Future
Excellent Work Learning About Reconstruction!
You Now Understand:
- The goals and challenges of Reconstruction
- How people worked to build a more just society
- Why protecting rights requires ongoing effort
- Important vocabulary for understanding this historical period