civil war and reconstruction

• who was the American Civil war between?

  the Union and Confederates (the seven southern states that seceded from the Union - left)
• reasons for civil war: different economies

  south - depended upon cotton exports

  north - industry and agriculture -> became wealthier than south

  1804 - all northern states became free, caused greater division between free north and slave south.
• reasons for civil war: population differences

  south - 4 million

  north - 8 million -> greater political power as more representatives
• reasons for civil war: westward expansion

  south - slavery became so dependable they believed life would collapse without it.

  north - westward expansion continued and northern states wanted to use the west for economic developed, caused tension between north and south (stopped by Missouri Compromise - 1820)
• reasons for civil war: abolitionists

  abolitionists wanted slaves to be freed, began as something slow yet turned radical in 1830 - founded American Anti-Slavery Association in 1833. North worried ending slavery would affect their business and South saw it as an attack on their way of life - books were written which opened the eyes of the North to the truth of life in the south (Uncle Tom's Cabin)
• reasons for civil war: Kansas-Nebraska Act

  ended Missouri Compromise and allowed settlers to vote on whether they become slave / free states. Made Northerners angry - Republican party began yet South supported the Democrats (increased tension).
• reasons for civil war: Abraham Lincoln's election

  1860 - Lincoln elected

  He wanted to prevent future spread of slavery but not touch where it existed currently.

  His election triggered secession of 7 southern states (began the Confederate States of America under Jefferson Davis)

  Lincoln refused but they believed they had the right to secede, Lincoln refused to remove troops from South Carolina - south attacked first
• When did the civil war begin?

  April 1861 - by August, 11 southern states had seceded from the Union
• treatment of African Americans in Union Army:

  Emancipation Proclimation gave escaped African Americans the right to fight in the Union army against the south.

  -served in segregated regiments

  -paid less

  -seen as less skilled
• how were slaves treated in the south during the civil war?

  -discipline on plantations relaxed -> began working slower and break rules

  -forced to work for Confederate war effort against the Union

  -Confederates unwilling to arm slaves in fear or rebellion (only accepted as troops in 1865 when south close to losing)
• when did the civil war end and its impact on slaves?

  1865 - 4 million slaves freed

  13th amendment introduced - abolished slavery for good yet did not give them equal rights

  Freedman's Bureau set up 1865, aiding slaves with food and shelter yet closed 7 years later due to lack of funding from political restriction
• who became President after Lincoln was assassinated?

  Andrew Johnson - Democrat -> pro-slavery but against secession
• what did Johnson do as President?

  -returned land to original owners -> African Americans forced to sharecrop (rent land) from white people

  -black codes created, limiting freedom on African Americans

  -rejected Civil Rights Act which would have given ex-slaves equal rights to white settlers
• what was the 14th Amendment?

  gave citizenship to males born in US regardless of race - Johnson tried to oppose this as it also gave black people same protection by the government as white people
• who took over Reconstruction and what was it?

  Reconstruction = rebuild of society following Civil war - Radical Republicans took it over from Johnson
• impact of Radical Reconstruction?

  pros:

  -15th amendment passed - gave equal rights to black people, could not be refused anything in society because of their race anymore.

  -freed slaves in the south were protected by government troops and gave them right to vote

  -re-admitted seceded states into the Union

  -government made it illegal to use terror against black people - ended the KKK
• when did reconstruction end and why?

  1877 - political support for it had weakened as USA faced economic depression in 1874, Republicans had lost control over the Democrats in the south and eventually gave them control of the South.