The FAILURE of RECONSTRUCTION [APUSH Review Unit 5 Topic 11] Period 5: 1844-1877

Summary

The video script from Heimler’s History delves into the failure of Reconstruction post-Civil War in the United States. It highlights two main points: the minimal societal and economic changes in the South and the reasons for Reconstruction's official end. Despite the abolition of slavery, the South adopted exploitative systems like sharecropping and the Black Codes, which perpetuated racial inequality and servitude. The Ku Klux Klan's rise and the Compromise of 1877, which led to the removal of federal troops from the South, further exacerbated the situation for African Americans. The video concludes by emphasizing the bleak outcome for the black population in the South after the end of Reconstruction.

Takeaways

• 📚 The post-Civil War Reconstruction process failed to bring about significant changes to Southern society and economy.
• 🏫 Freed black people in the South established schools and colleges to gain independence from white control.
• 🏛 Some black men were elected to representative offices, indicating a degree of political participation post-emancipation.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 The Freedmen’s Bureau was set up by Congress to reunite families separated by slavery and provide education and social welfare.
• 📜 Despite progress, the white population in the South created conditions akin to pre-war slavery and segregation.
• 👩‍🌾 The sharecropping system emerged as a new form of labor exploitation, replacing slavery after its abolition.
• 🏛️ The Ku Klux Klan was formed to terrorize black people and enforce white supremacy through violence and intimidation.
• 🚫 Black Codes were laws that further restricted the freedoms of black people, including prohibitions on land ownership, testifying in court, and enforced segregation.
• 🤝 The Compromise of 1877 led to the end of Reconstruction, with federal troops withdrawn from the South.
• 🕊️ The withdrawal of federal troops allowed Southern Democrats to regain control and further oppress the black population.
• 📈 Northern focus shifted to industrial development, leading to a decline in support for Southern reform efforts.

Q & A

What was the main topic discussed in the video?

The main topic discussed in the video was the failure of the Reconstruction process following the Civil War in the United States.

How did Southern society and economics remain largely unchanged after the Civil War?

Despite the abolition of slavery, Southern society and economics remained largely unchanged due to the introduction of systems like sharecropping and the ongoing belief in white supremacy, which were similar to the conditions of pre-war slavery and segregation.

What was the Freedmen’s Bureau and what was its purpose?

The Freedmen’s Bureau was established by Congress to help reunite families separated by slavery, arrange for their education, and provide social welfare.

What was the system of sharecropping and how did it relate to the pre-war conditions?

The system of sharecropping was a method where landowners provided seeds and farm supplies to workers in exchange for a share of the harvest. It was initially a way for newly emancipated black people to gain independence, but it eventually became another form of coerced servitude, similar to slavery.

How did the Ku Klux Klan contribute to the post-war South's societal conditions?

The Ku Klux Klan, founded in 1867, was a secret society that terrorized black people in the South, promoting the idea of white supremacy. They engaged in activities such as burning buildings, intimidating local politics, and perpetrating public and private lynchings.

What were the Black Codes and what were some of the restrictions they imposed on black people?

The Black Codes were a series of laws adopted by many Southern legislatures to codify white supremacy. They restricted black Americans from borrowing money for land, prohibited them from testifying against white people in court, and enforced racial segregation in Southern society.

Why did the Reconstruction officially come to an end in 1877?

Reconstruction officially ended due to the Compromise of 1877, which was a result of a contested presidential election between Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes. The compromise involved the removal of all federal troops from the South in exchange for the Democrats conceding the election to Hayes.

What was the impact of the end of Reconstruction on the black population in the South?

The end of Reconstruction led to a bleaker reality for the southern black population, as they were left without protection and faced increased domination by Democrats who enforced policies that further marginalized them.

How did the federal troops' presence in the South affect the enforcement of Reconstruction policies?

The presence of federal troops in the South was meant to ensure that Reconstruction policies were upheld. However, the conditions for black people remained harsh, indicating that the enforcement of these policies was not entirely effective even under federal occupation.

Why did many northerners lose their zeal for reform in the 1870s?

By the 1870s, many northerners were more focused on industrial development than on the race problem in the South, leading to a decline in their interest and support for reform efforts.

What was the significance of the 1876 presidential election in the context of the end of Reconstruction?

The 1876 presidential election was significant because it was the event that led to the Compromise of 1877. The contested nature of the election and the subsequent compromise resulted in the removal of federal troops from the South and the official end of Reconstruction.

What was the role of the electoral commission in the 1876 presidential election?

The electoral commission, which had a Republican majority, was formed to resolve the dispute over the electoral votes from South Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida. It declared these states for Hayes, leading to the outrage of Democrats and the eventual Compromise of 1877.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Post-Civil War Reconstruction Failures

This paragraph discusses the shortcomings of the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. It highlights the limited changes in Southern society and economy post-war, with newly freed slaves establishing schools and colleges, and some black men achieving political representation. However, the paragraph also points out the creation of oppressive systems like sharecropping, which effectively continued the exploitation of black labor, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, which terrorized black communities. It also mentions the Black Codes, which were laws that further restricted the freedoms of black Americans, illustrating the persistence of white supremacy in Southern society.

05:03

🔍 The End of Reconstruction and the Compromise of 1877

The second paragraph delves into the conclusion of the Reconstruction era, marked by the contentious 1876 presidential election between Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes. With no clear electoral winner and disputes in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida, a Republican-majority electoral commission awarded the contested states to Hayes. To resolve the political crisis, the Compromise of 1877 was reached, where Democrats agreed to accept Hayes's presidency in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South. This withdrawal allowed Southern Democrats to regain control and implement policies that further marginalized the black population, effectively ending the Reconstruction policies and leaving black citizens without federal protection.

Keywords

💡Reconstruction

Reconstruction refers to the period in American history following the Civil War, during which the Southern states were reintegrated into the Union. In the video, it is highlighted as a failed process because societal and economic structures in the South did not change significantly, and it ultimately ended with the Compromise of 1877.

💡Sharecropping

Sharecropping was an agricultural system that emerged post-emancipation where landowners provided seed and tools to workers in exchange for a share of the harvest. The video describes it as a system that, while seeming to offer newly freed slaves a chance to establish themselves, effectively became another form of servitude, tying workers to the land and mirroring aspects of slavery.

💡Freedmen’s Bureau

The Freedmen’s Bureau was a government agency established by Congress to aid freed slaves after the Civil War. It provided assistance in areas such as education, legal support, and healthcare. In the video, it is mentioned as one of the positive steps taken to support the transition to freedom for the black population in the South.

💡Ku Klux Klan

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a white supremacist group founded in 1867 with the aim of terrorizing black people in the South. The video discusses the Klan's activities, such as burning buildings, intimidating local politics, and perpetrating lynchings, as a means to enforce white supremacy and maintain social control.

💡Black Codes

Black Codes were a set of laws enacted by Southern state legislatures to restrict the rights and freedoms of black people after the Civil War. The video provides examples of these laws, such as prohibiting black Americans from borrowing money for land, preventing them from testifying against white people in court, and enforcing racial segregation, which contributed to the continuation of inequality.

💡White Supremacy

White supremacy is the belief that the white race is superior to all other races, particularly the black race. The video discusses how this belief was deeply ingrained in Southern society post-Civil War and was perpetuated through social structures, laws, and the actions of groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

💡Compromise of 1877

The Compromise of 1877 was a political agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 presidential election between Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes. The Democrats agreed to concede the election to Hayes on the condition that all federal troops would be withdrawn from the South. The video explains that this marked the end of Reconstruction and left the Southern black population without federal protection.

💡Emancipation

Emancipation refers to the act of setting someone free from slavery or servitude. In the context of the video, it discusses the period after the Civil War when black people in the South were legally freed from slavery but faced significant challenges in establishing true freedom due to societal and economic constraints.

💡13th Amendment

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. The video mentions this amendment as a legal milestone that ended slavery but did not automatically lead to significant improvements in the lives of the formerly enslaved population due to the emergence of exploitative systems like sharecropping.

💡Morehouse and Howard

Morehouse and Howard refer to Morehouse College and Howard University, respectively. Both are historically black colleges that were founded after the Civil War. The video highlights the establishment of these institutions as part of the efforts by the black community to gain independence through education and community development.

💡Federal Troops

Federal troops refer to the armed forces of the United States that were stationed in the South during the Reconstruction period to enforce federal policies and protect the rights of the newly freed black population. The video describes the withdrawal of these troops as a pivotal moment that led to the resurgence of Southern Democratic control and the worsening of conditions for black people.

Highlights

Reconstruction after the Civil War failed due to Southern society and economics not changing significantly.

Black population in the South established schools and colleges to gain independence from white control.

Some black men were elected to representative offices post-emancipation.

The Freedmen’s Bureau was established by Congress to help reunite families separated by slavery and provide education and social welfare.

Despite gains, white population in the South created conditions similar to pre-war slavery and segregation.

The system of sharecropping emerged as a new form of coerced servitude post-abolition.

Sharecropping bound black workers to plantations in a manner reminiscent of slavery.

The Ku Klux Klan was founded in 1867 to terrorize black people and enforce white supremacy.

Public and private lynchings were used by the Klan to assert dominance and control over black population.

Black Codes were adopted by many southern legislatures to legally enforce white supremacy.

Black Codes prohibited black Americans from borrowing money to buy or rent land, pushing them towards sharecropping.

Black people were prohibited from testifying against white people in court, allowing violence and injustice to go unchecked.

Racial segregation was legally enforced through Black Codes.

Federal troops were stationed in the South to uphold Reconstruction policies, but their presence did not prevent the continuation of oppressive conditions.

Reconstruction officially ended in 1877 due to a contested presidential election and the Compromise of 1877.

The Compromise of 1877 led to the removal of all federal troops from the South, allowing Democrats to dominate and create a bleaker reality for the black population.

Northern focus shifted from the South's race problem to industrial development, leading to a decline in support for reform.

The end of federal involvement in the South marked a return to power for Democrats and a loss of protection for the black population.

Transcripts

Hey there and welcome back to Heimler’s History.  Let’s keep going through Unit 5 of the AP U.S.  

History curriculum, and in this video we’re going  to see exactly how the process of post-Civil War  

Reconstruction failed. So if you’re ready to  get them brain cows milked, let’s get to it.

So in this video we’re going to look at two  historical realities. First, we’re going to  

consider how Southern society and economics  didn’t change all that much after the Civil War  

was over. And second we’re going to consider how  and why Reconstruction officially came to an end.

So first, let’s look at Southern society after  the war. So having been recently emancipated  

from slavery, the black population  in the South had to adjust to the  

new reality of their freedom. And in order  to gain independence from white control,  

they established black schools for their children  and even founded black colleges like Morehouse and  

Howard. Some black men did the unthinkable and  got elected to various representative offices.  

Additionally, Congress established the  Freedmen’s Bureau which helped reunite  

families separated by slavery and arrange  for their education and social welfare.

So with all of that going on, you might be tempted  to think that everything was going great for black  

people in the South. But here’s where I tell you,  not so much. Despite the gains I just mentioned,  

the white population in the South was busy  creating societal conditions that were nigh  

unto a duplication of pre-Civil War slavery and  segregation, and let me give you two examples.

First, the system of sharecropping. Now let me  tell you what system sharecropping replaced before  

I tell you what sharecropping was. Just because  slavery had been abolished by the 13th amendment,  

didn’t mean that the South stopped  being an agricultural powerhouse. No:  

there were still fields and crops as far as the  eye could see, and someone needed to work them.  

And now that slavery was illegal, where would the  southerners find workers for their fields? Well,  

the southerners figured out what  seemed to them a good plan, and it  

went a little something like this: black  workers would agree to work the fields,  

but in order to have access to this gainful  employment, they had to sign a contract that  

bound them perpetually to the plantation and gave  plantation owners the right to extract unlimited  

labor from them. Now that sounds like something  else I’ve heard of. What was it? Oh, slavery.

Eventually, though, this system grew less extreme  and gave way to sharecropping. In this system,  

land owners provided seed and farm supplies  to the worker in exchange for a share of  

the harvest. Now, in theory, this was a decent  opportunity for newly emancipated black folks  

to get on their feet since many of them had  no capital to speak of. However, in practice,  

sharecropping just turned into another form  of coerced servitude that wasn’t unlike  

slavery. And to be fair, poor whites  were the victims of this system too.

So that was one way the South remained  basically the same before and after the  

war. The second way was the on-going belief  of white supremacy in Southern society. Just  

because the Constitution now stated that  former enslaved people were now citizens,  

that did not mean that Southerners had to accept  them as equals, at least, they didn’t think so.

To this end, we see the formation of a secret  society organized to terrorize black people in  

the South, namely, the Ku Klux Klan. The  Klan was founded in 1867 on the principle  

that the white race was superior to the black  race. And so in order to spread this message,  

members of the Klan burned buildings, controlled  local politics through intimidation, and,  

most notorious of all, perpetrated public  and private lynchings of black folks who,  

in their estimation, had refused to accept  their place in the world. So in this way also we  

can see that significant continuities  between the pre- and post-war South.

Related to this was the effort to codify  the notion of white supremacy into law,  

and to that end many southern legislatures adopted  a series of laws known as Black Codes. Now we  

don’t have time to get into the many restrictions  these codes placed on black people in the South,  

but let me give you three examples just so you  can get a flavor of what these laws did. First,  

Black Codes prohibited black Americans from  borrowing money to buy or rent land. And  

since many of them couldn’t hope to  buy or rent land WITHOUT borrowing,  

this meant they were prime candidates  for the sharecropping system. Second,  

Black codes prohibited black people from  testifying against white people in court,  

and that meant that violence and injustice  against black people would never be heard  

in court. Third, Black Codes provided for  the racial segregation of Southern society.

Okay, those are some of the ways that the South  basically maintained its character from before  

and after the war. And all of this  happened while federal troops were  

stationed in the South in order to make sure  Reconstruction policies were upheld. If it was  

that bad under federal occupation, what would  happen when the federal troops were gone?

Well, that brings us to the next part of  the story, namely, the end of Reconstruction  

in 1877. Now the reason Reconstruction  officially ended was because of a hotly  

contested presidential election, namely,  the election of 1876 between Samuel Tilden  

and Rutherford B. Hayes. This wasn't the  only reason, of course. By the 1870s,  

many northerners were more concerned with  industrial development than the race problem  

in the South, and just sort of lost their zeal  for reform. But we’ll focus on the election.

Now, Tilden won the majority of the popular vote  in this election, but neither Tilden nor Hayes  

gained enough electoral votes to officially claim  victory. The problem was basically confined to  

three states: South Carolina, Louisiana,  and Florida. In those states, both the  

Republicans and Democrats claimed victory, which  is hilarious, because I’m recording this in 2020,  

and that’s kind of the story we’re living with  right now. So in order to rectify this argument,  

a special electoral commission was formed,  and this commission just so happened to have  

a Republican majority, and wouldn’t you know it,  the commission declared these three states for  

Hayes, the Republican. Democrats were outraged  and threatened to block Hayes’s inauguration.  

And so in order to calm this tension down,  and agreement was made which became known as  

the Compromise of 1877. In this arrangement, the  Democrats agreed to concede the election to Hayes,  

but they had a very significant condition: in  exchange, all federal troops had to be removed  

from the South. And so all parties shook hands  and agreed to the end of Reconstruction. And as  

the federal troops left the South, the Democrats  came to dominate once again and created an even  

bleaker reality for the southern black  population left behind without any protection.

If you need more help, check out this  playlist right here for more videos  

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