Treatment of Newly Freed African Americans (College Board AP® US History)
Study Guide
Summary
The end of the Civil War did not bring about significant changes for African Americans living in the South. Discrimination, systemic racism, and lack of social mobility continued to be central to their lives. While laws were being passed in the South to limit and restrict African Americans, the federal government provided programs to assist those who were newly freed. These programs did much to help African Americans to assimilate into their new lives. Federal legislation was also passed to increase the rights of African Americans.
Reconstruction, the period after the Civil War, aimed to rebuild the South and ensure the rights of freed African Americans. Just as the establishment of reconstruction had been brought about with much debate and bitter feelings, the ending of this era did the same as political, social, and economic forces changed.
Sharecropping & Continuing White Supremacy
Sharecropping
Sharecropping is an agriculture system that developed in the South after the Civil War
Sharecropping was widely used to replace plantation agriculture without plantation owners having to sell their land or lose their income from the land
White landowners had tenants farm their land
Tenants signed long-term contracts keeping workers tied to the land
Landowners would provide the seed and equipment needed
At the end of the harvest, tenants were required to repay for the cost of seed and equipment
They also had to give the landowner a percentage or share of the crop
Freed African Americans were part of the sharecropping system, as well as poor White people who could not afford to purchase their own land
This system was used to exploit African Americans and further instill the idea of white supremacy
Tenants would never be able to obtain enough cash to buy land for themselves to escape the system
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
The Ku Klux Klan was established in 1865 in Tennessee by former Confederate soldiers
KKK members wore long white robes with white hoods to hide their identity
A burning cross was often found at their gatherings as it represented intimidation and hate
They aimed to use fear and violence to suppress African Americans and establish the idea of white supremacy
They burnt houses, churches, and crops of African Americans and intimidated African Americans into submission
They lynched, publicly or privately, African Americans who threatened to resist their intimidation
Black Codes
Black Codes were legislation passed by Southern state legislatures to suppress and limit the rights of newly freed African Americans. This legislation:
allowed racial segregation in the South
restricted African Americans from owning property or buying or leasing land
prevented African Americans from borrowing money to buy land
prohibited African Americans from testifying in court against white people
Federal Programs for Freed African Americans
Freedmen’s Bureau
The Freedmen’s Bureau was established in 1865, by Congress
It aimed to provide physical and financial assistance to former enslaved people and poor White people in the South
The bureau worked to address immediate needs and help freed African Americans transition into free society
Key functions of the bureau included:
providing clothing, medicine, and homes to formerly enslaved people
assistance in securing land and financial aid to help with resettlement
establishing schools and colleges where African Americans learnt to read and write
providing legal services and employment opportunities
assisting in reuniting families that had been separated during slavery as they had been sold to different owners
The bureau was disbanded in 1872, because of a lack of political backing and funds
It played a significant role for freed people during its existence
Political Participation and Elections
Following the 15th Amendment (1870), African American men gained the right to vote and participate in politics during Reconstruction
This amendment prohibited denying citizens the right to vote based on race, color, or whether they had previously been enslaved
During Reconstruction, nearly 2,000 former enslaved men were elected to political office
Between 1870 and 1877, sixteen African American men were elected to the US Congress, serving in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
This marked a step toward greater political empowerment for African Americans
Post-reconstruction, the political empowerment of African Americans was severely restricted
This was due to the rise of Jim Crow Laws (starting in the 1870s) and voter suppression in the South
As a result, the political progress made during Reconstruction was mostly undone by the end of the 1800s, with African American political influence reducing significantly
The End of Reconstruction
Election of 1876
Candidates in the election of 1876 were:
Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican candidate for president)
Samuel J. Tilden (Democrat candidate for president)
Tilden won the majority of the popular vote
The results were contested in several Southern states
It created a dispute over the Electoral College votes
Accusations of voter fraud clouded the election process
Congress decided the election result
Due to the contested results, Congress set up a special electoral commission to determine the rightful winner
The commission awarded the disputed votes to Hayes, giving him a narrow victory
This was a controversial decision because Tilden had won the vote of the people, but the Electoral College gave the presidency to Hayes
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was an informal and unwritten agreement between Southern Democrats and Republican supporters of Hayes to determine the outcome of the presidential election
Southern Democrats would team up with Republican supporters to name Hayes as president
In return, military districts in the South would be disbanded and Reconstruction would come to an end
A key part of the Compromise of 1877 was the removal of federal troops from the South
The military districts created in the South to enforce reconstruction politics and protect the rights of African Americans were disbanded
This effectively ended Reconstruction
End of Reconstruction
With the withdrawal of the military, the Reconstruction era effectively ended
This allowed Southern states to implement policies without interference from the federal government
As a result of the end of the Reconstruction, Southern Democrats regained political power and dominated Southern politics for decades to come
This led to the return of white supremacy in the South
One aspect of this was the increase of Jim Crow laws that imposed racial segregation
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Do not get confused about how the electoral process works in the United States. A presidential election is held every four years. During the election year:
Each political party puts its nomination on the ballot.
In November, eligible voters cast their ballots for the candidate they want their electors to vote for at the Electoral College
In December, members of the Electoral College cast their vote for president. The number of electors for each state is determined by the size of a state’s population. There are 538 electors, and a candidate must win a majority or 270 votes to win the presidential election. It is expected that the members of the Electoral College will vote for the same candidate that the people voted for in November.
On January 20, the president and vice president are sworn into their offices. The only exception is when the date falls on a Sunday, the swearing-in ceremony then takes place on January 21st.
The Founding Fathers created the Electoral College as a compromise between those who wanted the people to have a direct say in the president's election and those who believed that Congress should elect the president.
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