U.S. History 1800-1865
1840's
- Americans get "expansion fever"
- Claims it is their "Manifest Destiny" to move west and take over land to the Pacific Ocean.
1838
- Underground Railroad
- Helps slaves escape
1848
- Seneca Falls, NY
- First women rights convention
1849
- California Gold Rush brings more settlers west
1850
- The Compromise of 1850 settled the dispute over whether the land acquired from Mexico should be slave or free states. It endorsed Popular Sovereignty- The people of each new state should decide.
1857
- U.S. Supreme Court decides the Dred Scott Case
- States that slaves have NO RIGHTS, even in a free state.
- No state can deny a man his "property", including slaves
- Southerners want to keep slaves
- Abolitionists in north become furious
1860
- Abraham Lincoln is elected president
Civil War Timeline (Cont.)
1861
- Confederate States of America- Southern states
- Jefferson Davis is president
- April 12- The Civil War begins- Fort Sumter, South Carolina
1862
- Antietam: September 17- 23,000 soldiers casualites in one day- 3,650 killed
1863
- January 1- President Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation
- Frees slaves in Confederate states
- 180,000 African-Americans fight for the Union-- 23 win the Medal of Honor
- November 19- Lincoln delivers his Gettysburg Address
1865
- April 9- General Robert E. Lee and Confederacy surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox
- 13th Amendment ratified
- Slavery is abolished
Reconstruction
Abraham Lincoln
- Wanted to reunite the nation
- Favored a lenient policy
a) Pardon all confederates
b) 10% plan- states can rejoin the Union if 10% of the population swears allegiance to the Union
Andrew Johnson
- Same lenient policy
- However, DON'T PARDON WEALTHY POWERFUL SOUTHERN LANDOWNERS.
Congress
- Tough Policy on the South
a) Majority of the population must swear allegiance before a state is readmitted
b) Passed civil rights legislation for African Americans
c) Required Southern states to grant blacks the right to vote and ratify the 14th amendment before readmitted
Economic Conditions in the South
Southern States after the Civil War
The economy is devastated
-bonds no good
-land no value
Population is devastated.
1/5 of males killed in war.
Infrastructure devastated. Buildings, roads, bridges destroyed.
Had to increase taxes in order to rebuild
Freed Slaves Trying To Rebuild Their Lives
NO MONEY
NO JOB
NO POSSESSIONS
NO EDUCATION
NO LAND: White southerners given back their land
Forced to become SHARECROPPERS
KU KLUX KLAN
terror hatred
U.S. Supreme Court undermines 14th and 15th Amendments.
Why Congressional Reconstruction Collapsed
Reconstruction Collapses
Political scandals in Grant's administration
Economic Crisis in the North
Many just want North and South to be reunited
TROOPS PULLED OUT
Southern politicians regain control
