The Events leading up to the
Reconstruction Act with its Series of Laws and Statutes
Following the assassination of
President Lincoln in April 1865, Vice President Andrew Johnson, a
Southern Democrat, assumed the Presidency.
Johnson adopts the Lincoln Reconstruction plans but is criticized by the
Radical Republicans in Congress for being too lenient on the South.
The Southern states attempt to restore self-rule and pass the
notorious
Black Codes in 1865 -1866
and are reluctant to ratify the
13th
Amendment. President Johnson infuriates Congress by vetoing an
extension to the
Freedmen's Bureau
and the majority Republicans respond by
passing the
Civil Rights Act of 1866
and by the fall of 1866 gain a two-thirds margin in the
Congressional elections and have the power to pass the
Reconstruction Act with its Series of Laws and Statutes, which
becomes known as the Military Reconstruction Act.
The Purpose of the Reconstruction Act Series of Laws and Statutes
The purpose of the Reconstruction Act statutes was to determine the
terms to be fulfilled for the former Confederate States of America
to be re-admitted to the Union.
What were the Main Features of the Reconstruction Act?
The Main Features of the Reconstruction Act were:
● To
divide the seceded states into five military
districts
● Each state had to draft a new state
constitution, which would have to be
approved by Congress
● That each state had to ratify the 14th
Amendment prior to readmission to the Union.
(The
14th Amendment
was passed on June 13, 1866 stating that
every person born in the US was a citizen)
Reconstruction Act Series of Laws and Statutes: What were the dates
of the Military Reconstruction Act:
The series of laws that formed the Reconstruction Act were enacted
on the following dates:
Series of Laws - Date of
Reconstruction Act
First Reconstruction
Act - March 2, 1867
Second Reconstruction
Act - March 23, 1867
Third Reconstruction
Act - July 19, 1867
Fourth Reconstruction
Act - March 11, 1868
The First Reconstruction Act
of 1867
The First
Reconstruction Act of 1867 was passed on March 2, 1867 and called
"An act to provide for the more efficient government of the Rebel
States". The Provisions of the First Reconstruction Act of 1867
determined that:
● The former
Confederate States of America (CSA) is divided into 5 military
districts under the direction of Union military officers, who
are supported by federal troops
● Military
courts can be used to try cases involving civil and property
rights violations, as well as criminal trials.
● States
have to enact new constitutions that grant voting rights to
black men (Freedmen)
●
High-ranking Confederate officials are temporarily barred from
political participation
● States
must ratify the
14th
Amendment in order to be represented in Congress.
Reaction to
the First Reconstruction Act: President Andrew Johnson vetoes the
bill, but Congress is powerful enough to override the veto. However,
the Southern states refuse to carry out the law with the exception
of Tennessee.
Reconstruction Act:
The Military Districts
The Military
Districts established as a result of the First Reconstruction Act of
March 2, 1867 were as follows:
First Military
District - Included all of
Virginia and commanded by General John Schofield
Second Military
District - Included North and
South Carolina and originally commanded by General
Daniel E. Sickles but was removed by President Johnson
and replaced with General Edward Canby on August 26,
1867
Third Military
District - Included Georgia,
Florida and Alabama and originally commanded by General
John Pope but was removed by President Johnson and
replaced with General George Meade on December 28, 1867
Fourth Military
District - Included Arkansas and
Mississippi and originally commanded by Generals Edward
Ord, Alvan Cullem Gillem, and Adelbert Ames
Fifth Military
District - Included Texas and
commanded by General Philip Sheridan who was replaced on
charges of excessive harshness of former Confederate
soldiers and was replaced by Charles Griffin, then by
Joseph J. Reynolds.
The Second Reconstruction Act
of 1867
The second
Reconstruction Act of 1867 was passed on March 23,
1867. The Provisions of the Second Reconstruction
Act of 1867 provides:
● Military
district commanders are given directions on
holding state constitutional conventions
Reaction to the
Second Reconstruction Act: President Andrew Johnson
vetoes the bill, but Congress again overrides the
presidential veto. President Johnson is forced to
implement Congressional reconstruction, but the
Johnson administration reads between the lines as
much as possible and interpret the requirements as
tightly as possible.
The Third Reconstruction Act
of 1867
The Third
Reconstruction Act of 1867 was passed on July 19,
1867. The Provisions of the Third Reconstruction Act
of 1867:
● Affirms the
authority of the military district commanders to
remove state officials from office
The Fourth Reconstruction Act
of 1868
The Fourth
Reconstruction Act of 1868 was passed on March 11,
1868. The Provisions of the Fourth Reconstruction
Act of 1868 determined that:
● The proposed
state constitutions to be ratified by a simple
process of taking the majority vote in each
state
Reaction to the
Fourth Reconstruction Act: The House of
Representatives, annoyed at the stubborn and
inflexible attitude of the President and the
interference of the Johnson administration, impeach
President Andrew Johnson
Significance of the Reconstruction Act
The
Reconstruction Act inflamed the situation between
Congress and Johnson and led to the
Impeachment of
Andrew Johnson in which he was narrowly
acquitted by just one vote.
Reconstruction Act - President Andrew Johnson Video
The article on the Reconstruction Act provides an overview of one of the Important issues of his presidential term in office. The following
Andrew Johnson video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 17th American President whose presidency spanned from April 15, 1865 to March 4, 1869.
Reconstruction Act
●
Interesting Facts about Reconstruction Act for kids and schools
●
Key facts about the
Reconstruction Act for kids
●
The Reconstruction Act, a Important
event in US history
●
Andrew Johnson Presidency from April 15, 1865 to March 4, 1869
●
Fast, fun, facts about the Reconstruction Act
●
Domestic
policies of President Andrew Johnson
● Andrew Johnson Presidency and
the Reconstruction Act for schools,
homework, kids and children |