Causes of the Civil War
-Slavery-gave South a great amount of economic and political power in the nation
-Northern economy demanded cheap labor-drew nation’s attention of slavery
-Lincoln’s election precipitated the secession of Southern States and the creation of the Confederacy
Competing Notions of Freedom
-North wanted to end slavery and also punish the south
-they wanted to economize the South so they could provide the North with raw materials (cotton, lumber) for their factories to continue industrialization.
-wanted to replace former slave system with a wage system
-South wanted to recreate life the way it was before the Civil War.
-Wanted to maintain control of Southern Government
-re- establish racial hierarchy by limiting slaves to low-paying jobs and taking away voting rights
-Slaves established own institutions (black churches, schools).
-fought for their rights to own land and vote-true freedom rested on securing economic/political rights
Plans for Reconstruction (1863-1877)
-government had to be altered to deal with the seceded states.
-Three major plans shaped reconstruction (One by Lincoln, Johnson, and Congress), the plans differed widely especially dealing with the Confederate States.
-Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan- proposed general pardon and restoration of property to white Southerner’s who pledged an oath of allegiance to US government and accepted the Abolition of slavery. Under this plan a state could rejoin the Union once the number who swore allegiance to the Union in the state equaled 10% of the number who had voted in the election of 1860.
-Lincoln’s plan also extended the right to vote to blacks who were educated and owned property and who served in the Union Army.
-Lincoln/Congress established Freedmen’s Bureau- this agency was in charge of distributing food, establishing schools, and providing protection to other social and economic serves to freed blacks and destitute whites.
-Northerner’s thought