Emerging Parties leading up to the conflict
In addition to sectional differences between the industrial North and the plantation South, there were also political differences. These differences can been seen in the parties present during Lincoln's election in 1860. There were four different political parties at this time:
- Republican: Republicans were in support of Lincoln and believed in the idea of equal opportunity of all. After the war, Radical Republicans would struggle to get equality for freed African Americans. They were also the majority in the Northern states.
- Constitutional Union: This party was composed mainly of conservative Whigs and Know-Nothings. With their candidate John Bell, this party chose not to take a stand on the issue of slavery and instead focused on sectional differences.
- Democratic: During the election there was a split in the Democratic party due to being unable to agree on one single candidate. When they first met in June, 1860, many, but not the necessary 2/3 majority wanted to appoint Douglas. During the second convention, many of he Deep South Douglas supporters were present and managed to appoint him as nominee. This then caused a fracture in the party with many delegates walking out to form the Democratic Southern with candidate John C. Breckenridge.
In the North, the majority of the votes would either go to Lincoln or Douglas. The South would pick between Breckenridge or Douglas.
 |
| The majority of the Republicans were located in the North since they did not have such a great of need for slavery s the plantation society of the South, who supported Douglas's idea of popular sovereignty in hopes of admitting the new territories into the Union as slave states. |
Conscription in the Union and Confederacy
Conscription refers to military drafts. During the Civil War both sides were forced to demand that citizens enlist in order to fill the demands needed for total war.
Union: The act required registration of all males between the ages 20 and 45, including any non-citizens who wanted to become citizens. Some wealthier folks could avoid the draft by paying a fee of $300. This was considered unfair by others and led to riots in New York City. A total of 2,128,948 Union soldiers fought in the war.
Confederacy: The Confederate was also seen forced to pass a draft. In their act, all males between the ages of 18 and 35 were to be registered. The Confederate drat occurred before the Union one did. A total of 1,082,119 soldiers fought in the war.
 |
| The Union draft caused riots after it allowed wealth citizens to avoid it by paying a fee of $300. |
Copperheads
Copperheads were also known as Peace Democrats and were Northerners who were against the war policies and wanted to negotiate with the Confederacy instead. They were compared to a snake that will sneak up on and then attack its surprised victims. The copperheads were against many other of Lincoln's policies such as the transition of the railroad commerce. Here is a link which provides a more detailed explanation of the copperheads and provides a video over what policies exactly they posed, what they supported, and the major areas in which copperheads were located:
Lincoln's Leadership
Lincoln leadership proved to be on of the most crucial components to the victory of the Union. One of the most important things he did was make great use of the vast railroad that ran throughout the North, as well as the use of the telegram to use real-time commands with his officers. To completely be able to utilise the railroad, Lincoln struck deals with the railroad companies so that the federal government would now use them for transportation of supplies as well as troops.By the end of the war, 4000 miles of railroad had been added to the North, while only 400 miles had been added to the South. Journeys that would usually take months could be accomplished in days with the railroad. Troops were now arriving to front lines in the span of seven days, instead of the two months it would take without the railroad. Lincoln also converted the industrial market to the war effort. Factories now focused on producing weapons and uniforms. The south had almost no industrialization. This mistake would cost them in the winter of 1863, when troops in southern Virgina dies of starvation due to the lack of transport of supplies. The entire North economy was mainly focused on the war effort.
 |
| (Primary Source) From president Lincoln to Mrs.Lincoln, the telegram is in response to Mrs.Lincoln's request for $50 Draft and news about their son's pet goat. Over the course of the war, Lincoln sent about 1000 telegrams in total. |
Emancipation Proclamation
Near the summer of 1862, there was an increased public outcry for the Union to stick at the South's peculiar institution in an effort to win the war. Lincoln also realized that the emancipation would most likely gain support from England and France, thus ensuring that neither nation supported the Confederacy. Lincolns first proclamation gave the South 100 days to forfeit the war and keep their slaves. After this proclamation received no response in the South and little support in the North, Lincoln issued his widely known Emancipation proclamation on January 1, 1863. The proclamation stated that all slaves in Confederate states were now free. Even though the proclamation at first was not enforced, since there was no Union officials in the South to do so, the proclamation served to make on of the main efforts of the war an effort to end slavery. Large slaves were motivated to run away from their masters and around one fourth of slaves gained freedom with the proclamation. However, it's policy did not extend to the border slave states who remained loyal to the Union.
Here is a link to a video that goes over the dilemma Lincoln faced when deciding whether or not to pass the proclamation and how he used it to change the goals of the war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVkXthLz4w
Here is a link to a video that goes over the dilemma Lincoln faced when deciding whether or not to pass the proclamation and how he used it to change the goals of the war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVkXthLz4w
Scalawags
Scalawags was the term used to describe a Southern white who supported the efforts of Reconstruction as well as the Republican party. These people came from all different parts of the South. Those who were from the upper South tended to be farmers who had supported the Union, and those from the deep South were usually former Whigs who were merchants or planters. They made up for around 20% of the white voters.
Carpetbaggers
Carpetbagger is the term used to describe members of the southern Republican party during 1867 who had moved to the south immediately after the Civil War in hope of economic gain. They were viewed by other whites as opportunists who wanted to take advantage of the south's defeat. In addition to carpetbaggers, African Americans and poor white farmers made up for the majority of support for the Republican party in the South.
Freedmen's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau was established in 1865 with the purpose of helping former slaves and poor whites after the war. Along with schools, housing, and food, the bureau provided medical aid and legal assistance. The Bureau would revise worker contracts in the South to ensure that planters would not cheat workers out of their annual pay or abuse them in any way. However, several officials had different viewpoints as to how the bureau should help others. For example, some officials stood up for the rights of freedom, while others helped planters gather available workers and convince them to work for low wages. The Freedmen Bureau eventually lost influence during 1869.
Ten Percent Plan
The 10 percent plan was proposed before the end of the war. Following Lincoln's lenient ideals of reintegrating the Southern states into the Union, the 10 percent plan stated that once 10% of a southern sates voting population had taken an oath to the Union, such state gained authority to set up an official government loyal to the Union. By 1864, Louisiana and Arkansas had set up Union governments. Lincolns intent with this plan was to shorten the war by persuading Southerners to switch sides, and also expand the emancipation policy by having the new state governments abolish slavery. Congress did not recognise Lincoln's plan since they did not trust previous Confederates and believed that southern states no longer had a place in the Union after they had seceded.
13th, 14th, & 15th Amendment
13th: The 13th Amendment was passed under president Andrew Johnson in 1865. The amendment abolished slavery. It was passed while Johnson urged conventions run by appointed provisional governors to meet and declare secession illegal, ratify the 13th Amendment, and repudiate the Confederate debt.
14th: One of the most important amendments, the 14th required the federal government to ensure equal rights under the law to all Americans. The first section defines national citizenship, stating that any person born in the the United States. The government did not the right to deny such citizens "life, liberty, and property without due process of the law; nor deny to any person. . . equal protection of the laws." Section two punished southern states which had previously denied African American men the right to vote by reducing congressional representation of such states. Section three did not allow anyone who had supported the Confederate after they had originally supported the Constitution. Section four repudiated the Confederate debt, meaning that it is not something that the Union would assume. Even though it was not supported by Johnson, the amendment was passed by Congress in June 1866, and ratified in July 1868.
15th: This amendment was passed in 1869 by Congress and ratified in 1870. It prohibited any state from denying any male citizen, regardless of color, race, or previous servitude the right to vote. Since a more radical version of the amendment, one that would allow universal suffrage for all male citizens was rejected, states were still able to limit suffrage by asking voters to take literacy tests, have a set standard of qualifications, and having poll taxes applying only to supposedly all racial groups.
Primary Source: A copy of the 13th Amendment
It can be viewed in PDF format using this link:
http://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/thirteenthamendmentposter.pdf
14th: One of the most important amendments, the 14th required the federal government to ensure equal rights under the law to all Americans. The first section defines national citizenship, stating that any person born in the the United States. The government did not the right to deny such citizens "life, liberty, and property without due process of the law; nor deny to any person. . . equal protection of the laws." Section two punished southern states which had previously denied African American men the right to vote by reducing congressional representation of such states. Section three did not allow anyone who had supported the Confederate after they had originally supported the Constitution. Section four repudiated the Confederate debt, meaning that it is not something that the Union would assume. Even though it was not supported by Johnson, the amendment was passed by Congress in June 1866, and ratified in July 1868.
15th: This amendment was passed in 1869 by Congress and ratified in 1870. It prohibited any state from denying any male citizen, regardless of color, race, or previous servitude the right to vote. Since a more radical version of the amendment, one that would allow universal suffrage for all male citizens was rejected, states were still able to limit suffrage by asking voters to take literacy tests, have a set standard of qualifications, and having poll taxes applying only to supposedly all racial groups.
Primary Source: A copy of the 13th Amendment
It can be viewed in PDF format using this link:
http://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/thirteenthamendmentposter.pdf
Tenure of Office Act
The Tenure of Office Act was passed in reaction to Johnson's abuse of presidential power when he began to remove all officeholders who sympathised with the idea Radical Reconstruction. Radical generals were replaced by conservative Democrats, and Johnson countermanded all of the generals who wanted to enforce the new radical policy. The Tenure of Office Act stated that Senate approval was necessary for the removal of any official who had previously needed Senate consent to enter office. Johnson objected the act, claiming that it created an unbalance of power. However, the act eventually led to an impeachment trial against Johnson after he replaced general Grant with Lorenzo Thomas. Republicans fell short one vote and could not impeach the president. Yet, Republicans feared that the impeachment of the president over political reasons would lead to legislative supremacy over executive. They also dislike Benjamin Wade, who would have taken presidency after Johnson.
Military Reconstruction Act
With the Military Reconstruction Act, the South was divided into five military districts, all of which were imposed under a Marshall law governed by the Union. The act required several things from previously Confederate states. Theses included:
- a new constitution and newly appointed officials
- ratification of the 14th Amendment
- to provide every citizen with equal rights
The act gave total power to the general in charge of their districts. Because of this and a claim that it denied states legal government, president Johnson vetoed the bill. It was passed however on March 2, 1867.
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was an informal, unofficial deal struck between Republicans and Democrats during the 1876 election between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat candidate Samuel J. Tilden. Tilden had obviously won the popular vote. however, Republican strategists realized that Hayes had a chance to win the electoral vote after the results indicated that he had won South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. Hayes would win the election by one electoral vote. With the election coming to an impasse, Congress decided to establish a special electoral commission composed of fifteen members, seven Democrats and seven Republicans, to decided which candidate would get the votes of the still disputed states. The commission fell to Republican control after one of the Democrats quit. The commission then voted to have Hayes get all the disputed votes. After this and ratification by a Republican ruled Senate. Democrats in the House decided that they would delay the counting of electoral votes until after the inauguration day, thus giving neither candidate the majority and having the election then depend on the House. The Compromise of 1877 occurred when Republican leaders negotiated with southern Democrats in the house to ensue that Hayes was elected. No one knows precisely what was agreed.
Summary:
Staring with four different political parties, the Civil War commenced promptly after Southern states seceded after Lincoln won the election. During the war,m any thing change. For the first time every, there was a military draft, and the Emancipation Proclamation made one of the main war efforts the abolishing of slavery, an decision which had long been avoided.. After the war, the nation was presented with the challenge on reconstructing. Many ideas were proposed, including Lincoln's 10% plan that was lenient on the Southern states, or the Military Reconstruction Act, which imposed a Marshall law in all five territories that the Confederacy was divided into territories. Amendments, such as the 13th, 14th, and 15th, were also made to protect the rights and property of the new free African Americans. Institutions such as the Freedmens Bureau were also set up to help the thousands of newly freed slaves. However, even though there were Radical Reconstruction supporters, some did not favor African Americans being equal to the rest of society. President Andrew Johnson opposed these Radical Reconstruction supporters, and took many out of office. Due to this, the Senate passed the Tenure of Office Act, which would maintain executive power in check.
Sources:
"History Engine: Tools for Collaborative Education and Research | Episodes." History Engine: Tools for Collaborative Education and Research | Episodes. University of Richmond, n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2014.
"Military Reconstruction Act." Military Reconstruction Act. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2014.
"Scalawag (United States History)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2014.
"Congress Passes Civil War Conscription Act." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2014.
Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2014.
No comments:
Post a Comment