Reconstruction Era

Shakora Conley
Nicole Daniel
Vinson Mccrae

Reconstruction Era



The civil war and the period of Reconstruction brought great social, political, and economic change to American society. The effects of these changes continued into the 20th century. A social change was the abolition of slavery. An economic change was the panic of 1873 which was part of a series of crisis'. A political change was the establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau to provide assistance to emancipated slaves. So Far, we have come up with a time line which consists of events that took place during the reconstruction era.


1865


Thirteenth Amendment approved in January. Ratified in December. Abolished slavery in the United States.



Congress establishes Freedmen's Bureau in March to provide assistance to the emancipated slaves.



Assassination of President Lincoln, April 15. Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes president.



End of the Civil War (April 9, 1965). Lee surrenders to Grant.



Mississippi enacts Black Code.



Ku Klux Klan created in Tennessee.

1866


Civil Rights Act passed despite Johnson's earlier veto.



Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution approved by Congress.



Legislation is vetoed by Johnson but Congress overrides his veto.

1867


First Reconstruction Act passed over Johnson's veto.



Second Reconstruction Act passed over Johnson's veto.



Third Reconstruction Act passed over Johnson's veto.



Fourth Reconstruction Act passed.



Fourteenth Amendment ratified. Entitles all persons born or naturalized in the United States to citizenship and equal protection under the laws of the United States.



James J. Harris and P.B.S. Pinchback are the first African American delegates to a Republican convention. They support the nomination of Ulysses S. Grant for president.

1869


Former Union General Ulysses S. Grant becomes president.

1870


Hiram Revels elected to U. S. Senate as the first black senator.



Fifteenth Amendment ratified. The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave the vote to all male citizens regardless of color or previous condition of servitude.



Joseph H. Rainey, first black member sworn in as member of U. S. House of Representatives. December 12, 1870.

1870 - 71


Forty-first Congress. Two black members in the House of Representatives including Robert Brown Elliot from the 3rd District in South Carolina.

1871


Forty-second Congress. Five black members in the House of Representatives: Benjamin S. Turner of Alabama; Josiah T. Walls of Florida; and Robert Brown Elliot, Joseph H. Rainey and Robert Carlos DeLarge of South Carolina.



Act to Enforce Fourteenth Amendment (Ku Klux Klan Act).

1872


Freedmen's Bureau abolished.

1872 - 1873


P. B. S. Pinchback, a black politician, was the first black to serve as a state governor of Louisiana, although due to white resistance, his tenure is extremely short.

1873 - 75


Forty-third Congress. Six black members in House the House of Representatives.

1875 - 77


Forty-fourth Congress. Six black members in the House of Representatives.

1875


March 1--Civil Rights Act enacted by Congress. It provides blacks with the right to equal treatment in public places and transportation.

The Supreme Court later declared this Act unconstitutional.



Blanche Kelso becomes the Senator of Mississippi. He is the first African-American Senator to serve a complete six year term.

1877


Rutherford B. Hayes becomes President of the United States.