Reconstruction Without Lincoln
What happened after Lincoln was killed.
Overview of Johnson's Plan
Andrew Johnson's plan consisted of every state that seceded from the Union had to swear allegiance to the Union. He also wanted to ratify the 13th amendment and give no pardons to any of the high ranking confederate officers or anyone owning any land worth more than 20,000 dollars.
Freedmen's Bureau
Established in 1865 by Congress to help new freed blacks and poor whites in the South after the Civil War. The Freedmen's Bureau gave food, housing, medical aid, established schools and even offered legal assistance. When the Bureau wanted to add more powers, newly sworn in president Andrew Johnson vetoed it for it supposedly interfering with states rights and for favoring one group of people over another. The constant arguing and Andrew Johnson firing many Bureau employees eventually lead to its demise.
Civil Rights Act of 1866
A bill passed in Congress that gave everyone who was born in the United States, with the exception of American Indians, the declaration that they were citizens of the United States. As a citizen of the United States, you had full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of all persons and property.
Black Codes
The southern black codes allowed for the newly feed blacks to have some civil rights. For example, in South Carolina, blacks were allowed to own aND sell land, make contracts, get a job, sue and be sued, and receive protection under the law. But the codes did not give blacks the same civil rights as the whites. For example:
1) Blacks could only go to court against other blacks and if it was a crime against a white person, the crime was much more severe and in most cases was the death penalty
2) The code allowed for whites to take black orphans, even if it was against their will and we're allowed to inflict "moderate punishment" to the kids.
3) Black "servants" were to work for white "masters" and they could not leave their place of work, worked from sun up to sun down, and could not receive any visitors during their time of work.