Johnson's Horrible Plan
by William Myrick II
Overview
Southern states held conventions that repealed their seccesion from the Union, repudiated Confederate debts and ratified the 13th amendment which freed slaves.
But the freed slaves had to follow Black Codes.
Freedmen's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau provded, food, housing, medical aid, and offered legal assistance. Johnson vetoed it and said it interferred with states rights and favored one group of people over the other.
Civil Rights Act 1866
First federal law to define US citizenship and affirm all citizens are equally protected. Johnson vetoed the law but then it passed again and a 2/3 majority in each house overruled the veto and became a law.
Black Codes
Laws passed in the southern states to restrict newly freed slaves freedoms.
- Freedmen are not allowed to be taught to read or write
- Freedmen are not allowed to assemble without the presence of a white man
- Public facilities are segregated
- All Freedmen must be employed
Was life really better?
Yes and no. The blacks were now free to do as they but at the same time were not free at all. The black codes restricted what little freedom they had and Johnson was all for the whites. The laws that were going to help them out were vetoed except the Civil Rights Act. So basically now the free blacks were only free from working on plantations and being owned. They were still forced to work and did not have free will. So I think life was not entirely better but it was not significantly worse.