Reconstruction Acts

The four Reconstruction Acts of Congress of the United States of 2 March 1867, March 23, 1867, July 19, 1867 and March 11, 1868 significant a turning point in the Reconstruction policy after the end of the civil war. The former states of the Confederacy were militarily occupied on this basis, and only after the adoption of the Amendment to the Constitution, which guaranteed African Americans the same rights, readmitted to the Union.

Prehistory

The 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States from June 1866 guaranteed all persons born in the United States the same rights. The majority of states accepted this Amendment. Only the former southern states except Tennessee have not ratified the regulations.

From the congressional elections of 1866 the Republicans had emerged strengthened. These large firms in both houses of Congress by a two -thirds majority and could therefore veto of President Andrew Johnson overrule. The reconstruction policy of the President in the aftermath of the war could be made ​​so undone.

Content

The central element of this new policy of the Congress were the Reconstruction Acts. These were particularly in 1867 enacted and enforced against the President's veto. As a " revolution from above " wanted to break the resistance of the old elites against the equality of African Americans. They assumed that in any of the southern states, with the exception of Tennessee, a legal government was present. These areas are therefore to be regarded as conquered territory. As a result, the southern states were divided into five military districts. Each of these were under a military commander.

Only when in the States by both the whites of African Americans as a new government was elected and the territories the 13th, 14th and finally the 15th Amendment to the Constitution would have recognized, should end the military administration and the states back into the Union to be taken. The President does have questioned the legality of the law, yet it has the Southern States can occupy military by 20,000 soldiers.

Follow

An impeachment against the President of the Congress beginning in 1868 failed just barely. The then towards the end of the year, newly elected President Ulysses S. Grant supported the Congress policy.

Throughout this process, numerous officers were deposed and extends the constitutions of the individual states in particular to the rights of African Americans. After the states had accepted the 14th and 15th Amendment, they were taken to the end of 1870 back into the Union.