The Impact of the Civil War on American Democracy
THREATS TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
Generalization:
The Civil War came close to destroying the framework of government set
up by our founding fathers. Even in 1877, America had not fully
recovered from the Civil War, and the continuation of republican
government, something we take for granted, was probably not as certain
as it seems to us in retrospect.
ID’S:
ANDERSONVILLE, SHERMAN, RECONSTRUCTION, KU KLUX CLAN, CARPETBAGGERS AND
SCALAWAGS, ANDREW JOHNSON, 14th AMENDMENT, ULYSSES S.GRANT
[Useful links: Andersonville,
Sherman's Sherman's
March
through South Carolina, The Civil
War Homepage and The Civil
War Center]
I. Introduction: The Last, Best Hope of the World
II. Problems created by the Civil War
A. Animosity as a result of war
itself
1. Cost of war
2. Prison camps
(ANDERSONVILLE)
3. Vicious was
war fought (SHERMAN)
B. Destruction of Southern economy
III. Reconstruction
A. Lincoln’s plan
B. Wade-Davis plan
C. Johnson’s Plan
D. Radical Reconstruction
(Military Reconstruction)
E. Carpetbaggers and Scalawags
F. Ku Klux Klan
IV. Impeachment of Johnson
V. Grant Presidency
Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances.
Amendment 14:
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States
and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of
the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life,
liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any
person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several
States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number
of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the
right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President
and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress,
the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the
Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such
State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United
States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion,
or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in
the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress,
or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil
or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having
previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of
the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an
executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution
of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion
against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But
Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such
disability.
Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States,
authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and
bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall
not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall
assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or
rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or
emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims
shall be held illegal and void.
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate
legislation, the provisions of this article.