Republicans were angered by the black codes and the election of confederate leaders to Congress. The Joint Committee on Recronstruction sent a letter President Johnson, saying the South wanted "to preserve slavery and in its original form as long as possible." Johnson ignored the report, and many members of congress vowed to take Reconstruction out of his hands. The North ReactsRadical Republicans Those who lead the opposition were called radical republicans or radicals. Radicals wanted to make dramatic changes in American society.
The radicals had two main goals.
-Wanted to break the power of wealthy planters who had long ruled the south. The radicals basically blamed the aristocrats for the civil war.
-Wanted to ensure that freedmen received the right to vote.
Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania led the radicals in the House.
Charles Sumner of Massachusetts was the chief Radical Republican in the Senate.
Radicals did not control Congress therefore to accomplish their goals they needed support of moderate republicans, which were the largest group in congress. Although they disagreed on most things, they did agree that the south needed strict treatment. Republicans easily controlled both houses since most of the southerners were Democrats. Black Codes/The North Reacts The North Reacts Black Codes Black Codes restricted african american rights to...
-to vote
-own guns
-serve on juries
In some states, african americans were permitted to work only as servants or farm laborers.
In other states the codes required african americans to sign year contracts, and if they were not signed they would be arrested or sent to work on a plantation.
Black codes did give some men rights such as the ability to marry legally and own property. The beginning After the war, several Southern states ratified the 13th amendment, which banned slavery. At the same time, however, they passed several black codes. Black codes were laws that limited the rights of freedmen
Although they had gained some rights, many of the laws in place were meant to keep those freedmen from any political or economic control and influence.
