Reconstruction : America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 | US History Lecture

Reconstruction after the US Civil War is a complicated issue that divides American history neatly in two. For a brief moment, radical and moderate Republicans attempted to enforce civil rights, but eventually failed. This is that story.

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See pinned comment and its replies for notes, responses, and errata
readings assigned for this week of class

*Bibliography*

Brandon Byrd, “Black Republicans, Black Republic: African-Americans, Haiti, and the Promise of Reconstruction,” _Slavery and Abolition_ 36, iss. 4 (December 2015): 545-567.

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[CynicalHistorian]

Click "read more" for corrections and bibliography. First, here are some related videos:

*[reserved for errata]*

*Bibliography*

Brandon Byrd, “Black Republicans, Black Republic: African-Americans, Haiti, and the Promise of Reconstruction, ” _Slavery and Abolition_ 36, iss. 4 (December 2015): 545-567.

[isaiahfisher]

I think that, too often, pop historians will tend to sideline ideology and/or controversial subjects in order to maintain a larger audience. I'm glad that you're willing to examine history with ideology and politics in mind. It's a breath of fresh air to have a pop historian who doesn't toe the line between "Slavery was bad" and "Well, maybe the confederacy had some good points".

[friskybitzboi]

Learning about the Reconstruction always makes me sad- we were headed towards a bright future that never got to be

[CheQuinnvaraRules]

Any enemy who doesn't admit defeat or that their cause was truly disgusting is still a danger.

As someone who's country was a founding member of the Axis powers I loathe the "Lost Causers" in the US. Sure many people in Italy mourn those who died in North Africa and at Stalingrad, but none of them believe their loved ones died for a just cause. In fact many loathe Mussolini for getting Italy involved in the war.

If the same sentiment was applied by those who lost their husbands and sons in the Confederacy during the Civil War none of this Lost Cause nonsense would've happened.

[pashanoble]

States don't have rights. States have powers. People have rights. A correct reading of the Constitution discredits the argument of states rights.

[jacobedward]

I liked the part where Congress had their shit together and could challenge the power of the executive branch.

[michaelsinger]

Grant was probably the most pro-Civil Rights President up until the 1960’s.

[lrkcm]

Imagine a US where Reconstruction didn’t end in failure, and the South actually reformed for the better. We’d be a much better country that way.

[JavaT]

Reconstruction is my favorite topic because it shows that equality is not just legal, but social as well (as in perceptions). Thank you for this video!

[PhilipDeLong]

I think the term "race riot" can be confusing due to its use to describe the attacks you talk about in this lecture, as well as the disturbances in black communities during the civil rights era. For these violent persecutions of a particular group, I like to use the term "pogrom." I know it is generally used to refer to the Russian persecution of Jews, but it is otherwise apt. I don't expect it to become common, however.

[melissamaddron]

Having lived in the town Andrew Johnson was from and visited his homes and museum I feel like this is not at all what I learned about his presidency and impeachment. Very interesting. TY.

[dwc]

The term "race riot" confused me when I first read it in history books, because my first image was of the Watts and Detroit and similar riots in Black ghettoes in the 1960s, which had been on the TV news in the background of my early childhood before I had the mental capacity much less contextual knowledge to have any understanding of, but which came back to me in history class as a teenager.
So when I read about Tulsa and Rosewood and a couple others, the mentions were so brief that the term got me twisted about what they were.
And then I learned what they were, and the term "race riot" has annoyed me ever since. it seems designed to obscure the nature of the phenomenon.
As Cypher inserts a couple of times, "massacre" is more appropriate. But even so, there's something ... missing from it.
From my learning about Jewish history in eastern Europe in the late-19th and early-20th century, I learned the only word I've ever heard that conveys with _specificity_ the nature of the phenomenon it denotes - *_pogrom_*

[catofthecastle]

I, being raised in the south by southerners whose grandparents owned slaves, understand that we needed a reconstruction, just not the one we got! My dad was raised by these people, but during WWII was a 3 year prisoner of the Japanese, along with a troop of black soldiers! To say his feelings did a180 degree shift is a huge understatement, and my mom was raised with 2 siblings by her widowed mother! They often had nothing except her $33 social security check. When we visited my paternal grandparents, I understood little of their diatribe against the “animal darkies”. I didn’t have a clue what was going on, luckily we didn’t visit often because my parents couldn’t handle this talk. Around 1970, a cousin went away to college, and I never saw her again!, Until her mom’s funeral in 2003, when I met my 3 half black cousins!!! I’m not sure i will ever not be mad that I was denied access to cousins I never got to know! They were gracious, highly intelligent people i would have been proud to have as part of my family, but we were virtually strangers with little in common. Reconstruction and Jim Crow are stains we can’t get out now, but hopefully in the future, young people will finally erase that.

[SpiritualStuntman]

You're a hero in my book brother. Thank you

[yungyahweh]

Matt Christman on the Hell of Presidents podcast really hit a lot of what you're saying. Your vid is still fantastic and so are you

[manuginobilisbaldspot]

Reconstruction established a new, more damning reality for Black people in America. Liberals and moderate whites would help you up until a certain point, and that was that. And worse, would absolutely use your interests as fodder in negotiations for things you wouldn't be as privy to. The past is ALWAYS prologue. I laugh when people try to turn this reality in to some argument about political party as if the modern Republican party was the same as the one that existed in the 19th century. It's more about the reality that American politics have never fully had the equality of Black people in mind. Perhaps in theory, but never truly in practice. The way the era of Reconstruction ended...with the progressive Republicans knowing FULL WELL what their 'compromise' to put Rutherford B. Hayes in office meant for my elders, was all the proof I needed.

[seanmccrackine]

Great content- amazing work packing that much info into a 30 minute lecture.

[guybrushthreepwood]

Many white abolitionists were very racist and wanted to ship all slaves 'back' to Africa and for many the main argument against slavery was the economic argument that it was less profitable than free labor. A lot of northerners supported segregation in the North and the continuing genocide of Native Americans. The Civil War was fought against slavery but not against racism. That's an important destinction and helps explain the failures of reconstruction and why near all Confederates were pardonned: most white Americans just didn't care enough except for the minority group of radicals who quickly lost momentum.

[In_Our_Timeline]

You have one of the most interesting perspective at looking at history I have agreed with you in so many topic that I have lost count I really want you to cover the middle east more often

[aaronhawkins]

You always mostly do a solid job with American history. Very good. Love the content.