jan 1, 1867 - 1867: First reconstruction Act [POLITICAL]

Description:

- Invalidated state governments set up by Johnson after the Civil War and divided the south into 5 military districts.

- Federal laws giving ciivl rights to AAs to be enforced in the North and the South.

- New state assemblies were to be elected by universal male suffrage regardless of colour.

- Pardons issued by Johnson to former Confederates were invalidated which deprived them of the right to vote.

- New state assemblies had to draw up state constitutions accepting the 13th and 14th amendments.

- Across the south, 700,000 black men were enrolled to vote and voted for the first time. Their vote resulted in black men being elected to both state assemblies and to Congress. In the 1870s, 22 AAs were elected to Congress - 20 to the house of representatives and 2 to the senate.

In total 2000 AAs held public office from local to Senate level.

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