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Study GuideU.S. History I–Era of Reconstruction1.Grant Administration; Reconstruction EndsAs the Civil War faded into the past,Reconstruction slowly lost national support. Other politicaland economic issues began to take center stage. Over time, the Republican Party backed away fromefforts to protect African Americans’ rights, even though those rights were written into the Constitution.Supreme Court decisions, political fatigue, and economic troublesall played a role in bringingReconstruction to an end.1.1The Election of Ulysses S. Grant (1868)In 1868, Republicans nominatedUlysses S. Grant, the Union general who accepted Robert E. Lee’ssurrender. Grant was extremely popular with veterans, and because he had little political experience,many expected him to follow Congress’s lead.Voters faced a clear choice:•Republicanssupported Reconstruction, wanted to pay the national debt in gold, anddefended Black voting rights in the South.•Democratsopposed Reconstruction, called it military rule, supported paper money(“greenbacks”), and appealed to white voters who believed African Americans were gainingtoo much power.Grant easily won theelectoral vote, but thepopular vote was close. Newly enfranchised Blackvoters in the South were critical to his victory.1.2Foreign Policy Successes and Expansion EffortsOne of Grant’s major achievements was settling a long-standing dispute withGreat Britain. British-built ships had helped the Confederacy during the war, especially theAlabama, a Confederate raider.•In1871, both countries agreed to let an international court decide the issue.•The tribunal ruled in favor of the United States, awardingmore than $15 millionin damages.Grant also looked to expand U.S. influence:•The U.S. had already boughtAlaskafrom Russia in 1867.•Grant tried to annexSanto Domingo (Dominican Republic)in 1870, but the plan lackedsupport—even within his cabinet—and the Senate rejected it.

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Study Guide1.3Scandals and Corruption at HomeGrant’s presidency was plagued byscandals, often involving people close to him:•His brother-in-law joined financiersJay Gould and Jim Fiskin a scheme to control the goldmarket.•Vice PresidentSchuyler Colfaxwas tied to theCrédit Mobilier scandal, involving railroadcorruption.•In New York City, political bossWilliam “Boss” Tweedand the Tweed Ring stole millionsthrough bribery and fraud.These scandals hurt public trust and weakened Grant’s leadership.1.4The Republican Party Splits (1872)Concern about corruption and Reconstruction caused a split within the Republican Party.•Liberal Republicansbroke away and nominatedHorace Greeley, a newspaper editor.•Greeley was also supported by the Democrats.•He favoredending Reconstruction immediately, civil service reform, and stopping landgiveaways to railroads.Despite these challenges,Grant won reelection in 1872, with even larger margins than in 1868.1.5The Panic of 1873 and Economic CrisisGrant’s second term coincided with a major economic disaster.•Overinvestment in railroadsled to financial collapse.•The failure ofJay Cooke’s banktriggered a stock market crash.•Thousands of businesses failed, unemployment rose, and crop prices fell.A major debate followed over money:•Hard-money supporterswanted currency backed by gold.•Farmers and manufacturerswanted more paper money to make credit easier.

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Study Guide1.6Reconstruction Begins to CollapseSeveral actions weakened Reconstruction:•General Amnesty Act (1872):Removed restrictions on former Confederate leaders.•Slaughterhouse Cases (1873):The Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendmentprotected only national citizenship, not state citizenship, limiting federal power to protect civilrights.Congress made one final effort:•Civil Rights Act of 1875banned racial discrimination in public places and protected juryservice.•The law waspoorly enforcedand later struck down by the Supreme Court in1883.By the mid-1870s,both political parties were ready to abandon Reconstruction.1.7The Controversial Election of 1876The 1876 election was one of the most disputed in U.S. history.•Republicans:Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio, known for honesty.•Democrats:Samuel J. Tilden of New York, famous for fighting corruption.Tilden wonmore popular votes, but wasone electoral vote shortof victory. Twenty electoral votesfrom four states were disputed.Congress formed a special commission:•8 Republicans and 7 Democrats•The commission voted8–7each time—in favor of Hayes.1.8The Compromise of 1877: Reconstruction EndsDemocrats in Congress threatened to block Hayes’s presidency unless concessions were made.TheCompromise of 1877settled the crisis:•Hayes became president.

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