Chapter 15 Worksheet

.Who is the author of this chapter and what information can you find about the author elsewhere in the text?

The author is Jerrell H. Shofner. He wrote a book called Nor is it Over Yet about the period of Reconstruction. 

.According to this chapter, list 2 things that were in desperate need of 'reconstruction'. 

According to this chapter, Jerrell H. Schofner discusses how the government and the economy needed reconstruction. (Gannon, 2018). In the History of Florida.

.Florida stands apart from other areas in the way that General newton handled two main areas: Politics and freedman. Discuss both. In The History of Florida Jerrell H. Schofner states " General John Newton instructed Florida planters to assemble their former slaves, explain that they were now free, and ask them to remain on the plantations and work for wages. Compensation was to be paid in shares of the harvest." (Gannon,2018). the Freedman's Bureau agents were sent out to make sure it was being supervised but were using the military guidelines to apply to these cases. It was still a big struggle for freedmen to get the correct respect and conditions they were deserving of. The economy was still struggling as well since labor and things like cotton were in a big decline which affected many black and white farmers.

.Demand for cotton was decreasing during the early years of reconstruction.

.White and black farmers alike were given a new structure in which to run their land (called by 3 different terms in the text). what is one of the names of this new agricultural system used by the author?

Schofner states tenant farming is one of the terms used for the name of this new system. (Gannon,2018). In The History of Florida.

.What 2 issues engulfed Florida as well as the entire nation, just as Lincoln feared it would?

In The History of Florida Schofner states, "Lincoln had anticipated the anger and bitterness that eventually engulfed the nation over these matters' (Gannon, 2018).

.Schofner describes a very sticky situation in regards to president Jhonson restoring land ownership to former confederates. Reflect on how this affects the station-wide condition at the time.

This action caused a lot of tension in the state. Some of the lands were already sold and being used for other things so when this happened many the peace was tested in a lot of places. This made the struggle of reconstruction much worse and lasted until the 1890s.

.What does the text mean about Lincoln's "non-punitive ideas' ?

The text means that after the war the confederates were given little to no punishment for their actions which resulted in them resisting the change of African Americans being free men and allowing them to take roles in government. This gave a lot of power to former confederates to build a government that supported confederate beliefs and took away power from African Americans. This caused a lot of complaints and tension.

.We know that 'Black codes" took shape despite the efforts of the Freedman's Bureau. Describe the ways Florida fell into the practices.

On the report of Schofner in The History of Florida "Freedmen were given customary civil rights except that they were not permitted to give testimony in cases involving white people. Since most of their difficulties were with employers, this was a major shortcoming. Beyond that, a lengthy series of laws clearly discriminated between white and black citizens, even to the extent of substituting corporal punishments for fines and imprisonment for blacks convicted of crimes" (Gannon,2018).

.Why was the Civil Rights Act of 1865 so ineffective?

Presidents Johson tried to veto the act but was overruled by congress. The tension between president Johnson and congress made the power of the army and the bureau decline because of this and they were not able to protect freedmen or the Unionists in Florida.

.What legislative measures marked the end of martial law in Florida?

President Johnson put out an even stronger order to bring back civil law. General foster then resigned because of the contradicting and confusing laws he was to carry out. Congress then pushed the president aside and made its own plan. New elections began and the fourteenth amendment was ratified. There was an assembly and a constitution was produced.  Harrison Reed was elected Governor. 

.Describe the internal divisions that developed in Florida during the reconstruction years.

In The History of Florida, Schofner expresses that 'Vigilantes such as the Klu Klux Klan and the Young Men's Democratic clubs used violence and intimidation to discourage or prevent newly enfranchised blacks from exercising their voting privileges. Leaders were threatened, beaten, and killed"(Gannon,2018).

.What 2 measures were taken by conservative whites to prevent Freedmen from exercising their rights to suffrage?

They would deny credit and land rental to freedmen as well as create groups like the Klu Klux Klan to intimidate and push freedmen from doing things like voting by using violence.

.What is the contrasting difference between reconstruction effects in the middle and peninsular Florida?

Schofner states "While reconstruction brought unwelcome changes and political and critical strife to the Middle Florida plantation belt, it concomitantly helped to open up peninsular Florida to settlement" (Gannon, 2018). In The History of Florida.

.When Schofner turns from reconstruction to renewal, list industries and individuals who played a role.

Floridians started publishing a newspaper to attract settlers. Hubbard Hart's steamers made travel possible up through St. Johns. He also opened up a tourist attraction by opening up the Ocklawaha River. Fredrick DeBary built a hotel and transported visitors. Henry S. Sanford developed two large orange groves. 

.The late entry of what industry had a negative impact on Florida renewal?

The industry was suitable railroad transportation.

.The political temperature in Florida changes dramatically in the renewal years. Expand on that and include the one negative piece of legislature that added to already active black codes.

The act of writing a new constitution that included a poll tax that kept many black voters away from the polls. At first, it seemed there would be some political peace but then the Democrats became widely in power which took away power from freedmen and took many out of leadership roles. 

Works Cited

Gannon, M. (2018) The History of Florida. University Press of Florida.