The Compromise of 1877 was an informal arrangement between national Democrats and Republicans. The two parties settled the disputed presidential election of 1876 by allowing Republican, Rutherford B. Hayes to become president while permitting Democrats to take political control of southern states Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina.
Before the compromise, the election of 1876 lead to violence and bloodshed in the South. However, the national results caused confusion as Samuel Tilden, the Democratic presidential candidate, won the popular vote by more than 250,000 and had a large lead over Republican Rutherford B. Hayes in the electoral vote. It was said that both Democrats and Republicans claimed to have won in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina, (as well as Oregon). These southern states were the last three that had not been redeemed. With the 20 remaining electoral votes in dispute, it was not until shortly before March of 1877 when this issue was resolved.
To resolve the dispute, Congress set up an electoral commission in January 1887. This consisted of five U.S. representatives, five …show more content…
Southern Democrats did not keep the promises to protect the civil and political rights of African Americans. In addition, the end of federal interference in southern affairs led to widespread disenfranchisement of black voters. This was due to white southerners not tolerating either the presence of black men in politics or white Republicans who accepted black political involvement, and white northerners who kept growing weary of intervening. All felt that black men and women were their inferiors and should not take participation in government politics. In other words, whites believed that reconstruction was a mistake. The following years of the compromise involved southern legislature passing series of laws requiring the separation of whites and “people of color”. This was the very beginning of the Jim Crow
Before the compromise, the election of 1876 lead to violence and bloodshed in the South. However, the national results caused confusion as Samuel Tilden, the Democratic presidential candidate, won the popular vote by more than 250,000 and had a large lead over Republican Rutherford B. Hayes in the electoral vote. It was said that both Democrats and Republicans claimed to have won in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina, (as well as Oregon). These southern states were the last three that had not been redeemed. With the 20 remaining electoral votes in dispute, it was not until shortly before March of 1877 when this issue was resolved.
To resolve the dispute, Congress set up an electoral commission in January 1887. This consisted of five U.S. representatives, five …show more content…
Southern Democrats did not keep the promises to protect the civil and political rights of African Americans. In addition, the end of federal interference in southern affairs led to widespread disenfranchisement of black voters. This was due to white southerners not tolerating either the presence of black men in politics or white Republicans who accepted black political involvement, and white northerners who kept growing weary of intervening. All felt that black men and women were their inferiors and should not take participation in government politics. In other words, whites believed that reconstruction was a mistake. The following years of the compromise involved southern legislature passing series of laws requiring the separation of whites and “people of color”. This was the very beginning of the Jim Crow