The Tilden - Hayes election is VERY worthwhile. It has been completely overlooked and I think this may be because or education system is political based. That is NOT BAD. It just is a way of assureing "We, the people" have a voice in how education is done. Local school boards are directly elected but huge power rests at the state level where we elect legislators and Governors who fund education.

 

Many excellent effects come from this system. The Societ Union used schools as a tool for dis-information. As did Nazi Germany and myriad systems over centuries. Our democratic form has weakness which sometimes GLARE but,,, What is the quote? "Our republican democracy often an ineffectivesystem. But show me a better one!"

 

So... It was nver popular to teach our history with it's less desireable incidents showing flaws in our systems. Thus the Tilden election was not taught much. Now, with the horrible flaws in Florida in the last election and the highly controversial Supreme Court handling of it,,, this is the time to look at Tilden hayes. And remember in teaching it that THIS recent event was one where many could have been expected to publicly deride the courts, the constitutional procedures, our Presidential election system for it's uncertainty. (At the BEST form of description of the election of 2,000.)

Damage to our governmental structure and the Supreme Court could have been very significant and destructive. After the last decision, both sides can be shown to have conducted themselves in a way in which damage was lmited. Especially Vice President Gore.

 

RECONSTRUCTION,,,, The same force of public opinion and human tendency to react with emotion first is brought to bear. AS VIEWED BY THE AMERICANS WHO LIVED AND FEARED AND HOPED THEN,,, in "real time", was it effective? Were actions and inaction reasonable? Did not the ensuing prejudices of race, region of residense (anti "red neck" southern, "egg head" northern city folk, etc), and rural vs. city dweller harden because we abandoned Lincoln's view of how post Civil War America shoulds be governed? Yes.

 

He went to Georgia days before Lee surrendered to Grant to meet with several of his military leaders. Lincoln was asked how the southerners should be treated.

 

He had a very quick response. No hesitation was there at all. He had thought long and thoroughly about it. He believed in "the better angels of our nature" as he had said to the south several years before. He told his military leaders in his typical plain language selection,,, "Let 'em up easy boys. Let 'em up easy!"

 

Huge shock at the assassination, anger and bitterness over it,,, The fact that in it's last half, the War had been taken to northern locations and impacted Washington DC as well as New York city and much of Pennsylvania and other location made the impact of war very apparent to even the relatively "safe" north. (Though much is made of the Sherman march to the sea and his 60  mile wide swath of destruction and exerperience of other battles too,,,) many northerners wanted to "teach 'em a lesson." So much of "re-construction was half hearted where intent was good othe people of those moments in time who made decisions and conducted themselves in ways which had hudge negative ripples in the fabrics of  the populatrion.

 

In short,,, This whole period from the war through the end of the century is the long birthing period for our nation. My father,  who loved American history once saaid,,, "What is so special about this nation is the it is still a'borning. It always will be."

 

America is perpetual creation.

 

Scott Brundage

 

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msk1515,   The answer is yes and no.  Reconstruction ended as a result of compromises that were made in order to end the Tilden Hayes election deadlock. The result was a South that was able to rejoin the union, but still retain state's rights. The "Radical" Republicans, e.g. Thaddeus Stevens wanted to have strictly enforced laws to protect the rights of  former slaves and all Negroes. That part of reconstruction failed, and Blacks were denied the right to vote and suffered under the humiliation of Jim Crow segregation.   This was also a time of industrialization and the expansion of the railroads, and the new Republicans wanted business to be their top priority. 

 

Please see my biography on William Wheeler  on Quest's Board.