The Compromise of 1877: Resolving the Controversial Election of 1876
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Explain why the Compromise of 1877 was agreed.
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The Compromise of 1877 was agreed upon primarily due to a combination of political, economic, and regional factors that converged to create a situation in which both the Republican Party and Southern Democrats were motivated to reach a resolution.
One key reason for the Compromise was the political deadlock that emerged from the controversial results of the 1876 Presidential election. With the Democratic candidate, Samuel Tilden, winning the popular vote and leading in the Electoral College, the disputed electoral votes in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina created a situation where neither candidate had a clear victory. This led to a stalemate and heightened tensions between the parties, necessitating a resolution to avoid a potential constitutional crisis.
Additionally, the Republicans were eager to focus on economic recovery following the economic downturn of the Panic of 1873. By agreeing to the Compromise and allowing Rutherford Hayes to assume the presidency, the Republicans aimed to shift attention away from the contentious election and towards addressing the pressing economic challenges facing the country.
On the other hand, Southern Democrats saw the Compromise as an opportunity to end Reconstruction, which had been a source of ongoing conflict and tension in the South. By agreeing to support Hayes as President in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and increased federal aid for infrastructure projects, the Southern Democrats sought to regain control over their states and assert their own political power.
In conclusion, the Compromise of 1877 was agreed upon due to a combination of political expediency, economic concerns, and regional interests. It marked the end of Reconstruction and allowed for a resolution to the contested 1876 election, albeit at the cost of reinforcing racial segregation and disenfranchisement in the South.
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Explain why the Compromise of 1877 was agreed.
After the controversial results of the 1876 Presidential election, the Compromise was passed once again which saw the United States at an impasse over who should take power. It signalled the end of the project of Reconstruction.
• In February 1877, the Compromise was an informal deal between the Republican Party and Southern Democrats. In return for the Republicans (a) aiding various infrastructure projects and (b) withdrawing federal troops from the South, those Democrats would accept the Republican, Rutherford Hayes, as President.
• The Democratic candidate, Samuel Tilden, had not only clearly won the popular vote, but more narrowly led the Electoral College vote. However, twenty Electoral College votes were disputed in Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina. An electoral commission was appointed to rule on these results. Divided on party lines, it awarded all twenty votes to Hayes who, as a result, won the Electoral College by a single vote.
• South wanted to end Reconstruction.
• Republicans wanted to focus attention on economic recovery after the ‘panic’ of 1873.
Thus, the Compromise showed that the project of Reconstruction had largely been a failure in that the two halves of the union had not been successfully reunited – at least not in party political terms. Accept any other valid responses.