The military district was established to enforce federal authority and ensure compliance with Reconstruction policies following the Civil War. Southern states had to be controlled to protect the rights of newly freed African Americans and to prevent the resurgence of Confederate sympathies. Federal troops were deployed to maintain order, oversee elections, and ensure that states adopted new constitutions that guaranteed civil rights. This military oversight was deemed necessary to facilitate a smooth reintegration of the southern states into the Union.
Following the Union victory in the Civil War, Tennessee had already been readmitted to the Union in July 1866, The remaining Confederate States were governed by the North as military districts, as per the Reconstruction Act passed in March 1867.
At the end of the Civil War, there were five southern states that had military governments: Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. These military governments were established as part of the Reconstruction efforts to re-integrate the southern states into the Union and to enforce new laws aimed at protecting the rights of freed slaves. The military presence was crucial in maintaining order and overseeing the transition to civilian rule.
The U.S. Congress, under the control of the Radical Republicans, passed the Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 on March 7, in spite of President Johnson's veto. This act sought to rebuild the governments of the southern states using the governments of the northern states as examples. It was also implemented to ensure that the civil rights of the free blacks in the South by requiring the states in the South to include the rights of free blacks in their constitutions. The Military Reconstruction Act divided the South into five military districts. Virginia became the first district, North Carolina and South Carolina the second district, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida the third district, Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and Louisiana and Texas the fifth district. These territories were placed under the military control of the United States. The first military commanders had virtually unlimited power. The Military Reconstruction Act also required the southern states to elect new government officials. This is because following the Civil War, the representatives from the South that arrived in the capital to represent their states were the leaders of the Confederacy during the Civil War! The people that had been fighting the Union merely months before had shown up in Washington, D.C. to take their seats in the government. This created many problems because there was too much tension in the government between the southern representatives and the northern representatives. The final term of the Military Reconstruction Act was that the new southern state governments needed to pass the 14th Amendment (which defined citizenship and gave every citizen the right to due process). The Military Reconstruction Act is important to history for many reasons. This act was a way that the Radical Republicans in Congress could punish the southern states that had previously made up the Confederacy. It was also a way that they could ensure rights for the free blacks in the South. The southern Democrats at the end of the Civil War knew that once slavery was abolished, they would need a new way to control wealth and labor in the South so that they could, once again, be the most powerful and influential people in the South. To do this, they had passed "Black Codes", which limited the rights of the free blacks. These codes were different in each state, and they were strongly opposed by the Radical Republicans. The Military Reconstruction Act was a way that the Radical Republicans could ensure the free blacks certain rights, and also punish the southern states for their behavior before and during the Civil War.
The Congressional Reconstruction Plan established five military districts in the South. These districts were created to oversee the reconstruction process and enforce new laws aimed at integrating formerly enslaved people into society and ensuring their civil rights. Each district was governed by a Union general and aimed to maintain order and facilitate the re-admittance of Southern states into the Union.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa was created in 1845.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois was created on 1855-02-13.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama was created on 1824-03-10.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio was created on 1822-03-16.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida was created on 1847-02-23.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas was created on 1902-03-11.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi was created on 1838-06-18.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia was created on 1848-08-11.
United States District Court for the Southern District of California was created on 1886-08-05.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana was created on 1928-04-21.
United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia was created on 1901-01-22.
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York was created on 1789-09-24.