Reconstruction Era

These flashcards cover the key terms and concepts associated with the Reconstruction Era, including its challenges, major players, and significant events.

Reconstruction

The period from 1865 to 1877 during which the U.S. aimed to reintegrate the former Confederate states into the Union.

Radical Republicans

A faction in Congress that pushed for a transformative plan to reshape the South and ensure rights for African Americans.

Freedmen’s Bureau

Established in 1865 to assist former slaves by providing education, negotiating labor contracts, and legalizing marriages.

Sharecropping

A system where farmworkers, often former slaves, work land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crops.

Black Codes

Laws passed by Southern states to restrict the rights of African Americans after the Civil War.

Southern Resistance

Efforts by Southerners to reclaim control from the North and limit the rights of African Americans post-Civil War.

The Compromise of 1877

An agreement that resolved the 1876 election and led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.

Lincoln’s Assassination

The murder of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, which impacted the direction of Reconstruction.

Enfranchisement

The granting of the right to vote, which was sought by Radical Republicans for African Americans.

Financial Crisis

Economic downturns that contributed to the end of the Reconstruction era.