Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) Review

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to the Reconstruction Era in the United States, including amendments, laws, and significant actions taken during this period.

Reconstruction

The period during which the U.S. government sought to rebuild the nation and address the status of the Southern states after the Civil War.

Thirteenth Amendment

A constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the United States.

Radical Republicans

A faction within Congress that sought to impose strict civil rights protections for African Americans and was opposed to President Johnson's lenient policies.

Freedman’s Bureau

An agency established by Congress in 1865 to assist former slaves by providing food, housing, education, and healthcare.

Black Codes

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

Fourteenth Amendment

An amendment that granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and guaranteed equal protection under the law.

Fifteenth Amendment

An amendment that granted African American men the right to vote.

Sharecropping

A system where landowners provided land and materials to farmers in exchange for a portion of the crops produced.

Impeachment

A process by which a sitting president can be charged with misconduct or crimes while in office.

Jim Crow laws

State and local laws that enforced racial segregation and discriminated against African Americans following the Reconstruction era.