Civil War and Reconstruction Study Guide

Flashcards testing knowledge of key concepts, battles, amendments, and legal decisions from the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.

What does the term sectionalism mean?

Loyalty to one's own region rather than the nation as a whole.

What was popular sovereignty?

The principle that residents of a territory should decide whether to permit slavery in their territory.

Which landmark legislation allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether to allow slavery?

The Kansas-Nebraska Act.

What did the Supreme Court rule in the Dred Scott decision regarding African Americans and slavery?

It ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories.

What occurred during the period known as Bleeding Kansas?

Violence between pro- and anti-slavery forces in Kansas.

What took place during John Brown's Raid?

A raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry.

What event initiated the conflict at Fort Sumter?

Confederate forces attacked a U.S. fort.

What major political outcome resulted from the Election of 1860?

Abraham Lincoln was elected president.

How did disagreements over states' rights contribute to sectional conflict?

By creating debates about the federal government's power versus the power of individual states.

What was the goal of the Union's Anaconda Plan?

To weaken the Confederacy through a naval blockade and by controlling the Mississippi River.

Which battle was a major turning point in the East in 1863?

Gettysburg.

What was the strategic importance of the Siege of Vicksburg?

It gave the Union control of the Mississippi River and helped split the Confederacy.

Why was General Sherman's capture of Atlanta important to Abraham Lincoln's 1864 reelection?

It demonstrated Union military success and helped reassure voters.

What did the Emancipation Proclamation declare?

It declared enslaved people free in areas of the country that were in rebellion against the United States.

What were major consequences of the Civil War?

Preservation of the Union, abolition of slavery, and strengthening of federal power.

What historic event occurred at Appomattox in 1865?

General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to General Ulysses S. Grant.

What was Reconstruction?

The period when the nation attempted to rebuild the South and address the consequences of the Civil War.

What was the main purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau?

To provide assistance, education, and legal support to newly freed African Americans and poor whites in the South.

What were Black Codes?

Laws passed by Southern states that primarily restricted the freedoms and rights of African Americans.

What constitutional change was established by the 13th Amendment?

It abolished slavery.

What constitutional change was established by the 14th Amendment?

It granted citizenship and equal protection under the law.

What constitutional change was established by the 15th Amendment?

It protected voting rights for African American men.

What was the Civil Rights Act of 1866 designed to do?

To define U.S. citizenship and affirm that all citizens were equally protected by the law.

Which political group generally favored a stronger federal role and tougher requirements for Southern states during Reconstruction?

Radical Republicans.

What did the Reconstruction Act of 1867 mandate for Southern states?

It divided the South into military districts and required Southern states to meet conditions for readmission.

Why was President Andrew Johnson impeached?

Because he violated the Tenure of Office Act by removing the Secretary of War without Senate approval.

What is the difference between a tenant farmer and a sharecropper?

A tenant farmer rented land from a landlord, while a sharecropper used the landlord's land and tools in exchange for part of the crop.

How did debt peonage affect workers?

It trapped workers in a cycle of debt.

Which historic event is most closely associated with the end of Reconstruction?

The Compromise of 1877.

What key military action was taken under the Compromise of 1877?

Federal troops were withdrawn from the South.

What were Jim Crow laws designed to do?

Enforce racial segregation.

How did poll taxes restrict voting rights?

By requiring a person to pay a fee to vote.

How did literacy tests restrict voting rights?

By requiring a voter to demonstrate reading or literacy.

What was the purpose of a grandfather clause in Southern voting legislation?

To exempt some white voters from voting restrictions based on an ancestor's voting status.

What legal principle was upheld by the Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson?

It upheld racial segregation under the concept of 'separate but equal'.

What were two major achievements of Reconstruction?

The abolition of slavery and the granting of citizenship and equal protection.

How did the Civil War and Reconstruction change the United States overall?

By abolishing slavery, maintaining the Union, and starting the process of joining African Americans into American society.