Civil War and Reconstruction Key Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to the Civil War, Reconstruction, and their connections to the Declaration of Independence.

Civil War Amendments

The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments expanding liberty, citizenship, and voting rights in line with the Declaration of Independence.

13th Amendment

Abolishes slavery in the United States.

14th Amendment

Defines citizenship, requires states to protect basic rights, and guarantees equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment

Prohibits denying the right to vote on the basis of race; grants African American suffrage.

Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln's 1863 executive order freeing slaves in rebellious territories.

Lincoln

16th President; Republican; aimed to halt the spread of slavery and preserve the Union; elected in 1860 when his party split.

Andrew Johnson

Vice President who became President after Lincoln; Southern sympathizer; clashed with Congress; used veto power; impeached but not removed.

Impeachment

Constitutional process to charge a president with crimes; initiated by the House; removal requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate.

Reconstruction

Period after the Civil War to reintegrate Southern states and redefine rights; often contested between presidential and Congressional plans.

Secession

Southern states' act of leaving the United States to form the Confederacy.

Union

The United States government and its Northern states during the Civil War.

Confederacy

The group of Southern states that seceded from the Union and fought against it.

Civil War

War from 1861 to 1865 between the Union and the Confederacy over slavery and secession.

Ford's Theatre

The theatre where President Lincoln was assassinated.

John Wilkes Booth

The assassin who killed Abraham Lincoln.

1860 Election

Lincoln's win as a Republican amid a split Republican Party, contributing to Southern secession.

Veto Power

Presidential authority to reject legislation; used by Johnson in his clashes with Congress over Reconstruction.

Migration (Westward)

Movement of settlers toward and into western territories during this era.

Suffrage

The right to vote, extended to African American men by the 15th Amendment.

All men are created equal

Foundational idea from the Declaration of Independence used to frame the goal of the Civil War amendments.

Citizenship

Status granted by the 14th Amendment; birth in the U.S. or naturalization confers rights and duties.

Equal Protection

Guarantee in the 14th Amendment that laws must treat people equally under the law.

Due Process of Law

Legal requirement that individuals are afforded fair procedures before the government deprives them of life, liberty, or property (part of the 14th Amendment).

Lincoln’s Reconstruction

President Lincoln’s approach aiming for quick, lenient reintegration of the South without harsh punishment.

Declaration of Independence

Foundational document asserting equality and rights that the Civil War amendments help realize.