Reconstruction notes

What event led to Andrew Johnson becoming President?

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865.

What was a significant action taken against Southern leaders and soldiers in Spring 1865?

They were arrested or placed under military supervision after Confederate armies surrendered.

What did former slaves on Edisto Island petition President Andrew Johnson for in Spring 1865?

The restoration of land to former slaveholders.

What was Andrew Johnson's approach to Presidential Reconstruction in May 1865?

He issued pardons to many former Confederates and allowed Southern states to hold conventions with minimal federal oversight.

What did Southern state governments begin to enact in Late 1865?

They passed 'Black Codes' to regulate the lives of African Americans.

What happened in December 1865 regarding the Thirteenth Amendment?

Many former rebel states ratified it, some with declarations that emancipation was void.

What bill did Congress pass in February 1866 that President Johnson vetoed?

A bill extending and expanding the power of the Freedmen's Bureau.

What Amendment was ratified in 1868 guarantees citizenship and guarantees equal protection under the law.

The Fourteenth Amendment, which defined national citizenship and guaranteed equal protection under the law.

What did the Republicans achieve in the November 1866 midterm elections?

They gained an overwhelming majority in Congress.

What significant legislation did Congress pass on March 2, 1867?

The Reconstruction Acts, dividing the South into five military districts.

What violent group emerged from 1867 to 1871 to oppose Reconstruction?

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

What did President Andrew Johnson do in February 1868 that defied the Tenure of Office Act?

He dismissed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.

What was the outcome of Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial in March 1868?

He was acquitted by one vote.

Who won the presidency in November 1868?

Ulysses S. Grant, supported by the Republican Party.

What did Congress approve in February 1869?

The Fifteenth Amendment, prohibiting voting rights denial based on race.

What was the status of many former Confederate states by 1870?

They were made to sign the 13th,14th, and 15th Amendments to be readmitted to congress

What did Congress pass on April 20, 1871?

The Ku Klux Klan Act, authorizing federal action against terrorist organizations.

What event in 1873 affected public support for Reconstruction?

The Bank Panic of 1873 a financial panic leading to an economic depression.

What happened to the House of Representatives in 1874?

Democrats gained control for the first time since before the Civil War.

What controversial election took place in November 1876?

The disputed presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden.

What was negotiated in February 1877 regarding the election results?

Democratic Legislatures accepting the result of the 1876 election committee and ratifying the election

What marked the end of Reconstruction in March 1877?

Rutherford B. Hayes was declared winner and federal troops were removed from the South.

What did Jefferson Davis publish in 1881?

'The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government,' arguing the war was about states' rights.

What did the sharecropping contract in 1882 illustrate?

The harsh economic conditions and dependence sharecroppers faced after emancipation.

What myth solidified in the South during the late 1880s?

The 'Lost Cause' myth, portraying the Confederacy's effort as noble.

What did the Freedmen's vision of freedom encompass?

Self-ownership, family stability, religious liberty, political participation, and economic autonomy.

What issue did the Reconstruction era face regarding Southern Democrats?

The rise of violent opposition to maintain racial hierarchy.

What legislation aimed to protect African American rights during Reconstruction?

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.

What was one key result of Radical Reconstruction?

Establishment of school systems for African Americans and purging of racist laws.