U.S. Reconstruction

U.S. Reconstruction

U.S. Reconstruction

The process of reuniting the country and rebuilding the South after the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln

U.S. President led the nation during the Civil War and initiated the Reconstruction process to restore the Union.

Andrew Johnson

Lincoln's vice president; Was impeached as President because Congress thought he was abusing his power.

freedmen

Former slaves who were granted freedom after the Civil War, often seeking land and rights during Reconstruction.

Emancipation Proclamation

A presidential order issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate states.

13th Amendment

A constitutional amendment ratified (approved) in 1865 that abolished slavery in the United States.

Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction

Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan (1863) that required 10% of a southern state population to swear loyalty; granted pardons to most Southerners; Required southern states to accept the emancipation of slaves.

Wade-Davis Bill

A bill introduced in 1864 that proposed stricter requirements for southern states to rejoin the Union, including a majority of white males to take a loyalty oath and banned Confederate leaders from running for office..

Freedmen’s Bureau

A federal agency established in 1865 to assist freed slaves and poor whites in the South by providing food, housing, education, and medical care.

ratify

To approve a law or amendment

Thomas Nast

"Father of American Cartoons;” Drew political cartoons during Reconstruction.

Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan

Did not punish the South except for the rich & highest ranking Confederate officers - though, he was generous with pardons; Opposed equal rights for African Americans.

Radical Republicans

A faction within the Republican Party that advocated for stringent policies towards the South during Reconstruction, seeking to secure civil rights for freed slaves and to ensure their political and social equality.

Thaddeus Stevens

A leading Radical Republican and powerful advocate for African American civil rights, Stevens was instrumental in the push for Reconstruction policies.

Black Codes

Laws passed in Southern states to restrict the rights and freedoms of freed slaves after the Civil War (labor contracts, vagrancy laws, and restrictions on property ownership).

14th Amendment

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that grants citizenship rights to all persons born or naturalized in the United States (except for Native Americans) and guarantees equal protection under the law.

Reconstruction Acts of 1867

Laws that divided the South into military districts and outlined the process for reintegration into the Union, aimed at enforcing civil rights for freed slaves.

Civil Rights Acts of 1867

Legislation aimed at protecting the civil rights of African Americans, prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal rights in various aspects of public life.

impeach

To formally charge a public official with misconduct or wrongdoing, leading to a trial to determine removal from office.

removal

The process of dismissing a public official from their position, often following impeachment.