American Civil War and Reconstruction

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the American Civil War and Reconstruction.

Blockade

A military tactic preventing goods and supplies from reaching an enemy.

Emancipation Proclamation

An executive order by President Lincoln proclaiming the freedom of slaves in Confederate states.

Total War

A military strategy that involves not only defeating the enemy's military forces but also targeting their economic resources.

Contraband Camps

Places where escaped enslaved people were housed by Union forces during the Civil War.

Black Codes

Laws enacted by Southern states post-Civil War to restrict the rights of African Americans.

Radical Republicans

A faction within Congress that sought to impose strict requirements for the Southern states' re-admission to the Union.

Ten Percent Plan

Lincoln's proposal for Southern states to rejoin the Union once 10% of voters swore allegiance.

Reconstruction Acts

Legislation passed to enforce civil rights and rebuild the South after the Civil War.

13th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the United States.

14th Amendment

Constitutional amendment granting citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born in the U.S.

15th Amendment

Constitutional amendment prohibiting the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous servitude.

Jim Crow Laws

State laws enacted after Reconstruction to enforce racial segregation in the South.

Habeas Corpus

A legal principle that protects against unlawful imprisonment.

Union

The Northern states during the American Civil War, which fought to preserve the United States.

Confederacy

The Southern states that seceded from the Union, leading to the Civil War.

Civil Liberties

Individual rights protected by law from governmental interference.

Cotton Famine

The shortage of cotton supply in Britain due to the Union blockade, impacting its textile industry.