Reconstruction Era

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to the Reconstruction era in the United States.

Reconstruction

The process of readmitting Southern states into the Union after the Civil War.

Radical Republicans

Political faction that aimed to punish the South for the Civil War and ensure rights for freedmen.

Tenure of Office Act

Legislation that required presidential cabinet removals to receive Senate approval.

Impeachment

The process by which a legislative body formally charges a government official with misconduct.

Thirteenth Amendment

The amendment that abolished slavery in the United States.

Fourteenth Amendment

The amendment providing citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the United States.

Fifteenth Amendment

The amendment that granted African American men the right to vote.

Black Codes

Laws enacted by Southern states to restrict the rights of freedmen.

Freedmen’s Bureau

A federal agency that aided freed slaves in their transition to freedom after the Civil War.

Sharecropping

A system where landlords allow tenants to use land in exchange for a share of the crops.

Jim Crow Laws

Laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Andrew Johnson

The President who succeeded Lincoln and oversaw early Reconstruction policies.

Hiram Rhodes Revels

The first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress.

Southern Democrats

Political group that wanted to restore the South to its pre-war status.

Lincoln's Plan

Proposed readmittance of Southern states into the Union when 10% of their population swore allegiance.

Reconstruction Acts of 1867

Legislation that divided the South into military districts and required new state constitutions.

Congressional Reconstruction

The period of Reconstruction led by Congress, specifically Radical Republicans.

Civil Rights

The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

Reconstruction's End

Concluded in 1877 with the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.

Pacific Railway Act

Legislation passed in 1862 to facilitate the construction of the transcontinental railroad.

Suffrage

The right to vote in political elections.

Voting Rights Act

Legislation aimed at overcoming legal barriers at the state and local levels preventing African Americans from exercising their right to vote.

Economic Impact of Reconstruction

Reconstruction policies led to economic shifts, including sharecropping, affecting both freedmen and poor whites.

Radical Reconstruction

The phase of Reconstruction characterized by aggressive policies to reshape Southern society.

Moderate Republicans

Politicians who sought a middle ground during Reconstruction, preferring reconciliation with the South.

Southern Loyalty

The allegiance of some Southerners to the pre-war societal structure during Reconstruction.

Labor Contracts

Agreements between laborers and landowners regarding wages and working conditions.

Political Cartoons

Illustrations used to convey political opinions and critique figures during Reconstruction.

Ethnic Diversity in Labor

The role of immigrants, such as Chinese and Irish, in building infrastructure like railroads.

Elections of 1876

A highly contested presidential election that ultimately resulted in the end of Reconstruction.

Civil Rights Movement

A broader struggle for social justice for African Americans that continued long after Reconstruction.

Military Districts in the South

The five divisions created by the Reconstruction Acts to supervise the South.

Radical Republican Leadership

Prominent figures like Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner who pushed for strong Reconstruction policies.

Oath of Allegiance

A promise made by individuals, typically to show loyalty to the Union during Reconstruction.