Reconstruction Era Overview

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Reconstruction Era lecture.

Reconstruction

A period in American history from 1865 to 1877, focused on reintegrating the eleven Southern states that seceded from the Union after the Civil War.

Presidential Reconstruction

The initial phase of Reconstruction led by Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, characterized by leniency toward the South.

Congressional Reconstruction

The phase of Reconstruction where Congress took control, aiming for stricter measures against the Southern states and Confederate leaders.

Emancipation Proclamation

An executive order issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declaring the freedom of all slaves in Confederate territory.

Black Codes

Laws passed in Southern states after the Civil War aimed at maintaining white control over African Americans and suppressing their freedoms.

10 Percent Plan

Lincoln's Reconstruction plan which stated that a Southern state could be readmitted to the Union once 10% of its voters took an oath of loyalty.

Andrew Johnson

The 17th President of the United States who succeeded Lincoln; initially expected to be tough on the South but followed Lincoln's lenient Reconstruction policies.

Convict Leasing

A system where Southern states would imprison African Americans for minor offenses and lease them to plantation owners for labor.

Vagrancy Law

A Black Code law that required African Americans to have written proof of employment or housing, leading to arrests if they could not provide it.

Thirteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the United States.