Apush Reconstruction Cards

Reconstruction

The period from 1863 to 1877 focused on rebuilding the South after the Civil War and integrating freed slaves into society.

The Freedmen’s Bureau

Established in March 1865 as a welfare agency to provide food, shelter, medical aid, and education to freedmen.

Black Codes

Laws passed by Southern states aimed at restricting the rights of freedmen and maintaining a labor system similar to slavery.

Radical Republicans

A faction within the Republican Party that advocated for harsh penalties on the South and strong protections for freed slaves.

14th Amendment

Ratified in 1868, it granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and provided for equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment

Ratified in 1870, it prohibited states from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Military Reconstruction Act

Passed in 1867, it divided the South into military districts, bringing it under federal military control.

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

Johnson was impeached for violating the Tenure of Office Act by firing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, but was acquitted by one vote.

Election of 1876

A controversial election where Tilden won the popular vote but lost the presidency to Hayes through a disputed electoral count.

Sharecropping

A system in which freedmen worked land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crops, often leading to a cycle of debt.

Compromise of 1877

An agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 presidential election, resulting in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.

Carpetbaggers

Northerners who moved to the South after the Civil War, often perceived as exploiting the region's misfortune.

Scalawags

Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party, often viewed as traitors by other Southerners.

Graft

Corruption involving the unscrupulous use of a politician's authority for personal gain.

The 10% Plan

Lincoln's lenient reconstruction plan allowing Southern states to rejoin the Union if 10% of voters took an oath of allegiance.

Johnson’s Reconstruction Policy

A continuation of Lincoln's plan with added provisions that included the ability to disenfranchise former Confederates.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

Legislation aimed at protecting the rights of African Americans and overriding the Black Codes, vetoed by Johnson.

Due Process

Legal requirement that the state must respect all legal rights owed to a person, included in the 14th Amendment.

Economic Reconstruction

The efforts to rebuild and reinvigorate the Southern economy after the Civil War through industrialization and reforms.

Boss Tweed

A political leader associated with Tammany Hall in New York, known for corrupt practices and embezzling funds.

Ku Klux Klan

A secret society formed in the South post-Civil War that used violence and intimidation to maintain white supremacy.