Reconstruction Era Overview

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to the Reconstruction era in the United States, including notable amendments, legislation, figures, and the social context.

Reconstruction

The period after the Civil War (1865-1877) aimed at rebuilding the country and integrating freed slaves into society.

Presidential Reconstruction

The approach to Reconstruction under President Abraham Lincoln and later Andrew Johnson, emphasizing leniency toward the South.

Congressional Reconstruction

The period of Reconstruction characterized by stricter measures imposed by Congress, particularly towards Southern states.

Military Reconstruction Act

A law passed in 1867 that divided the South into military districts governed by Union generals.

14th Amendment

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves.

15th Amendment

An amendment that prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Radical Republicans

A faction within the Republican Party during the Reconstruction era that advocated for the rights of freedmen and stringent policies towards the South.

Black Codes

Laws passed by Southern states after the Civil War aimed at restricting African Americans' freedom and ensuring their availability as cheap labor.

Thaddeus Stevens

A leading Radical Republican who fought for civil rights and equality for African Americans during Reconstruction.

Ku Klux Klan (KKK)

A white supremacist hate group founded in 1865 that used terror and violence to undermine Reconstruction efforts and maintain white supremacy.

Wade-Davis Bill

A 1864 proposal for Reconstruction which required that 50% of a state's white male voters take a loyalty oath before reconstruction could begin.

Plessy v. Ferguson

An 1896 Supreme Court case that upheld state racial segregation laws under the doctrine of 'separate but equal'.

Jim Crow laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States, enacted in the late 19th century.

Enforcement Acts

Laws passed in the early 1870s that aimed to combat the violence and intimidation against African Americans, particularly from the KKK.

Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan

A Reconstruction plan proposing that a Southern state could be readmitted to the Union once 10% of its voters pledged loyalty to the Union.

Amnesty Proclamation

Issued by President Johnson in May 1865, it granted amnesty to many former Confederates.

Cruikshank Case

A 1876 Supreme Court ruling that limited the federal government's ability to protect the civil rights of African Americans from violations by individuals.

Northern 'retreat from Reconstruction'

The process during the 1870s in which Northern supporters of Reconstruction began to shift their focus away from civil rights for freedmen.