Westward Expansion, Native Conflicts, and Reconstruction Era

What was the primary learning objective regarding westward expansion?

To examine how westward expansion changed the Great Plains, created conflict with Native peoples, encouraged settlement, and produced economic and political challenges for farmers.

Which Native American tribes were mentioned as having lived on the Great Plains?

The Osage, Iowa, Sioux, and Cheyenne.

What did white settlers believe about the Great Plains?

They viewed it as 'unsettled' land, despite it being home to Native peoples.

What significant event in 1864 intensified conflict between Native peoples and settlers?

The Sand Creek Massacre, where the U.S. Army attacked a Native camp, killing about 150 Native women and children.

What was the Dawes Act of 1887?

It attempted to assimilate Native Americans by breaking up reservations and integrating them into American life.

What was the outcome of the Wounded Knee incident in 1890?

The Seventh Cavalry killed approximately 300 unarmed Sioux, marking the end of the Indian Wars.

How did federal policy encourage western settlement?

Through land policies and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, which made migration easier.

What did the Homestead Act of 1862 offer to settlers?

160 free acres to any 'head of Household' as an incentive to move west.

What challenges did settlers face on the Great Plains?

Droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, locust plagues, and bandits.

What was the demographic change in the U.S. population from 1850 to 1900 regarding the West?

In 1850, about 1% lived west of the Mississippi; by 1900, nearly 30% did.

What economic crisis did farmers face in the late 1800s?

Falling crop prices, increasing farm debt, and banks foreclosing mortgages.

What was the significance of the Populist Party founded in 1892?

It emerged as a political movement advocating for the needs of farmers and the working class.

What were some key demands of the Populists?

Increase the money supply, raise crop prices, lower taxes, and direct election of senators.

What major economic event occurred in 1893?

A nationwide economic crisis leading to bankruptcies, business failures, and high unemployment.

What led to the decline of Populism after the 1896 election?

The election victory of McKinley and the collapse of the movement's political momentum.

What legacy did Populism leave behind?

It demonstrated that ordinary people can organize for political change and that reform ideas can endure beyond a movement's decline.

What was the impact of western settlement on Native American culture?

It led to conflict over land, resources, and differing views on ownership.

What was the role of the transcontinental railroad in westward expansion?

It facilitated easier migration and settlement in the American West.

Who were the Exodusters?

African Americans who migrated from the post-Reconstruction South to Kansas.

What was the significance of the Morrill Act?

It promoted agricultural education and land-grant colleges, supporting farmers and settlers.

What was the impact of high transportation costs on farmers?

It contributed to their economic struggles, as they earned less from crops while paying high costs to transport them.

What were some environmental challenges faced by settlers on the Great Plains?

Droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, and locust plagues.

What was the significance of the 16th and 17th Amendments in relation to Populism?

They addressed demands for a gradual income tax and direct election of senators, respectively.

What did the term 'Sooner State' refer to?

Oklahoma, where some settlers claimed land sooner than they were supposed to.

What was the overall effect of westward expansion on the U.S. population?

It transformed the population distribution and demographics of the United States.

What period does Reconstruction refer to?

The period of rebuilding after the Civil War, from 1865 to 1877.

What was Lincoln's Ten-Percent Plan?

A plan where 10% of a state's population had to swear allegiance to the Union for reentry.

Who were the Radical Republicans?

A faction led by Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens, aiming to destroy the power of former slaveholders and grant full citizenship and suffrage to African Americans.

What was the Wade-Davis Bill?

A 1864 bill that made Congress responsible for Reconstruction, which Lincoln pocket-vetoed.

What significant event occurred on April 14, 1865?

President Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre.

Who was John Wilkes Booth?

The Confederate sympathizer who assassinated President Lincoln.

What was President Johnson's plan for Reconstruction?

States must swear allegiance, pay annual war debts, and ratify the 13th Amendment, but it did not address voting rights for former slaves.

What was the Civil Rights Act of 1866?

An act that granted citizenship to African Americans and prohibited black codes.

What were black codes?

Laws that restored many restrictions of slavery and limited the rights of African Americans.

What was the Fourteenth Amendment?

An amendment that made African Americans full citizens, drafted after the Civil Rights Act.

What was the outcome of the 1866 Congressional Elections?

Moderates and Radicals won a 2/3 majority in Congress, allowing them to override Johnson's vetoes.

What did the Reconstruction Act of 1867 do?

It divided the South into military districts and set new conditions for reentry into the Union.

What led to Johnson's impeachment?

Radicals sought to impeach him after he fired Stanton, testing the constitutionality of the Tenure of Office Act.

Who was elected president in 1868?

Ulysses S. Grant, with the support of the African-American vote.

What did the Fifteenth Amendment accomplish?

It granted voting rights to all men, regardless of color.

What was the Enforcement Act of 1870?

An act that allowed the federal government to punish those who violated the voting rights of African Americans.

What challenges did former slaves face during Reconstruction?

They faced new challenges as support for Reconstruction policies faded.

What was the Freedmen's Bureau?

A government agency that helped former slaves and poor whites by providing social services, medical care, and education.

What was the significance of Lincoln's assassination?

It marked the first assassination of a U.S. President and impacted the direction of Reconstruction.

How did Southern states respond to the Fourteenth Amendment?

Most Southern states rejected the amendment, which was not ratified until 1868.

What was the role of violence in preventing African Americans from voting?

White Southerners used violence to intimidate and prevent blacks from exercising their voting rights.

What was the impact of Radical Republicans on Reconstruction?

They pushed for more stringent measures and protections for African Americans, opposing Johnson's lenient policies.

What was the state of the South by 1870?

All Confederate states had Republican governments, but buildings, infrastructure, and farms were destroyed.

What economic conditions did the South face after the Civil War?

People were poor, property values plummeted, and Confederate bonds became worthless.

What was the impact of the Civil War on white males in the South?

1/5 of white males were dead, and many others were maimed.

What public works programs were established in the postwar South?

Programs included transportation, homes for orphans and the disabled, and public schools.

Why did Northern capitalists not invest in the South after the Civil War?

States had to raise taxes to fund their own recovery efforts.

What was the attitude of freed people towards education?

Freed people of all ages sought education, leading to the establishment of schools and universities by African Americans.

Who were the initial teachers in African American schools after the Civil War?

Initially, most teachers were Northern whites; by 1869, most were black.

What role did black churches play in the postwar South?

Black churches became influential community centers and leaders for African Americans.

What was the political involvement of African Americans from 1865 to 1877?

African Americans held local, state, and federal office, with many being freeborn and some former slaves by 1867.

Who was the first black senator in the U.S.?

Hiram Revels.

What was sharecropping?

A system where landless African Americans signed labor contracts with planters, receiving land, seed, and tools for part of the crops.

What is tenant farming?

A system where farmers rented land from owners and bought their own tools.

What economic changes occurred in the South post-Civil War?

The South tried to diversify its economy but faced oversupply issues with cotton and lower wages than the North.

What was the Ku Klux Klan's objective during Reconstruction?

To restore white supremacy through terrorism and violence against African Americans.

What were the Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871?

Legislation aimed at curtailing Klan violence and protecting African American rights.

What was the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling on the 1871 Enforcement Act?

The act was ruled unconstitutional.

What was the impact of the Amnesty Act of 1872?

It returned voting rights to many former Confederates.

What major scandals occurred during Grant's administration?

Scandals included Credit Mobilier and the Whiskey Ring.

What was the effect of Klan violence on African Americans?

Klan violence decreased as they restored white supremacy, forcing freedmen into wage labor and sharecropping.

What happened to the Freedmen's Bureau in the postwar South?

Congress allowed the Freedmen's Bureau to expire, reducing support for African Americans.

What party was formed in 1872 that nominated Horace Greeley?

The Liberal Republican Party

What major event in 1873 fueled a dispute over currency?

The Panic of 1873

What was the outcome of the Panic of 1873?

It triggered a 5-year economic depression.

What act was passed in 1875 to return the country to the gold standard?

The Specie Resumption Act

What did the 13th Amendment accomplish?

It abolished slavery.

What did the 14th Amendment define?

It defined citizenship and provided 'due process of law' for all citizens.

What right did the 15th Amendment grant?

Black male suffrage.

What was the significance of the Supreme Court decisions in the 1870s?

They undermined the 14th and 15th Amendments and reduced federal power to protect African-American rights.

What was 'Redemption' in the context of the Reconstruction era?

The return of Democrats to power in the South from 1869 to 1875.

Who were the Republican and Democratic nominees in the Election of 1876?

Republican: Rutherford B. Hayes; Democratic: Samuel J. Tilden.

What was the Compromise of 1877?

Hayes won the presidency in exchange for federal troops leaving Louisiana and South Carolina, funding for Southern railroads, and a conservative Southerner in the cabinet.

What did the end of Reconstruction lead to in the South?

Home rule, where state governments were run without federal intervention.

What was one failure of the Republicans during Reconstruction?

They failed to protect the rights they granted to former slaves.

How did the amendments during Reconstruction contribute to civil rights?

They abolished slavery and provided a basis for civil rights legislation.

What impact did the removal of federal troops have on Southern states?

Democrats took over Southern states after federal troops were removed.

What was a consequence of the Republicans' unwillingness to distribute land?

It blocked economic independence for former slaves.

What role did African-American schools and civic groups play during Reconstruction?

They increased literacy and opportunity for African-Americans.

What was the public sentiment towards Reconstruction by the end of the era?

Northerners grew indifferent and began to dislike Reconstruction policies.

What was the significance of the Liberal Republicans' challenge to the Radicals?

They weakened Radical Republicans and made Reconstruction more difficult.

What economic issues contributed to the Panic of 1873?

Excessive debt from business opportunities in the South and the bankruptcy of the largest government securities dealer.

What was one of the main reasons for the decline in Northern support for Reconstruction?

A shift in focus to national problems and a desire for reconciliation between regions.