Reconstruction Era

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary related to the Reconstruction Era, its political, social, and economic implications.

Reconstruction Era (1865-1877)

The period after the Civil War focused on rebuilding the South and defining the role of freed Black Americans.

10% Plan

Lincoln's plan that allowed a Southern state to rejoin the Union if 10% of its voters pledged allegiance.

Radical Republicans

A faction in Congress that sought to destroy the power of former slaveholders and ensure full citizenship for former slaves.

Wade-Davis Bill (1864)

A proposal for Reconstruction that required 50% of a state's voters to pledge allegiance to the Constitution.

Presidential Reconstruction

Andrew Johnson’s plan to readmit Southern states to the Union with minimal requirements.

Freedmen's Bureau

A federal agency established to assist former slaves and poor whites with food, clothing, and education.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

Legislation that granted citizenship to former slaves and prohibited black codes.

13th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the United States.

14th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that granted civil rights to all citizens, including former slaves.

15th Amendment

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

Scalawags

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

Carpetbaggers

Northern transplants to the South after the Civil War, often perceived as exploitative.

40 Acres and a Mule

A promise made to freed slaves for land distribution, later rescinded by President Johnson.

Sharecropping

A system where landowners allowed workers to farm their land in exchange for a share of the crops.

Tenant Farming

A system where farmers rented land with the potential to keep all profits from the harvest.

Howard University

An educational institution established for black students, providing a range of collegiate programs.

Hiram Revels

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

Blanche K. Bruce

The first African American to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate.

Black Codes

Laws passed by Southern states to restrict the rights of freed slaves in the post-Civil War United States.

Reconstruction Act of 1867

Legislation that divided the South into military districts to enforce Reconstruction laws.