Reconstruction Era

Flashcards about the Reconstruction era after the American Civil War.

What is the date range of the Reconstruction era?

1863-1877

What did the 13th Amendment do?

Officially abolished slavery.

What was included in Lincoln's 10 Percent Plan?

A plan where if 10% of voters in a Southern state swore loyalty to the USA, that state could form a new government and rejoin the Union.

Why did many Northerners dislike Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction plan?

He pardoned most ex-Confederate soldiers and didn’t give quality protection for African-Americans.

What was the Radical Republican reaction to Johnson's pardons?

They hated the pardons because they believed Confederates deserved punishment and they divided the South into five military districts.

What did the Reconstruction Acts do?

Divided the South into five military districts under government control, sent federal troops to enforce rules, and required Southern states to grant Black men equality and voting rights.

What protections did the 14th Amendment guarantee?

Granted African-Americans equal protection under the law.

What did the 15th Amendment do?

Gave African-American men the right to vote.

What was the KKK?

A racist white supremacist group created during Reconstruction.

Who were the Radical Republicans?

Republicans from the North who wanted to grant former slaves equality, protection, and the right to vote.

Why did Thaddeus Stevens want harsh consequences for former Confederates?

He wanted harsh consequences for former Confederates because he believed they would try to regain control.

Why was Johnson impeached?

Johnson violated the Tenure of Office Act by firing Edwin Stanton.

What was the Freedmen's Bureau?

Government agency created in 1865 to help former enslaved people with protection, food, housing, education, and reuniting families.

What is sharecropping?

A farming system where landowners let freed Black Americans or poor whites work their land in exchange for a portion of the crops or profit.

What was '40 acres and a mule'?

A promise to freed Black Americans that they would get 40 acres of land and mules for farms, which was largely unfulfilled.

What were Black Codes?

Codes released to restrict the rights of Black Americans.

Who were the Carpetbaggers?

Northerners who moved into the South, some to help African-Americans, but were often seen as exploiters.

Who were the Scalawags?

White Southerners who supported the Republicans, but were viewed as traitors by other Southerners.

What was the Civil Rights Act of 1871?

Also known as the KKK Act, created to try and stop the KKK from terrorizing Black people.

What was the Compromise of 1877?

Democrats and Republicans agreed that Rutherford B. Hayes would win the 1876 election, but federal troops would be removed from the South.

What were Jim Crow Laws?

Segregation laws that separated whites and blacks in schools, restaurants, and other public places.

What does 'End of Reconstruction' refer to?

The end of federal efforts to rebuild the South after the Civil War, marked by the removal of federal troops.

Why was Reconstruction ultimately sabotaged?

The South was given too much power, and the KKK was created to promote white supremacy.