reconstruction

Post-Civil War Context

A period where the South was devastated and the North strengthened, leading to intensified sectional inequality.

Morrill Land Grant Act (1862)

Legislation that provided land for colleges, strengthening Northern education.

Transcontinental Railroad

A major transportation route that facilitated economic growth in the North and West after the Civil War.

13th Amendment (1865)

Amendment that abolished slavery nationwide and gave Congress enforcement power.

Black Codes

Laws enacted in the South that restricted the freedom of Black individuals and aimed to recreate conditions similar to slavery.

Presidential Reconstruction

The approach led by Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson that emphasized a lenient and rapid reintegration of Southern states.

Congressional Reconstruction

The method advocated by Congress that aimed to control Reconstruction, emphasizing more stringent measures against the South.

10 Percent Plan

Lincoln's plan to readmit states to the Union once 10% of 1860 voters swore loyalty and accepted emancipation.

Wade-Davis Bill (1864)

A proposal for Reconstruction requiring a 50% loyalty oath from voters and barring Confederate leaders from office.

Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction Plan

A plan where Southern Democrats were allowed to draft state governments but lacked protections for Black suffrage.

Freedmen’s Bureau

Agency established to aid former slaves during the Reconstruction period, providing assistance and resources.

Radical Republicans

A faction within Congress that aimed to punish the South and enforce civil rights and equality for freedmen.

Reconstruction Amendments

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments that aimed to secure rights for freed slaves and define citizenship.

Reconstruction Acts (1867)

Legislation that divided the South into military districts and set requirements for reentry into the Union.

Sharecropping

An agricultural system where farmers worked land for a portion of the crops, often leading to debt and poverty.

Hiram Revels (1870)

The first Black man to serve in the U.S. Senate, representing Mississippi.

Carpetbaggers

Northerners who moved to the South during Reconstruction, often accused of exploiting the region.

Scalawags

Southern Unionists who supported Reconstruction and were often viewed with disdain by other Southerners.

Ku Klux Klan

A white supremacist organization that emerged during Reconstruction, using violence to suppress Black political participation.

Enforcement Acts (1870-71)

Laws designed to combat KKK violence and protect Black voters, though they had poor enforcement.

Reconstruction's Collapse

The end of the Reconstruction era by the mid-1870s, resulting from increased violence, political fatigue, and corruption scandals.

Civil Rights Struggle

The ongoing fight for equality and civil rights, which continued after the Reconstruction period into the 20th century.