The Era of Reconstruction, 1865–1877

A series of flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to the era of Reconstruction in the United States, including legislation, political factions, and social movements.

Thirteenth Amendment

An amendment to the Constitution that abolished slavery in the United States.

Radical Republicans

A faction of the Republican Party that advocated for strict terms of Reconstruction and civil rights for freedmen.

Black Codes

Laws passed in Southern states intended to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans after the Civil War.

Ku Klux Klan

A white supremacist organization that used terror and violence to intimidate Black people and undermine Reconstruction efforts.

Freedmen’s Bureau

A government agency established in 1865 to aid freed slaves in their transition to freedom, providing education, support, and resources.

Reconstruction

The period following the Civil War during which the southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union.

Carpetbagger

A derogatory term for Northerners who moved to the South after the Civil War, often perceived as exploiting the region for personal gain.

Compromise of 1877

An agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 presidential election, leading to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and the end of Reconstruction.

Sharecropping

An agricultural system where former slaves and poor whites would rent land and pay their landlords with a portion of the crops grown.

Ironclad Oath

An oath required by the Wade-Davis Bill that mandated voters to swear they had never supported the Confederacy in order to participate in politics.

Fifteenth Amendment

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

Radical Reconstruction

The period of Reconstruction where Congress aimed to enforce civil rights and drastically reform southern society.

Joint Committee on Reconstruction

A congressional committee that conducted investigations and made recommendations for the Reconstruction process.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

Legislation aimed at protecting the rights of African Americans and providing federal intervention in state matters to uphold those rights.

Amnesty and Reconstruction Proclamation

President Johnson's plan for lenient reconstruction that offered pardons to many Southern whites.

Union Leagues

Fraternal organizations in the South that promoted loyalty to the Union and aided Black political engagement.

Redeemers

Southern Democrats who sought to regain control of state governments and restore the antebellum social order.

Political Assassination

The targeted murder of a political leader, exemplified by the assassination of President Lincoln.

Lynching

The extrajudicial killing of an individual, often associated with racial violence against Black Americans during Reconstruction.

Martial Law

Military control of an area, often implemented during Reconstruction to enforce order and protect civil rights.