APUSH Chapter 16 Study Guide

• Reconstruction: The period after the Civil War during which the Southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union.

• Presidential Reconstruction: Initial phase of Reconstruction led by President Andrew Johnson, characterized by lenient policies toward the South.

• Lincoln’s “Ten Percent Plan”: Abraham Lincoln's proposal allowing Southern states to rejoin the Union if 10% of their voters took an oath of allegiance to the Union.

• Radical Republicans: A faction of the Republican Party that pushed for strict measures against the Southern states and extensive civil rights for freed slaves.

• Wade-Davis Bill: A proposed law demanding that 50% of a state's white males take a loyalty oath for Reconstruction, significantly stricter than Lincoln's plan.

• Freedmen’s Bureau: A U.S. government agency established to aid freed slaves during the Reconstruction era by providing food, housing, education, and medical care.

• Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: The murder of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth in April 1865, shortly after the end of the Civil War.

• Andrew Johnson: Vice President who succeeded Lincoln and presided over the initial Reconstruction; his lenient policies faced significant opposition.

• Johnson’s restoration plan: Andrew Johnson's approach to Reconstruction, emphasizing quick restoration of Southern states with minimal punishment.

• Black Codes: Laws enacted in Southern states after the Civil War aimed at restricting the freedoms of African Americans and maintaining white supremacy.

• Civil Rights Act of 1866: Legislation that granted citizenship and equal rights to African Americans and aimed to combat the Black Codes.

• Fourteenth Amendment: Constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal protection under the law and granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.

• Congressional Reconstruction: Phase of Reconstruction led by Congress that implemented harsher measures against the South and expanded civil rights protections.

• Tenure of Office Act: A law restricting Presidents from removing certain officeholders without the Senate's approval, which led to Andrew Johnson's impeachment.

• Impeachment of Andrew Johnson: The political process in which Andrew Johnson was charged with high crimes and misdemeanors, mainly related to his violation of the Tenure of Office Act.

• Fifteenth Amendment: Constitutional amendment prohibiting the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

• Sharecropping: An agricultural system where tenants farmed land owned by another in exchange for a share of the crop, often leading to cycles of debt.

• “Carpetbaggers” and “Scalawags”: Terms used to describe Northerners who moved South after the Civil War (carpetbaggers) and Southern whites who supported Reconstruction (scalawags).

• Southern resistance, “Redeemers”: Southern political coalition that aimed to oust Radical Republicans and return control to white Southern Democrats, often using violent means.

• Ku Klux Klan: A white supremacist group formed to maintain white dominance and suppress African American rights through intimidation and violence.

• KKK Act of 1871: Legislation aimed at curbing the violence and intimidation perpetrated by the Ku Klux Klan.

• Colfax Massacre: A violent event in 1873 where white supremacists attacked African American residents and their allies in Colfax, Louisiana, resulting in numerous deaths.

• U.S. v. Cruikshank: An 1876 Supreme Court case that weakened the federal government's ability to protect the rights of African Americans in the South

• Ulysses S. Grant: Union general during the Civil War who became President and faced numerous scandals during his administration.

• Union Leagues: Organizations formed in the South during Reconstruction to promote loyalty to the Union and support Republican party policies.

• Grant’s Indian policy, “Indian Ring”: Ulysses S. Grant's attempts to reform federal Indian policies, marred by corruption within his administration.

• Liberal Republicans: A faction that emerged in the 1870s advocating for a more moderate approach to Reconstruction and economic issues.

• “Greenbacks” vs. gold standard: The debate over whether to continue using paper currency (greenbacks) or adhere to the gold standard as a basis for currency.

• Panic of 1873: A financial crisis caused by over-speculation in railroads leading to a severe economic depression.

• Election of 1876: A controversial presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden, marked by claims of fraud and disputes.

• Compromise of 1877: An agreement to resolve the disputed 1876 election, which resulted in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and effectively ended Reconstruction.

• Lost Cause narrative: A post-Civil War ideology that romanticized the Confederacy and downplayed the role of slavery in the Civil War.

Challenges Faced by the Federal Government in Reconstruction

• Economic Devastation: The South's economy was in ruins, with many plantations destroyed, leading to widespread poverty and unemployment.

• Political Disruption: Southern states had to be reintegrated into the Union, often facing resistance and uprisings from former Confederates.

• Social Issues: The transition of former slaves to freedom created tensions and required new systems of social order and rights.

Comparison of Northern Plans for Reconstruction

• Presidential Reconstruction: Led by Andrew Johnson; lenient policies toward the South, aimed at quick restoration with minimal punishment.

• Congressional Reconstruction: Enforced stricter measures; aimed for civil rights protection and Federal oversight.

• Support for Each Plan: Johnson's plan was supported by moderate Republicans; Radical Republicans supported Congressional Reconstruction for its focus on civil rights and punishment of the South.

Changes in Reconstruction Policies Over Time

• Shift from Leniency to Strictness: Initially lenient under Johnson, policies became stricter due to Radical Republican pressure for more civil rights and control over the South.

Responses of White and Black Southerners to Reconstruction

• White Southerners: Many resisted through organizations like the Ku Klux Klan, attempting to maintain white supremacy and dismantle Reconstruction efforts.

• Black Southerners: Engaged in political activities, sought education, and established communities, while also facing violence and discrimination.

Political Effects of the Struggle Over Reconstruction

• North: Reinforced the Republican Party's power, shifted focus to civil rights; tensions grew over how to handle Southern reintegration.

• South: Reconstruction led to temporary political power for African Americans but incited violent resistance from white Southerners.

• Lasting Effects: The environment of violence and intimidation had long-term impacts on civil rights progress in the South.

Political and Economic Factors Ending Reconstruction in 1877

• Economic Factors: The Panic of 1873 shifted focus away from Reconstruction; economic instability led to widespread disillusionment.

• Political Factors: The Compromise of 1877 resulted in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, ending federal protection for African Americans.

Failure of Reconstruction and Its Causes

• “Failure”: Reconstruction is often viewed as a failure due to the inability to secure lasting civil rights for African Americans and the rise of Jim Crow laws.

• Causes: Due to persistent racism, lack of economic support for freedmen, and the eventual withdrawal of federal troops.

• Effects: Established systemic racism and segregation that persisted for decades, severely limiting rights and opportunities for African Americans.