Reconstruction and its Effects

Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction after the Civil War, allowing Confederate states to rejoin the Union if 10% of their voters pledged allegiance and offered pardons to most Confederates.

A plan for Reconstruction that emphasized stronger safeguards for African Americans' civil and political rights, requiring a majority of white males in Confederate states to pledge allegiance and criticizing Lincoln's leniency.

Johnson's approach to Reconstruction, demanding Confederate states withdraw their secession, annul Confederate debts, and ratify the 13th Amendment. It pardoned many Confederate leaders, angering Radical Republicans.

A group of Republicans during Reconstruction who favored a more forceful approach to securing rights for African Americans and advocated for policies that would empower freedmen.

A federal agency established after the Civil War to assist newly freed African Americans by providing aid, education, and legal assistance.

Laws passed in Southern states after the Civil War that aimed to restrict African Americans' freedoms and rights by limiting their ability to own property, vote, and hold certain jobs.

Southern states' attempts after the Civil War to restore a system similar to slavery using Black Codes to limit African American rights and opportunities.

A labor union that aimed to unite all workers, regardless of skill, into one organization to fight for better wages, working conditions, and to abolish capitalism.

The tactic of using strikes and boycotts to achieve worker's rights.

A key cause of labor strikes, stemming from long hours, low wages, and unsafe conditions.

The absence of worker negotiation rights, forcing them to strike to address grievances with employers

A key driver of labor strikes, often resulting from wage cuts during economic downturns.

The impact of strikes that could lead to public support or backlash depending on the public's perception of the workers' cause.

The government response to major strikes, often involving military intervention or new labor legislation.

Workers hired to weaken or dissolve strikes by employers.

The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all persons "born or naturalized in the United States." It also ensured equal protection under the law and prevented states from denying voting rights without facing consequences.

The 15th Amendment prohibited states from denying voting rights based on race, color, or previous servitude.

The Freedmen's Bureau Act provided assistance like medical aid and education to newly freed slaves and war refugees.

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to African Americans.

The Reconstruction Act of 1867 dissolved the governments formed in former Confederate states, divided them into military districts, and established requirements for readmission to the Union.

The Enforcement Act of 1870 protected African American voting rights and empowered the federal government to enforce the 15th Amendment.

The Ku Klux Klan originally started as a social club for Confederate veterans in Tennessee in 1866. Its membership grew alongside violence towards African Americans. By 1868, the KKK operated throughout the South, aiming to establish white supremacy.

Sharecropping involved landowners dividing land among African Americans or poor whites. In return for seeds and tools, the tenant farmers paid back a portion of their crops, often half, to the landowner. This created a cycle of debt, as farmers with bad harvests were forced to rely on loans from the landowner for supplies.

The Slaughterhouse Cases of 1873 ruled that most civil rights were state rights and therefore not protected by the 14th Amendment. This weakened federal protection for civil rights during the Reconstruction era.

The U.S. v. Cruikshank case of 1876 concluded that the 14th Amendment did not grant the federal government the power to punish white individuals who oppressed Black people. This limited federal intervention in protecting African American rights.

In the U.S. v. Reese case of 1876, the 15th Amendment was interpreted as not granting voting rights but rather as preventing specific types of voter discrimination. This narrowed the amendment's impact on voting rights.

The Compromise of 1877 involved Southern Democrats giving three demands to Republicans in exchange for accepting Rutherford B. Hayes as President. These demands included removing federal troops from the South, federal funding for Southern infrastructure, and a Southern appointee to the Cabinet.

The Homestead Act of 1862 offered 160 acres of land free to citizens or those intending to become citizens who were heads of households. Many settlers, including African Americans known as Exodusters, took advantage of this opportunity to claim land.

The Dawes Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American society. It divided tribal lands into individual allotments, often taking excess lands away from Native Americans and making them available for settlers.

Exodusters were African Americans who migrated from the post-Reconstruction South to Kansas in search of better opportunities and freedom.

The Bessemer process revolutionized steel production by injecting air into molten iron, removing impurities and making steel a key material for the Industrial Revolution.

The Transcontinental Railroad was a major project of the Industrial Revolution. It connected the east and west coasts of the US, bringing opportunities for settlement, trade, and transportation.

The railroad transformed American society by opening up new territories, creating jobs, standardizing time, and fostering trade and industry.

Standardization refers to using consistent and uniform methods for producing goods. This is achieved through automation and new machinery, ensuring quality and efficiency.

Company towns were communities controlled by a single company, which provided housing, jobs, and even services for its workers. This often meant little autonomy for residents.

Farmers were unhappy with the railroad companies because they felt unfairly treated. They complained about the railroads' misuse of land grants, price fixing, and discriminatory pricing practices.

The Granger Laws were a series of regulations passed by states to control the pricing and practices of railroad companies. They aimed to protect farmers from unfair charges.

The Supreme Court case of Munn v. Illinois (1877) upheld the right of states to regulate railroads, supporting the Granger Laws and giving power to farmers.

The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 targeted railroad monopolies by granting the federal government the power to regulate interstate commerce. It set up the Interstate Commerce Commission to oversee railroad activities.

Andrew Carnegie was a successful entrepreneur who built a steel empire. He used vertical integration, buying out suppliers and distributors, to control every stage of steel production.

Vertical integration involves controlling the entire supply chain, from raw materials to distribution. It allows companies to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Horizontal integration is a strategy where a company merges with or acquires other companies in the same industry to increase market share and power.

Social Darwinism, a controversial theory, used the survival of the fittest concept to justify the wealth gap and success of businesses during the Industrial Revolution.

John D. Rockefeller built a monopoly in the oil industry using ruthless strategies. He formed trusts to control competitors, negotiated unfair deals with railroads, and became a symbol of both wealth and controversy.

The Sherman Antitrust Act was passed in 1890 to prevent corporations from forming monopolies that stifled competition and hurt consumers.