Reconstruction Era Key Terms

The period of time after the Civil War in which Southern states were rebuilt and brought back into the Union.

to find a solution for

A system of farming in which the landowner allows a tenant to farm the land in return for a share of the crops produced on the land. Usually individual farmers make little or no profit.

laws passed in 1865 and 1866 in former Confederate states to limit the rights of African Americans

the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all people as citizens, especially equal treatment under the law

guilty of dishonest practices

able to read and write

laws enforcing segregation of blacks and whites in the South after the Civil War

to put up with

of less importance, value, or quality

a change to the Constitution; ratified in 1865; abolishing slavery in the United States

a change to the Constitution; ratified in 1868; granting citizenship to anyone born in the United States and guaranteeing all citizens equal protection of the law

a change to the Constitution; ratified in 1870; declaring states cannot deny anyone the right to vote because of race or color, or because the person was once a slave

an agency established by Congress at the end of the Civil War to help and protect newly freed black Americans

16th President of the U.S.

After the Civil War, the South needed to be rebuilt and reintegrated into the Union, leading to a major shift in the social, political, and economic landscape.

The South was devastated by the war, with its infrastructure destroyed and its economy in shambles.

Enslaved people were emancipated, but they faced significant challenges in transitioning to freedom, including finding work, accessing education, and facing prejudice.

Reconstruction efforts aimed at repairing the Union, establishing new social and political structures in the South, and integrating freed people into society. However, these efforts were often met with resistance and discrimination.

The Freedmen's Bureau, established by Congress, provided assistance to former slaves by offering education, food, and medical care.

The Reconstruction era was marked by various attempts to implement civil rights for African Americans, including the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery, granted citizenship, and protected voting rights.

Despite the gains made in civil rights, Reconstruction was a period of intense political and social conflict between the North and the South, as well as between different factions within the South.

The Reconstruction era ultimately ended with the Compromise of 1877, which marked the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, leading to the rise of segregation and Jim Crow laws.

The Reconstruction era had a lasting impact on the United States, shaping the country's political landscape, social fabric, and the struggle for civil rights for African Americans.

The Reconstruction era was a complex and pivotal period in American history with lasting implications for the country's social, political, and economic landscape. Understanding this era is crucial to understanding the ongoing struggle for equality and the development of the United States.

States passed discriminatory laws called "Jim Crow" to separate black and white people in the South. These laws were allowed because the Supreme Court ruled that separate facilities for blacks and whites were okay as long as they were "equal." This was clearly not true, but the court still said it was okay.

African Americans faced many challenges in the South, but they were determined to improve their lives. Families, churches, and communities worked together, and black leaders started their own businesses and schools.

Poll taxes forced people to pay money to vote, which many African Americans couldn't afford. Literacy tests were designed to be difficult for black voters. They were given unfair questions and denied the right to vote.

In the South, funding for public schools was reduced, making it harder for African Americans to afford education. So many black children couldn't go to school. They were denied quality schooling because of segregation.

African Americans left the South in large numbers because they hoped for better opportunities and a more equal society in other parts of the country.

A federal agency established after the Civil War to help formerly enslaved people transition to freedom by providing food, medical care, education, and legal aid.

Laws passed by Southern states after the Civil War to limit the rights and freedoms of African Americans. They aimed to restrict their access to jobs, education, and voting.

This amendment abolished slavery in the United States, marking the end of this cruel institution.

This amendment granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States and guaranteed equal protection of the laws.

This amendment ensured that the right to vote could not be denied based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

The Ku Klux Klan was a white supremacist group formed to intimidate and terrorize African Americans, deterring them from exercising their newly gained rights.

These laws were passed by Congress to combat violence against African Americans in the South, aiming to protect their rights and ensure equal protection under the law.

A compromise reached in 1877 to resolve the disputed presidential election between Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes became president in exchange for removing federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.