Reconstruction Era Key Terms

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Questions and Answers

What is the definition of Reconstruction?

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

What does the word 'resolve' mean?

To find a solution for

What is a sharecropper?

A type of farm equipment

A type of farmer who rents land and pays rent with a portion of their crops (correct)

A government official responsible for agricultural policies

A person who owns a large farm and employs workers

Black codes were laws passed to protect the rights of African Americans.

False Signup and view all the answers

What are civil rights?

The rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all people as citizens, especially equal treatment under the law Signup and view all the answers

A corrupt person is honest and trustworthy.

False Signup and view all the answers

A literate person is someone who can read but not write.

False Signup and view all the answers

What were Jim Crow Laws?

Laws enforcing segregation of blacks and whites in the South after the Civil War Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to tolerate something?

To put up with Signup and view all the answers

Something inferior is of higher quality than something superior.

False Signup and view all the answers

What did the 13th Amendment do?

It abolished slavery in the United States Signup and view all the answers

What was the Freedmen's Bureau?

An agency established by Congress at the end of the Civil War to help and protect newly freed black Americans Signup and view all the answers

Who was Abraham Lincoln?

The 16th President of the U.S. Signup and view all the answers

What effect did the Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson have on segregation laws?

It confirmed the constitutionality of segregation laws. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following methods was used to restrict African Americans' voting rights?

The introduction of poll taxes. Signup and view all the answers

What drove many African Americans to migrate away from the South?

Hope for better opportunities and more equal treatment. Signup and view all the answers

In what way did African Americans who remained in the South attempt to improve their lives?

They worked to improve their families, businesses, and communities. Signup and view all the answers

What was the intention behind cutting funding for public schools for African Americans?

To financially restrict African Americans from accessing education. Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the primary functions of the Freedmen's Bureau?

To establish schools for freedmen Signup and view all the answers

What major change did the 14th Amendment bring about?

It guaranteed civil rights and equal protection of the law Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant objective of the Ku Klux Klan when it was formed?

To drive African Americans out of political life Signup and view all the answers

What was the result of the Amnesty Act?

It allowed former Confederates to hold political office Signup and view all the answers

What did the Enforcement Acts aim to achieve?

To protect African Americans from violence and intimidation Signup and view all the answers

What was a key difference between Congress' Reconstruction plan and President Johnson's plan?

Congress aimed to grant full rights of citizenship to freedmen, while Johnson did not Signup and view all the answers

What did the Compromise of 1877 result in?

The removal of military troops from the South Signup and view all the answers

What was the main outcome of the Supreme Court ruling in Plessy vs. Ferguson?

It established the principle of separate but equal Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Reconstruction Era Key Terms

Reconstruction: The period after the Civil War when Southern states were rebuilt and rejoined the Union.
Resolve: To find a solution.
Share Croppers: Farmers who farm land owned by another and give a portion of the crops to the landowner. This system often resulted in little profit for the farmer.
Black Codes: Laws passed in the years after the Civil War to limit the rights of African Americans. These codes aimed to limit the rights of freedmen, help planters find workers, and keep them at the bottom of society.
Civil Rights: The rights guaranteed in the Constitution to all citizens, especially equal treatment under the law.
Corrupt: Guilty of dishonest practices.
Literate: Able to read and write.
Jim Crow Laws: Laws in the South that segregated blacks and whites after the Civil War, enforcing racial segregation and discrimination.
Tolerate: To put up with.
Inferior: Of less importance, value, or quality.
13th Amendment: Constitutional amendment abolishing slavery.
14th Amendment: Constitutional amendment granting citizenship and equal protection under the law, guaranteeing equal protection to all persons.
15th Amendment: Constitutional amendment prohibiting denial of vote based on race, color, or previous servitude.
Freedmen's Bureau: Organization set up to aid newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. This included providing food, medical care, helping with wages and work conditions, distributing land, and setting up schools.
Abraham Lincoln: 16th President of the United States.
Freedman's Bureau: Organization established to aid recently freed African Americans, providing essential resources like food, medical care, and assistance with wages and working conditions. They also distributed land and established schools.
Black Codes: Laws designed to limit the rights of formerly enslaved people, aimed at keeping them in subservient positions. These laws sought to restrict voting rights, limit employment opportunities, and enforce rigid social hierarchies.
Reconstruction Plans: Differentiated plans emerged, with President Johnson's focusing on readmitting Southern states quickly with lenient terms, while Congress' plan, advocated by Radical Republicans, demanded greater protection of civil rights and participation for African Americans.
Ku Klux Klan (KKK): White supremacist terrorist organization formed to intimidate and terrorize African Americans and white Republicans. Their goal was to suppress the political and social advancement of African Americans.
15th Amendment: This amendment prohibits governments from denying voting rights based on race, color, or previous servitude.
Enforcement Acts: Laws enacted by Congress to combat the violence and intimidation of African Americans by groups like the KKK.
Amnesty Act: Legislation that restored voting rights to many former Confederates.
Compromise of 1877: An agreement reached between Republicans and Democrats to resolve the contested election of 1876, ultimately resulting in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and the end of Reconstruction.

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Description

Test your knowledge of the key terms related to the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War. This quiz covers significant concepts such as the Black Codes, Jim Crow Laws, and the amendments that shaped this crucial period in American history. Challenge yourself and learn more about the complexities of rebuilding the nation.