Reconstruction Era Overview and Presidential Policies
86 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What was the main purpose of the Reconstruction period after the Civil War?

  • To create a new government in the South
  • To establish peace treaties with foreign nations
  • To expand U.S. territories westward
  • To rebuild and reunify the United States (correct)

    • Which amendment formally abolished slavery in the United States?

  • Fourteenth Amendment
  • Thirteenth Amendment (correct)
  • Fifteenth Amendment
  • Nineteenth Amendment

    • Who proposed a lenient Reconstruction policy towards the South after Lincoln's assassination?

  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Ulysses S. Grant
  • Andrew Johnson (correct)
  • Radical Republicans

    • What did the Fourteenth Amendment ensure for male citizens, regardless of race?

    <p>Equal protection under the law</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What were the Black Codes and their intended purpose during Reconstruction?

    <p>Laws to maintain white supremacy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group gained political power during the Congressional Elections of 1866?

    <p>Radical Republicans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867 establish in the South?

    <p>Five military districts for governance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following was NOT a question raised during Reconstruction?

    <p>How to build railroads in the South</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant social change for African-Americans during the Reconstruction era?

    <p>They gained the ability to own land and vote.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did sharecropping often lead to for African-Americans?

    <p>A return to slavery-like conditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary purpose of the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups during Reconstruction?

    <p>Instill fear and control African-Americans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which amendment prohibited states from denying the right to vote based on race?

    <p>15th Amendment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1875?

    <p>Provided equal accommodations in public places.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who was the first African-American Senator?

    <p>Hiram Revels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group was not considered a partnering group with Carpetbaggers?

    <p>Freedmen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a common factor among the paramilitary groups formed during this time?

    <p>They aimed to promote white supremacy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What challenge did freedmen face after gaining emancipation?

    <p>Securing economic survival and political rights.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which president faced impeachment during the Reconstruction era?

    <p>Andrew Johnson.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group did NOT compete with African-Americans for jobs and land after the Civil War?

    <p>Northern industrialists.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect did the high taxes and stagnant economy have on Southern whites during Reconstruction?

    <p>Growing resentment towards the changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a common fate of sharecroppers after harvest time?

    <p>They often accumulated debt.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role did African-American churches play in post-emancipation society?

    <p>They fostered independence from white control.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant action did the Radical Republicans take against President Johnson in 1868?

    <p>They impeached him.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Johnson's view on African-Americans and their ability to manage their lives?

    <p>He considered them unable to manage their own lives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group opposed Lincoln's 10 percent plan and proposed the Wade-Davis Bill instead?

    <p>The Radical Republicans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the Southern whites generally react to the idea of former slaves voting and holding office?

    <p>They were aghast and resistant to the changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of President Johnson's actions that contributed to his alienation from moderate Republicans in 1866?

    <p>He vetoed a bill that established public schools for freedmen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one notable outcome of the withdrawal of Union troops in 1877?

    <p>Renewed attempts to strip African-Americans of their rights.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the actions taken by the Ku Klux Klan during its early years?

    <p>They engaged in violent acts against blacks and local Republican leaders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did President Johnson require from Confederates to receive a presidential pardon?

    <p>Take an oath of allegiance to the Union.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What stance did President Lincoln take regarding the right to vote for freedmen?

    <p>He preferred voting rights for educated and military-serving blacks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau during Reconstruction?

    <p>To assist freedmen with education and basic needs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What attitude did Johnson exhibit towards previously held Confederate leaders after the Civil War?

    <p>He sought their inclusion in the new government framework.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Black Codes aim to achieve in the South?

    <p>To limit the freedom and rights of African-Americans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a major consequence of Lincoln's assassination?

    <p>A significant setback in the process of Reconstruction reform.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What primary reason did Johnson have for opposing the Radical Republicans?

    <p>He wanted Southern states to have autonomy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main outcome of the special electoral commission's vote?

    <p>The commission awarded all electoral votes to Hayes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Democrats threaten to do in response to the electoral commission's decision?

    <p>Filibuster the results and send the election to the House.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the conditions of the Compromise of 1877?

    <p>Ending federal support for Republicans in the South.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What action did President Hayes take shortly after his inauguration?

    <p>Withdrew federal troops protecting African Americans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What impact did Supreme Court decisions have on the Reconstruction laws?

    <p>Invalidated various Reconstruction laws protecting blacks from discrimination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did many Southern African Americans and whites fare in the decades following the Civil War?

    <p>They remained poor farmers and fell behind the rest of the nation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What promise did supporters of the New South make for the future?

    <p>Industrial development in the South.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one consequence of the Compromise of 1877 regarding Hayes's cabinet appointments?

    <p>Appointments included both Republicans and Southern Democrats.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What political control did the Democrats have during the electoral commission's decision?

    <p>They controlled the House of Representatives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What motivated many African Americans to establish independent schools during Reconstruction?

    <p>Desire for formal education</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the overall status of the South after the Civil War, according to the content?

    <p>Remaining in a 3rd world status until after the Second World War.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which black colleges were established to prepare ministers and teachers?

    <p>Howard, Atlanta, Fisk, and Morehouse</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a primary factor for white landowners adopting tenancy and sharecropping systems?

    <p>A shortage of labor after losing compulsory labor force</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did sharecropping affect many African Americans economically?

    <p>It perpetuated a cycle of debt and dependency</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one consequence of the postwar economic conditions in the South?

    <p>Difficulty for white landowners in maintaining their labor force</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterized the leadership shift in the Republican Party during the early 1870s?

    <p>Shifts from reformers to political manipulators</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What event is known as 'Black Friday'?

    <p>A financial panic linked to corrupt practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the nature of the Whiskey Ring scandal?

    <p>A conspiracy to bribe government officials</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the purpose behind the Credit Mobilier affair?

    <p>To gain political favor through stock offerings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the term 'Grantism' signify during the postwar years?

    <p>Greed and political corruption</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who resolved to break the Whiskey Ring conspiracy?

    <p>Secretary of Treasury Benjamin H. Bristow</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect did sharecropping have on socioeconomic status in the South?

    <p>Maintained social hierarchy and dependency</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group struggled with economic innovations during the Reconstruction era?

    <p>Southern landowners</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant consequence of African Americans' insistence on autonomy during Reconstruction?

    <p>Adoption of sharecropping and tenancy systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a requirement for freed slaves in some states regarding employment?

    <p>They needed written evidence of employment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which tax was specifically levied against African-Americans in South Carolina?

    <p>Special tax if they were not farmers or servants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the purpose of the Freedman's Bureau?

    <p>To help the transition from slavery to emancipation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Radical Republicans believe about the rights of African-Americans?

    <p>They were entitled to the same political rights as whites.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the result of President Johnson's veto of the Civil Rights Bill?

    <p>The bill was overridden by Congress.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Fourteenth Amendment prohibit?

    <p>States from abridging equality before the law.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a consequence of the Reconstruction Act of 1867?

    <p>The military was employed to protect black property and citizens.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did President Johnson's impeachment process conclude?

    <p>He escaped conviction by one vote.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Tenure of Office Act restrict?

    <p>The President from removing certain officeholders without Senate approval.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who was the Secretary of War charged with enforcing the Reconstruction Act?

    <p>Edwin Stanton.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the significance of the Civil Rights Act passed by Congress?

    <p>It aimed to enforce rights for newly freed African-Americans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Radical Republicans want to do to Confederate leaders after the Civil War?

    <p>Punish them for their roles in the conflict.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the political climate regarding the federal government's role in state affairs during this time?

    <p>There was suspicion of federal intervention in state matters.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main reform advocated by the Liberal Republican Party?

    <p>Civil service reform</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who was the leader of the Ku Klux Klan at its founding?

    <p>Nathaniel Bedford Forrest</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What event marked the start of a severe economic downturn during Grant's second term?

    <p>The Panic of 1873</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary objective of the Force Acts passed in 1870 and 1871?

    <p>To protect civil rights and suppress Klan violence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the general Amnesty Act of 1872 accomplish?

    <p>It allowed Southern conservatives to regain political power</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the Republicans respond to the political corruption during Grant's administration?

    <p>By nominating a reform-oriented candidate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the outcome of the special electoral commission created to determine disputed votes?

    <p>It awarded all contested votes to Hayes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the measures taken to end the Reconstruction era effectively?

    <p>Withdrawal of federal troops from Southern states</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a common characteristic of the Southern conservatives known as Redeemers?

    <p>Support for white supremacy and states' rights</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why did Grant veto the bill for the release of additional greenbacks in 1874?

    <p>To align with hard-money bankers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What fueled the rise of the Liberal Republican Party during the Grant administration?

    <p>Scandals and corruption in politics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which party did Democrats align with during the election of 1872?

    <p>Liberal Republican Party</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the tactics used by the Ku Klux Klan to maintain white supremacy?

    <p>Intimidation through violence and threats</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Reconstruction Era Overview

    • Reconstruction followed the Civil War, aiming to rebuild the US and address issues like Confederate readmission, the status of freed blacks, and the ramifications of abolition.
    • It was a period of conflict between radical Northerners seeking retribution and Southerners clinging to their way of life.
    • Slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment.
    • The 14th Amendment ensured equal protection under the law for male citizens, irrespective of race.
    • The 15th Amendment granted voting rights to African-American males.
    • These amendments were prerequisites for Southern states rejoining the Union.
    • Enforcement of these rights proved challenging.

    Presidential Reconstruction (1865-1867)

    • Andrew Johnson's approach was lenient toward the South.
    • He pardoned most Confederates, appointed provisional governors, and facilitated the creation of new state governments.
    • Johnson believed states should determine how to treat blacks.
    • This angered many Northerners, who were concerned about Confederate leaders returning to power and Southern Black Codes.
    • Black Codes aimed to maintain white supremacy.

    Congressional Reconstruction (1867-1877)

    • The Congressional elections of 1866 brought Radical Republicans to power.
    • They sought to punish the South and prevent the former ruling class from regaining power.
    • The Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867 divided the South into military districts, and outlined new government structures, leading to the granting of voting rights and positions in government to blacks.
    • President Johnson vehemently opposed these measures.
    • His impeachment failed in the Senate.
    • Groups like the Ku Klux Klan used violence against Republicans and blacks to resist Reconstruction efforts.

    The Compromise of 1877

    • The Compromise of 1877 led to the end of Reconstruction.
    • The withdrawal of federal troops from the South was part of this agreement.
    • Withdrawal of troops ended federal protection for African Americans.
    • Northern Republicans prioritized a more unified nation, over the civil rights of former slaves.
    • The Supreme Court later limited the enforcement of many Reconstruction laws.

    Economic and Social Impacts

    • Sharecropping emerged as a new form of servitude for many African Americans.
    • White Southerners resented the changes and often used violence and intimidation tactics to suppress black rights.
    • The period saw the rise of white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
    • African Americans founded churches, schools, and colleges to establish their own communities.
    • The Civil Rights Act of 1875, aimed at equal accommodations in public places, was largely unenforced and ultimately ineffective.

    Political Corruption

    • The Grant administration was tainted by various scandals, including the Crédit Mobilier, Whiskey Ring, and Black Friday events.
    • The spoils system, through which successful officeholders rewarded their supporters, was a major driver of corruption.
    • The rise of the Liberal Republican Party and their advocacy for Civil Service Reform highlighted broader dissatisfaction with the corruption.

    Legacy of Reconstruction

    • Reconstruction failed to fully achieve its goals of racial equality in the South.
    • The rights of African Americans were severely curtailed after the Compromise of 1877.
    • Southern economic and social conditions remained problematic well into the 20th century.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    Explore the complexities of the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War, focusing on the constitutional amendments that transformed American society. This quiz covers the delicate balance between Northern and Southern interests and the implications of Andrew Johnson's lenient policies. Test your knowledge on this pivotal period in U.S. history.

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser