Reconstruction Era Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is Reconstruction?

Period after the Civil War when the federal government took action to rebuild the South.

What do the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments represent?

Equal protection under the law (correct)

Voting rights for women

End of slavery (correct)

Voting for black males (correct)

What were the Presidential Reconstruction Plans?

Plans implemented by President Andrew Johnson in 1865 that allowed the white South to regulate the transition from slavery to freedom.

Who were the Radical Republicans?

A political party that favored harsh punishment of Southern states after the Civil War. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Congressional Reconstruction Plan?

It declared that the existing governments in the South were illegal. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Freedman's Bureau?

A government agency created to help African Americans adjust to their freedom. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Ku Klux Klan?

A white supremacy organization that intimidated blacks out of their newly found liberties. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Henry McNeal Turner?

A minister, politician, and the first Southern bishop of the African Methodist Church. Signup and view all the answers

What were African-American State Legislators?

African Americans that served in the legislature of the states during Reconstruction. Signup and view all the answers

What is the GA General Assembly?

The legislative body of Georgia. Signup and view all the answers

What is sharecropping?

Tenant farming, paying for rented farmland with a portion of one's crops. Signup and view all the answers

What is tenant farming?

A system of farming in which a person rents land to farm from a planter. Signup and view all the answers

What were Black Codes?

Southern laws designed to restrict the rights of the newly freed black slaves. Signup and view all the answers

Who were Carpet Baggers?

Northerners who went South for personal power and profit. Signup and view all the answers

Who were Scalawags?

Southern whites who supported Republican policy through Reconstruction. Signup and view all the answers

What are Redeemers?

Southern politicians that fought against Radical Reconstruction. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Poll Tax?

A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote. Signup and view all the answers

What is discrimination?

Behaving differently, usually unfairly, toward the members of a group. Signup and view all the answers

What are Freedmen?

Freed slaves. Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean to segregate?

To separate groups of people. Signup and view all the answers

What is white supremacy?

A system of racial stratification that places whites at the top of the hierarchy. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Convict Lease System?

The practice of leasing inmates to a business for a fixed annual fee. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Overview of Reconstruction

Reconstruction was the period following the Civil War dedicated to rebuilding the South and integrating formerly enslaved individuals into society.

Constitutional Amendments

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment ensured equal protection under the law, and the 15th Amendment granted voting rights to Black males.

Presidential Reconstruction Plan

President Andrew Johnson's 1865 plan allowed Southern states considerable autonomy in transitioning from slavery, excluding African Americans from political power.

Radical Republicans

A faction within Congress advocating for severe consequences for Southern states that opposed Reconstruction efforts.

Congressional Reconstruction Plan

This plan declared existing Southern governments as illegal, leading to the establishment of new, more equitable governance.

Freedman's Bureau

Established to assist newly freed African Americans in adjusting to their freedom, providing education, healthcare, and occupation support.

Ku Klux Klan

Founded as a white supremacist group, it aimed to intimidate African Americans and suppress their newly attained rights.

Henry McNeal Turner

An influential minister and politician, recognized as the first Southern bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

African-American State Legislators

These individuals participated in state legislatures during Reconstruction, representing African American interests in governance.

Georgia General Assembly

The legislative body responsible for governance in the state of Georgia during and after the Reconstruction era.

Sharecropping

A farming practice where tenants rented land and paid with a portion of their crops, often leading to economic exploitation.

Tenant Farming

A system where farmers rent land from landowners, typically resulting in similar power dynamics to sharecropping.

Black Codes

Laws enacted in the South intended to limit the freedoms and rights of newly freed African Americans.

Carpet Baggers

Northerners who moved to the South post-Civil War, often accused of exploiting the region for personal gain.

Scalawags

Southern whites who supported Republican policies during Reconstruction, often viewed as traitors by other Southerners.

Redeemers

Southern political leaders opposed to Radical Reconstruction who sought to restore pre-war social structures and racial hierarchies.

Poll Tax

A financial requirement imposed on citizens as a condition for voting, often used to disenfranchise African Americans and poor individuals.

Discrimination

Unfair treatment of individuals based on their group identity, impacting African Americans in various societal contexts.

Freedmen

A term referring to individuals who were formerly enslaved and recognized as free citizens after the Civil War.

Segregation

The practice of separating different racial groups, deeply entrenched in Southern society post-Reconstruction.

White Supremacy

A societal system placing white individuals at the top of a racial hierarchy, deeply influencing laws and practices in the Reconstruction era.

Convict Lease System

A controversial practice where inmates were leased to businesses for forced labor, often perpetuating racial exploitation and suffering.

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Description

This quiz explores the Reconstruction era following the Civil War, focusing on the significant amendments, plans, and key figures involved in rebuilding the South. Learn about the constitutional changes that abolished slavery and granted rights to formerly enslaved individuals, as well as the various approaches taken by different factions in Congress. Test your knowledge of this pivotal period in American history.