Reconstruction Era Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which outcome was a direct result of the Compromise of 1877?

The passage of the Force Acts to suppress the Ku Klux Klan.

The withdrawal of federal troops from the South. (correct)

The impeachment of President Andrew Johnson.

The establishment of the sharecropping system.

What was a primary characteristic of the crop lien system?

A system where farmers owned the land they cultivated and freely set their prices.

Farmers borrowing money based on their future crop yields. (correct)

Government subsidies for purchasing agricultural machinery.

Wealthy landowners providing land to freedmen without any conditions.

How did the midterm elections of 1874 significantly impact Reconstruction?

They led to increased Republican control in all branches of government.

They marked the beginning of the effective end of Reconstruction. (correct)

They resulted in the passage of additional civil rights protections.

They formalized the land redistribution to freedmen.

Which group was most likely to be labeled as a 'scalawag' during Reconstruction?

A white Southerner who supported the Republican Party. Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Force Acts (1870-1871) during Reconstruction?

To suppress the activities of the Ku Klux Klan and protect civil rights. Signup and view all the answers

Which Supreme Court case challenged President Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War?

Ex parte Merryman Signup and view all the answers

What was the central issue in the Supreme Court case Ex parte Milligan?

The constitutionality of military tribunals trying civilians where civilian courts were functioning Signup and view all the answers

What action was taken against Clement L. Vallandigham for his opposition to the Civil War?

He was exiled to the Confederacy. Signup and view all the answers

The Trent Affair nearly caused a war between the United States and which other nation?

Great Britain Signup and view all the answers

What was one significant consequence of the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam?

It emboldened President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary effect of the Emancipation Proclamation?

It shifted the war's objective towards the abolition of slavery and allowed African Americans to fight in the Union Army. Signup and view all the answers

What caused the Draft Riots in New York City in 1863?

Opposition to the Union draft which disproportionately targeted the poor. Signup and view all the answers

The Emancipation Proclamation primarily aimed to free slaves in which area?

Confederate-held territory Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of the Bureau of Colored Troops?

To oversee the recruitment and organization of African American soldiers. Signup and view all the answers

How did the Homestead Act of 1862 incentivize westward expansion?

By granting 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it. Signup and view all the answers

Which act aimed to establish agricultural and mechanical colleges?

The Morrill Land Grant Act. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key outcome of the National Banking Act of 1863?

It created a uniform national currency and system of national banks. Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Appomattox Court House in 1865?

It was the site of General Lee's surrender to General Grant, ending the Civil War. Signup and view all the answers

What did Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan propose for Southern states re-entering the Union?

States could re-enter after 10% of their voters took an oath of loyalty. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary difference between Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan and the Wade-Davis Bill?

The Wade-Davis Bill required a higher percentage of voters to take an oath of loyalty. Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Ironclad Oath during Reconstruction?

To ensure that individuals had never supported the Confederacy. Signup and view all the answers

Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

The Thirteenth Amendment. Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Black Codes?

To restrict the rights of African Americans and maintain white supremacy. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main goal of the Freedmen's Bureau?

To help freed slaves and poor whites in the South. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1866 aim to achieve?

To grant full citizenship and civil rights to African Americans. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main effect of the Reconstruction Acts of 1867?

To divide the South into military districts and require states to ratify the 14th Amendment. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary reason for President Johnson's impeachment?

His violation of the Tenure of Office Act. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Fifteenth Amendment accomplish?

It prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Civil War and Reconstruction Era Key Events

Ex parte Merryman (1861): Chief Justice Taney ruled President Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus unconstitutional, leading to a conflict between the executive and judicial branches over war powers.
Ex parte Milligan (1866): The Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional to try civilians in military courts when civilian courts were open.
Clement L. Vallandigham: A prominent Copperhead (anti-war Democrat) was arrested and exiled to the Confederacy for anti-Union speeches.
The Trent Incident (1861): A diplomatic crisis occurred when Union ships seized Confederate diplomats from a British ship. The incident nearly led to war with Britain but was resolved peacefully.
Battle of Antietam (1862) Impacts: The Union victory influenced President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and discouraged European support for the Confederacy.
Emancipation Proclamation (1863): Declared slaves in Confederate territory free, shifting the war's focus to abolition and enabling African Americans in the Union Army.
Draft Riots (1863): Violent protests in NYC against the Union draft, revealing class divisions over the war.
Bureau of Colored Troops: Managed the recruitment, organization and training of African American soldiers in the Union Army (approximately 180,000 served).
Homestead Act (1862): Offered 160 acres of public land to settlers to encourage westward expansion.
Morrill Land Grant Act (1862): Provided land to states to establish agricultural and mechanical colleges, expanding education opportunities.
Pacific Railway Act (1862): Authorized a transcontinental railroad, fostering development of the West.
National Banking Act (1863): Created a national banking system with uniform currency to stabilize the wartime economy
Appomattox Court House (1865): Site of General Lee's surrender to General Grant, ending the Civil War.
Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan (1863): A lenient Reconstruction plan for Southern states to rejoin the Union, requiring 10% voter loyalty oath.
Wade-Davis Bill (1864): A stricter Reconstruction plan requiring 50% voter loyalty oath and proof of no Confederate support.
Ironclad Oath: An oath Southern individuals had to take during Reconstruction, swearing to not have supported the Confederacy.
Thirteenth Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery throughout the U.S.
Johnson's Reconstruction Plan (1865): Similar to Lincoln’s but more lenient, requiring repudiation of secession, nullification of slavery, and ratification of the 13th Amendment; did not address African American civil rights.
Black Codes: Laws in the South limiting African Americans' rights, perpetuating white supremacy and forced labor.
Freedmen's Bureau (1865): Federal agency helping formerly enslaved people and poor whites with necessities but faced resistance and underfunding.
Civil Rights Act (1866): Granted citizenship and civil rights to African Americans; overrode Black Codes.

Post-Civil War Legislation & Policies

Fourteenth Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship to all born or naturalized in the U.S., and guaranteed equal protection under the law, aimed at protecting African American civil rights.
Reconstruction Acts (1867): Divided the South into military districts; required former Confederate states to rewrite constitutions and ratify the 14th Amendment to rejoin the Union.
Tenure of Office Act and Impeachment of President Johnson: Impeached President Johnson for violating the Tenure of Office Act, which restricted presidential removal of certain officeholders without Senate approval. He was acquitted.
Fifteenth Amendment (1870): Prohibited denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous servitude.
Disenfranchisement: Practices like poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses denied voting rights to African Americans and poor whites.
Poll Tax: Tax required to vote.
Literacy Test: Reading and writing test required for voting.
Grandfather Clause: Exempted white voters from literacy tests or poll taxes if their ancestors had voted before the Civil War.

Reconstruction Era Dynamics

Black Republican Governments: Southern governments dominated by African Americans, carpetbaggers, and scalawags.
Scalawags: White Southerners who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party.
Carpetbaggers: Northern whites who moved to the South during Reconstruction.
Sharecropping System: Farmers worked land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crops.
Crop Lien System: Farmers borrowed money for supplies against future crops, often trapping them in debt.
Ku Klux Klan and the Force Acts: The violent opposition (ex. Ku Klux Klan) to Reconstruction efforts and the federal attempts to suppress this violence via Force Acts.
Election of 1874: Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives.
Election of 1876 & Compromise of 1877: A contested election that ended with the Compromise of 1877; this withdrawal of federal troops from the South officially ended Reconstruction.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key events and policies of the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War. This quiz covers significant outcomes such as the Compromise of 1877, various Supreme Court cases, and the effects of major legislation like the Emancipation Proclamation. Questions also address social dynamics and conflicts that defined this transformative period in American history.