US History Civil War Reconstruction

Questions and Answers

What was Reconstruction?

The period after the Civil War (correct)

A time during the Civil War

A government strategy to expand the Union

A plan to establish equal rights in the South

What did the Thirteenth Amendment achieve?

It abolished slavery.

What was the purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau?

To help protect newly freed African Americans.

What were Black Codes?

Laws to limit the rights of African Americans Signup and view all the answers

What rights are guaranteed by Civil Rights?

Equal treatment under the law. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Fourteenth Amendment ensure?

Citizenship for anyone born in the United States and equal protection under the law. Signup and view all the answers

What was established by the Fifteenth Amendment?

The right to vote cannot be denied based on race or previous enslavement. Signup and view all the answers

What were Jim Crow Laws?

Laws enforcing segregation Signup and view all the answers

What is segregation?

The separation of people based on racial or ethnic differences. Signup and view all the answers

What was the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson?

Segregation laws did not violate the 14th Amendment if facilities were equal. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Reconstruction

Period following the Civil War aimed at rebuilding southern states and reintegrating them into the Union.
Division between President Johnson's lenient reconciliation approach and Congressional Republicans' push for equal rights and free labor.

Thirteenth Amendment

Ratified in 1865, this amendment abolished slavery in the United States, marking a significant legal change in civil rights.

Freedmen's Bureau

Established at the end of the Civil War to assist newly freed African Americans.
Provided essential services such as food, medical care, education, and occasionally land.
Advocated for fair wages and improved working conditions for former slaves.

Black Codes

Laws enacted in 1855-1856 in former Confederate states to restrict the rights of African Americans.
Aimed to limit voting rights, secure labor for planters, and maintain a social hierarchy where freedmen remained disadvantaged.

Civil Rights

Refers to the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, ensuring equal treatment under the law for all citizens.

Fourteenth Amendment

Ratified in 1868, this amendment granted citizenship to anyone born in the U.S. and guaranteed equal protection under the law.
Affirmed that African Americans hold citizenship rights and cannot be treated unequally.

Fifteenth Amendment

Ratified in 1870, it prohibited states from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous status as a slave.

Jim Crow Laws

Enacted in the southern United States after the Civil War, these laws enforced racial segregation.
Created separate facilities for black and white individuals in public spaces, including rail cars, schools, and restaurants.

Segregation

Defined as the separation of individuals based on racial, ethnic, or other differences, leading to widespread discrimination.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Landmark 1896 Supreme Court case ruling that upheld segregation laws, stating they did not violate the 14th Amendment if facilities were "roughly equal."
Established the "separate but equal" doctrine, legitimizing racial segregation for decades.

Description

Test your knowledge on the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. This quiz includes key terms and definitions essential to understanding the complexities of reintegrating southern states into the Union. Explore significant amendments and policies that shaped this critical period in American history.