112D: Interpretations of Reconstruction Flashcards
Politically, how harsh was the North on the South?
Not very harsh
Which party controlled the South for decades?
The Democratic party
What slight adverse effects did Reconstruction have on White Southerners?
They temporarily lost control of their Southern States
What was there a major fall in politically for the South?
Political influence
What was the conditions for the South politically before and after the Civil War?
They had previously held the presidency for 50 years and dominated the Supreme court but following the Civil War there was only one elected Southern President and the Southerners made up a small fraction of the Supreme Court
What effect did Reconstruction have on the US economically?
A positive effect which developed into industrial power
What did the South benefit from economically from 1867-73?
US prosperity and high cotton prices
What did the South remain economically however?
Economically depressed with considerable poverty
By 1870 what had the average white Southerner’s income fallen by?
2/5s of a Northerners income
What did the South remain dependant on?
Cotton plantations as it remained a predominantly agricultural area
How many slaves were emancipated?
4 million
How many Black Senators and Representatives were elected to Congress?
2 Senators and 20 Representatives
Did African Americans wield much influence in the South during and after Reconstruction?
No they wielded very little influence
What were African Americans in Southern states?
The minority
What is a major criticism of Reconstruction?
Little or no land was given to the ex slaves
What did most African Americans become in the 1870’s?
Sharecroppers
What did Reconstruction fail to guarantee for African American?
Civil Rights
What were African Americans treated as by many White Southerners?
Second-class citizens
By the late nineteenth century what had every state introduced?
Segregation including ‘Jim Crow’ laws
What are some examples of segregation?
Separate schools, drinking fountains, public toilets, areas of restaurants and public transport
What did the segregation mean to white Americans?
They were separate but equal
What did segregation mean in reality?
Discrimination against African Americans whose facilities were invariably inferior to those of their white counterparts
What were some positives of segregation?
There were black institutions, similar to those of the white Americans which gave African Americans opportunities to lead and manage
What did some African American men become?
Doctors, lawyers and teachers
What did some African Americans think of segregation?
Some favoured it as they had no wish to mix socially with the whites
From which main group did many African Americans suffer intimidation and violence?
The Ku Klux Klan
What did the KKK do?
They intimidated African Americans into not voting by beatings and lynchings
When did the terrorist actions of the KKK peak?
In the years 1869-71
Who were frequent targets of the KKK?
Blacks who held public office, black schools and churches
What was the issue with convicting members of the KKK?
Even when they were arrested, many were too terrified to testify against them. It was also possible that a Klansman was on the jury, making it hard to convict them
When was the KKK set up?
1866
What is another example of a group of White Supremacists?
The White League, set up in 1873 after the Colfax massacre
