Chapter 15 TEST Flashcards
What was Reconstruction?
The period from the end of the Civil War to 1877 when the U.S. worked to rebuild the South and reintegrate it into the Union.
Who were Freedmen?
Former slaves who were freed after the Civil War.
What was the status of the Southern states during Reconstruction?
They were under military occupation.
How did many Southerners feel about racial equality?
Many believed whites and blacks should not be equal.
What were some economic struggles of the South after the Civil War?
Lack of money and credit limited economic growth.
How did Reconstruction affect the North?
Life did not change much; industry progressed, immigration increased, and there was little land damage.
How was the South impacted by the Civil War?
The South had a limited workforce, severe property damage, bankrupt economy, and demoralized citizens.
How many slaves were freed after the Civil War?
Four million.
What were the goals of Freedmen after emancipation?
To secure land and have independent farms.
What disagreements existed over Reconstruction?
There was debate over whether the president, Congress, or the states should control Reconstruction.
What were the three phases of Reconstruction?
- Presidential Reconstruction (1865-1867) – Led by Lincoln and Johnson.
- Congressional (Radical) Reconstruction (1867-1876) – Led by Congress and Radical Republicans.
- Bourbon (Redeemer’s) Reconstruction (1877-1900) – Led by conservative Southerners.
What was Lincoln’s 10% Plan?
A state could rejoin the Union when 10% of its 1860 voters took an oath of loyalty.
What were the Radical Republicans’ views on Reconstruction?
Did not want Southern leaders back in power.
Wanted to secure rights for black Americans.
Felt Lincoln did not involve Congress enough.
What was the Wade-Davis Bill?
Congress’s plan requiring 50% of voters to take an oath before a state could reenter the Union. Lincoln used a pocket veto to reject it.
What was Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan?
Offered amnesty to Southerners who swore loyalty.
Denied unpardoned Southerners voting and office-holding rights.
Required states to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment (abolishing slavery).
What were Black Codes?
Laws that restricted the rights of black Americans, limiting their work opportunities, residency, and political rights.
Who were the Radical Republican leaders?
House Leader: Thaddeus Stevens
Senate Leader: Charles Sumner
What was the Freedmen’s Bureau?
A government agency providing food, shelter, education, and aid to freed slaves and war refugees.
What was the Civil Rights Act of 1866?
The first U.S. civil rights law granting citizenship to all people born in the U.S. regardless of race.
What did the Fourteenth Amendment do?
Granted citizenship to all people born in the U.S.
Provided equal legal protections.
Nullified the 3/5 Compromise.
Barred former Confederates from holding office.
What did the Reconstruction Act of 1867 establish?
Divided the South into five military districts under Union generals.
Allowed black men to vote and hold office.
Required Southern states to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment to rejoin the Union.
Who was Hiram Revels?
The first black U.S. Senator.
Who were Carpetbaggers?
Northerners who moved South after the war, often viewed with suspicion by Southerners.
Who were Scalawags?
Southern whites who supported Reconstruction.
What was the Tenure of Office Act (1867)?
A law preventing the president from removing certain officials without Senate approval.
Why was Johnson impeached?
He violated the Tenure of Office Act by removing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.
What was the outcome of Johnson’s impeachment trial?
He remained in office by one vote (Edmund Ross - KS).
What was Johnson’s major foreign policy achievement?
Forced France to leave Mexico.
Seward’s purchase of Alaska ($7 million).
Signed a treaty with China (1868).
What did the Fifteenth Amendment do?
Prohibited denying the right to vote based on race or previous servitude.
What was a major issue during Grant’s presidency?
Widespread corruption among high-ranking officials.
What was the goal of Redeemers?
To ‘redeem’ the South from black rule and Reconstruction policies.
Who was Joseph Rainey?
The first black U.S. House Representative.
What event ended Radical Reconstruction?
The election of Rutherford B. Hayes (1876) and the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.
What was Sharecropping?
A farming system where tenants worked land in exchange for a portion of the crops, often leading to a cycle of debt.
What industries helped rebuild the Southern economy?
Railroads, steel, and textile industries.
What was a Mill Town?
A town built around a factory or mill, providing housing, schools, and stores for workers.
What was the KKK?
A secret group that terrorized black Americans and political leaders supporting Reconstruction.
What was Lynching?
The illegal killing of a person, often by hanging, without a trial.
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1875 do?
Guaranteed equal access to public places and allowed black Americans to serve on juries.
What was Disenfranchisement?
Efforts to disqualify black voters through intimidation, literacy tests, and poll taxes.
