Key Features Of The Reconstruction Era Flashcards
What was the black code
Southern states were free to control freed slaves as they wish
What are the key feature of the black code.
Restricted the right to vote of African amercains to compete for work with white people
Gave states the right to punish vagrants and unemployed slaves.
Allowed those who attacked afrcain Americans to go unpunshied with state officals often parpating in attacks.
What were some laws and acts to help ex slaves.
- Freedmen’s bureau were set up to help emancipated slaves they would provide food shelter and education it set up two universities but it’s 900 agents were subject to imitadtion.
- 3rd Feb 1870 fifteenth amendment = This ensures that the rights of citizens shall not be denied or abridged by any state due to race.
3 second enforcement this overturned states which prevented black amercains from voting and provided for federal supervision of elections.
What are key feature of the Jim crow laws.
- Segregation was made legal this meant black and whites were made seprate but equal in 1881 and 1889.
- Measures against voting = Southern states were able to introduce literacy tests which were made to exclude Southern states and also grandfather laws meaning if your family had the right to vote before 1866 then you could vote, 13,000 Black votes in lousina in 1890 to 5000 in 1900.
- Lynching was a major problem by the 1890s afrcain American were killed every two days vilolence was common.
The role of the supreme court
The court would sometimes be a barrier to civil rights for example in 1890 plessy vs feguson where a plessy traveled on a whites only carriage the US court argued 7 to 1 that lousina was not going against the consution.
The court would sometimes promote civil rights for example Boyton vs Virginia in 1960 that segregation on interstate was unconstitutional giving rise to freedom riders.
Alexander vs Holmes 1969 insisting on the desegration of civil rights.
