Reconstruction Basics
What was Reconstruction?
The period when the United States reunited the North and South
Who was the president of the United States at the end of the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln
Which amendments were the Reconstruction Amendments?
13th, 14th, and 15th amendments
What happened to enslaved people when the 13th Amendment was passed?
They were legally freed from slavery.
What were Black Codes?
Laws passed in Southern states that limited the rights and freedom of African Americans after the Civil War.
Reconstruction occured after which war?
The Civil War
Who was president after Abraham Lincoln?
Andrew Johnson
Which amendment ended slavery?
13th amendment.
What was one major challenge formerly enslaved people faced after the Civil War?
Finding jobs, homes, education, and ways to support their families.
Why did Southern states create Black Codes?
To control formerly enslaved people and limit their freedom and opportunities.
What was one major goal of Reconstruction?
To rebuild the South and help formerly enslaved people gain rights and freedom.
Which president was assassinated just days after the Civil War ended, leading Andrew Johnson to become president?
Abraham Lincoln.
Which amendment protected African American's right to vote?
15th amendment
What did many formerly enslaved people do after gaining their freedom?
They searched for family members, found work, attended schools, and built new communities.
What were Jim Crow laws?
Laws that enforced racial segregation and discrimination, especially in the South.
What was the name given to people who had been formerly enslaved?
Freedmen/freedwomen
What happened after Andrew Johnson was impeached?
He stayed President.
Which amendment gave citizenship to people born in the United States and promised equal protection under the law?
14th Amendment
How did the rise of secret groups affect freed people?
These groups used violence, threats, and intimidation to scare freed people and prevent them from using their new rights, such as voting and participating in government.
Give one example of something Jim Crow laws separated.
Schools, restaurants, drinking fountains, transportation, bathrooms, or other public places could be separated by race.
Why was Reconstruction difficult?
Many people had different viewpoints and opinions on how to reunite the Union. The country had to rebuild after the Civil War while also deciding how to treat formerly enslaved people and protect their rights.
Why was Andrew Johnson impeached by Congress?
He was impeached after he violated Congress by attempting to fire Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.
What did Southern States put in place to try to inhibit the Reconstruction Amendments?
Black Codes, Poll taxes, and Convict Lease Laws
How did freedom change life for formerly enslaved people, even though they still faced discrimination?
They were no longer legally enslaved and gained new rights and opportunities, but racism, violence, Black Codes, and discrimination continued to make life difficult.
What was one way poll taxes were used during the Jim Crow era?
They required people to pay money before voting, making it harder for many African Americans and poor people to vote.