Amendments
Which document abolished slavery in the U.S.?
the 13th amendment
Who became president after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated?
Andrew Johnson.
What were “Black Codes”?
Laws passed in the South to restrict the rights of African Americans.
What did the Civil Rights Act of 1866 do?
Gave citizenship and equal rights to African Americans
What was the main purpose of the Freedmen’s Bureau?
To help formerly enslaved people adjust to freedom with food, schools, and aid.
The 14th Amendment guaranteed what to all people born in the U.S.?
Citizenship and equal protection under the law
What was President Andrew Johnson’s view of Southern states after the war?
He wanted to readmit them quickly with few changes or punishments.
Name one way Black Codes limited African Americans’ freedoms.
Restricted travel, limited jobs to farm labor, or required unfair labor contracts.
What law divided the South into military districts to enforce Reconstruction?
The Military Reconstruction Act
What did the Compromise of 1877 do to the south?
Ended federal military support
The 15th Amendment focused on protecting which right?
The right to vote, regardless of race.
Why did Congress clash with Johnson over Reconstruction?
Congress wanted stronger protections for freedmen, while Johnson was lenient toward the South.
What organization helped freedmen with education, food, and jobs?
The Freedmen’s Bureau.
The Compromise of 1877 marked the end of what?
Reconstruction.
How did Radical Republicans differ from Johnson in their Reconstruction goals?
They wanted strict conditions for Southern states and strong protections for African Americans, unlike Johnson.
Together, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments are often called what?
The Reconstruction Amendments.
Which political party wanted harsher terms for the South and more protections for freedmen?
Radical Republicans.
In his eulogy for Abraham Lincoln, what did Frederick Douglass praise Lincoln for?
Leading the nation through the Civil War and helping end slavery.
How is the Emancipation Proclamation different from the 13th Amendment?
The Emancipation Proclamation only freed enslaved people in states that were in active rebellion, while the 13th amendment ended slavery.
How did Plessy v. Ferguson affect African Americans in the South?
It allowed legalized segregation under “separate but equal.”
Why did some Southern states try to pass Black Codes even after these amendments?
To limit the rights of African Americans and maintain white control.
What was the outcome of Johnson’s impeachment trial?
He was impeached by the House but not removed by the Senate (missed removal by one vote).
What challenges did Black Americans face even after gaining new rights under the amendments?
Violence, discrimination, lack of economic opportunities, and Jim Crow laws.
Why was the Civil Rights Act of 1866 an important step before the 14th Amendment?
It protected rights in law, but the 14th made them part of the Constitution, harder to overturn.
Looking back, what was one major success and one major failure of Reconstruction?
Success: abolition of slavery / new rights for African Americans.
Failure: loss of rights after federal withdrawal, rise of Jim Crow and violence.