Acts and Bills
What was the act that outlawed racial discrimination in public places that was later deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and why is this significant.
This act was the Civil Rights Act of 1876, and it being ruled unconstitutional was significant since this would prove to be the end of federal attempts to protect African American rights for well into the next century.
“The depression that began in 1873 forced many thousands of unemployed workers to go ‘on the tramp’ in search of jobs.” Why was “the tramp” significant?
The tramp was a powerful representation of the misery and fear that the people of America, especially the middle class, faced during this depression.
After the South’s defeat, were Southerners eager to incorporate African Americans into their society?
Quite the opposite. Most southern whites were afraid of having African Americans participate in their politics.
Which event essentially marked the beginning of the end of the reconstruction era as Democrats began to gain control of the South?
The Electoral Crisis of 1876
The Reconstruction Act of 1867 reflected what growing presence in Congress?
This act was primarily headed by the Radical Republicans, a powerful antislavery faction within Congress that was committed to enfranchisement and equal rights for freed blacks.
“He was stabbed five or six times, and then hanged on a hook in the Grand Jury room, where he was found on Saturday morning. Another brave, honest Republican citizen has met his fate at the hands of these fiends.” Who are the fiends that are mentioned in this letter, and what is this letter referring to?
The fiends are members of the Ku Klux Klan, and the context of this letter is that a senator was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. This shows how much resistance there still was in the South towards “Reconstruction governments” and improving conditions for African Americans, with some beginning to use violence.
Why was the Republican government unsuccessful in helping African Americans obtain land?
Free African Americans did not have enough cash to buy land in the open market, and the government did not use any tax money to help them out.
What was the Pacific Railway Act of 1862?
This act granted the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific rights to a large amount of land from Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California.
Excerpt (589)- “The Ku Klux Klan emerged as a potent political and social force during the Reconstruction, terrorizing freed people and their white allies.” What action did the federal government take after knowing what the Klan does?
This caused the federal government to announce their violent actions of civil and political rights, a federal crime. The US government’s initiative of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 was for the sole purpose of Republicans and African Americans. The Klansmen murdered and killed many of the general people who were of different political beliefs and racial backgrounds.
This image is referring to which agreement between Democrats and Republicans that resolved the election of 1876, and what happened in the election that made it necessary to create such an agreement?
It’s referring to the Compromise of 1877, and this was done because there was initially no clear winner of the election of 1876. Democratic candidate Samuel Tilden won the popular vote but the results of the electoral vote were still vague, which caused the Democrats and Republicans to launch into a dispute over the winner.
What was the Civil Rights Act of 1875?
Congress had the power to outlaw discrimination by states, but not with private individuals. This was the supreme court’s decision to not have attempts to protect African American’s rights.
Who were the Liberal Republicans and what values did they emphasize?
The Liberal Republicans were former Republicans who did not like President Ulysses S. Grant. They all supported the call for a limited government and the law of supply and demand.