RECONSTRUCTION

Reconstruction 1865-1877 Time after the Civil War when the southern states were rebuilt and brought back into the Union

FREEDMEN

Freedmen People who had previously been slaves, now are free.

RECONSTRUCTION ACT OF 1867

Reconstruction Act Placed South under military rule and was divided into 5 districts Southern states ordered to hold new elections and create new state constitutions States had to allow all qualified male voters (including African Americans) to vote Southerners who supported the Confederacy not allowed to vote Southern states had to give equal rights to ALL citizens and ratify the 14th amendment

IMPEACHMENT

Impeachment To bring formal charges against an elected official President Johnson and Clinton are the only 2 presidents to be impeached, both found not guilty

13th AMENDMENT Free

13th AMENDMENT Free Abolished Slavery All slaves are FREE

14th AMENDMENT Citizens

14th AMENDMENT citizens Gave equal protection and due process for ALL citizens Actual equality was not achieved for African Americans until the 1960’s

15th AMENDMENT Vote

15th Amendment Vote Voting right can not be denied because of race Black males can vote

FREEDMEN’S BUREAU

Freedmen’s Bureau Government agency that was set up to help freed slaves. Provided food, clothing, shelter, education and jobs.

SHARECROPPING

Sharecropping Freed slaves were able to farm the land and be paid for the crops This often led to a life of poverty

BLACK CODES

Black Codes Laws that Southerners put into place to control newly freed slaves. Codes regulated legal rights, marriage and buying and selling property

CARPETBAGGERS

Carpetbaggers Northerners who moved to the south and became in politics to make money.

SEGREGATION

Segregation Separating people by the color of their skin in public facilities (bathrooms, restaurants, movie theaters)

VOTING RESTRICTIONS

Voting Restrictions Laws that made it almost impossible for African Americans to vote -poll taxes -literacy tests -grandfather clause

POLL TAX

Poll Tax Required voters to pay a fee to vote Problem: African Americans were very poor and could not afford the fee

LITERACY TESTS

Literacy Tests Required voters to pass a reading test to vote Problem: most African Americans could not read

GRANDFATHER CLAUSE

Grandfather Clause If your father or grandfather had ever voted in an election, you did not need to take literacy test Problem: Most of the African Americans’ grandfathers were slaves and had never voted

PLESSY v. FERGUSON

Plessy v. Ferguson “Separate but equal” Supreme Court case that legalized segregation Stated that separate facilities are ok as long as they are equal

KU KLUX KLAN

Ku Klux Klan A secret society that used terror to get their way

SUCCESSES of RECONSTRUCTION

Successes of Reconstruction The South was rebuilt 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments Blacks could now testify in court Blacks were educated, housed and given jobs All Southerners were given increased access to education

FAILURES of RECONSTRUCTION

Failures of Reconstruction Blacks were still poor and faced prejudice Southerners were bitter against the Federal Government Black still faced voting limits Freed slaves had few rights