Reconstruction Vocab 1865 - 1877

1. 13th Amendment Abolished slavery The 13th amendment abolished slavery. This amendment was ratified in 1865, and was the first of three reconstruction-era amendments. These amendments are important to the improved living conditions of freedmen during Reconstruction. After Reconstruction, many Southern states still discriminated against African Americans, which is why most historians agree that Reconstruction was a failure.

2. Black Codes Laws that sought to limit the rights of African Americans and to keep them as landless workers. Required African Americans to work only in certain occupations. Prohibited African Americans from owning land. Vagrancy laws The goal of black codes was to reduce the influence of African Americans throughout the South. The vagrancy laws attached to these black codes made it legal for white Southerners to arrest African Americans for not having jobs and put them to forced, involuntary labor. Freedmen already had trouble getting jobs, and most still worked for very little pay as subsistence or tenant farmers, especially since they could not own their own land. These laws also limited the occupations that freedmen could pursue, usually limited to outdoor or labor-intensive jobs that were undesired by the general public.

3. 14th Amendment A constitutional amendment that stated all citizens should have “Equal protection under the law.” This amendment guaranteed equality under the law for all citizens. The 14th amendment is the 2nd of 3 reconstruction-era amendments. The amendment includes the Citizenship Clause, which gave citizenship to any person born in America, including freedmen. The 14th amendment was also a landmark amendment because it included the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, and the Equal Protection Clause. These all gave broadened rights to all Americans, and specifically targeted freedmen. This amendment is the most highly litigated amendment to the Constitution, this amendment has been cited by SCOTUS to uphold the legality of gay marriage, reverse the Dred Scott “separate but equal” decision, and allow abortion to remain legal in the U.S.

4. 15th Amendment Forbids any state from denying suffrage on the grounds of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Gives African Americans the right to vote. Left room for evasion (literacy tests, property requirements etc…) The 15th amendment was ratified in 1870, and is the final of the 3 reconstruction-era amendments. The 15th amendment gave African Americans the right to vote, but due to concentrated efforts of Southern whites, and the KKK, African Americans were scared into submission, and tended to stay away from the polls. To get around this federal law, some states passed grandfather laws, meaning you could only vote if you’re grandfather could also vote, barring most freedmen from participating in elections. On top of all this, African Americans had to pass a literacy test, but since teaching slaves to read or write was illegal prior to the 13th amendment, this stopped even more blacks from civic participation. Tip to Remember Amendments: They are in alphabetical order; 13th – Abolish 14th – Citizenship 15th - Vote

5. Ku Klux Klan A secret society formed to undermine Republican rule and reconstruction efforts. Hooded, white robed Klan members rode through the south at night terrorizing African Americans, Republicans, carpetbaggers, teachers in African American schools, and others who supported Republican governments. In 1870 and 1871 Pres. Grant and Congress passed a series of Enforcement Acts to limit the power of the Klan. The Ku Klux Klan is a secret society, that during Reconstruction, was meant to scare freedmen into submission, and terrorize African Americans who tried to take advantage of their new freedom (vote, get good jobs, participate in society). The KKK died out in the 1870s due to the Enforcement Acts, but rose to prominence again in the 1915. The KKK has been very active recently in response to a call to stop memorializing, and romanticizing the Confederate leaders who upheld the institution of slavery. There are approximately 6,000 KKK members throughout the United States today.

6. Jim Crow Laws Laws that enforced segregation and perpetuated discrimination against African-Americans. Not overruled until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Jim Crow laws had a huge impact on the South, and African American rights. Jim Crow laws legalized the idea of segregation of whites and blacks. Segregation included any public building, restrooms and drinking fountains, and schools. Be sure to know the differences between Jim Crow, and black codes for the quiz! Important: Differs from black codes in that black codes focused on limiting rights among freedmen, while Jim Crow laws focused on segregation!!

7. Lynching Executions without proper court proceedings. Between 1890-1899 there was an average of 187 lynchings per year. Over 80% of these lynchings were carried out in the South, and 70% of the victims were African Americans. Lynchings were extrajudicial hangings, typically of African Americans in the South. These killings were meant to promote white supremacy, and promote black powerlessness. Lynchings were popular gatherings in the South, and some even thought of it as a type of party, and photographs of lynchings were commonly sent as postcards.

8. Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case that legalized segregation in the South. Established “separate but equal.” Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark constitutional case which upheld the doctrine of “separate but equal”, and allowed segregation to remain in the South. This decision remained in effect until the 1954 SCOTUS case Brown v. Board of Education, which reversed the Plessy decision. Only a mere 63 years ago, segregation was widespread, that means your grandparents may have experienced this. That is why it is important to understand why African American civil rights are still such a hot button issue and riddled with controversy.