Reconstruction Vocabulary

Black Code A set of laws passed by Georgia, and most southern states, after the Civil War to restrict the rights of the freedmen

Carpetbagger A northerner who moved to the South after the Civil War

Disfranchise To take the right to vote away from someone or some group

Freedman The former slaves

Freedman’s Bureau A federal government organization established in 1865 that helped the newly freed slaves after the Civil War

Scalawag A southerner who supported the Republicans during Reconstruction

Suffrage A the right to vote

Underground Railroad A series of roads, houses, river crossings, and people who helped southern slaves escape to the North or Canada

What’s the difference? Sharecropping Tenant farming Given on “credit” Landowners supplied: Land House Tools Animals Seed Fertilizer Landowners received: A share of the harvest Sharecropper received: Land to work (not to own) Share of the harvest (only after “credit” had been paid back to landowner) Usually ended up in debt year after year Tenant farming Landowners supplied: Land Tenant farmers supplied: Tools Animals Seeds Fertilizer Landowners received: Cash or share of harvest Tenant farmers received: Land to work (not to own) Small profit from harvest Given on “credit”

What was their life before the Civil War started? Pg. 217 - 220   What was their life before the Civil War started? Pg. 217 - 220 What kind of life did they face after the Civil War ended? Pg. 298 - 300 How did the national government try to help them? Pg. 298 - 300 Slaves / Freemen They worked hard sun up to sun down. Received no compensation for labor. Little freedom treated as property. Had their own social structure based on their skin color and position on the plantation. They were free but they were also homeless, jobless and uneducated with no money and little more than the clothes in their back. Many were looking for food, clothing and shelter, and many traveled just to show they could. Some searched for friends and family separated by slavery. The Freedman’s Bureau was initially designed to help both poor whites and the newly freed slaves, however over time it tended to focus on just the former slaves. It provided food clothing and other necessities as well as education and training. Ex-Confederate Soldiers (yeoman farmers and poor whites) Yeoman farmers were subsistence farmers and managed to get by. They were poor farmers usually dependent on others for their survival. Often wandered seeking jobs food and clothes. “White trash” Often lived on other peoples land. Most were homeless, and in need of food and money. Many were killed or wounded during the war. For the most part their lives were no better than the newly freed slaves. Most resented this and refused to accept them as equals. They received little in the way of aid and this caused great resentment of the newly freed slaves. Initially the freedman’s bureau was designed to help them too, but over time the focus shifted to the former slaves Plantation Owners They were the top of the southern social ladder. Most of their money was invested in slaves and land. They lived a very comfortable life. They controlled southern society. Many lost land and what little money they had in the bank. Lost all wealth tied up in slaves Many were forced to sell land for far less than what it was worth. Most could not accept the newly freed slaves as equals They received little to no help as they were seen as having a greater ability to care for themselves than either poor whites or the newly freed slaves.

1. Based on what you read, how would you best describe the living conditions in the South after the Civil War ended? They were miserable as most of the infrastructure was destroyed. Fields were ruined, factories destroyed, railroads torn up and many homes were run down or destroyed. 2. Based on your chart, which group of people gained the most from the Civil War? Which group of people lost the most? Justify your answers. The freed slaves gained the most as they were now free and were considered equal with the rest of society. Also freed slaves received the most aid from the Federal Government via the Freedman’s bureau. Plantation owners lost the most because most of their wealth was tied up in land and slaves. They lost all of their slaves and many were forced to sell land at prices that were much lower than what the land was valued. Their entire way of life was turned upside down.  

3. Based on what you read, justify the establishment of the Freedman’s Bureau. Do you believe that it helped the newly freed slaves? The Freedman’s bureau was necessary as the newly freed slaves were now homeless, jobless and uneducated. They had never known anything other than slavery and were unequipped for their new lives. Yes, as it provided the newly freed slaves clothes, shelter, food and education. 4. Do you think that the Freedman’s Bureau’s shift from helping the poor whites to just helping slaves led to racial discrimination? Yes, poor whites were no better off and most resented the fact that they were now equals with the freemen and got little to no help from the Federal government