Reconstruction Test Study Guide
Reconstruction
In 10 words or less, define Reconstruction.
Rebuilding American after the Civil War (from 1865-1877)
Who believed preservation of the Union was more important than punishing the South?
Lincoln
Who believed freedmen should be granted a constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal voting rights?
Frederick Douglass
Who urged Southerners to stop fighting and reconcile with the North?
Robert E. Lee
Presidential Reconstruction:
What phrase best describes Presidential Reconstruction? Why?
“Forgive and Forget” – Lincoln and Johnson wanted to forgive the south. They believed preserving the union was more important than punishing the south.
What did the 13th Amendment do?
Bans slavery in the US and its territories
What were black codes?
Laws based on slave codes meant to limit the citizenship of freedmen. Meant to keep freedmen in slave-like conditions.
Draw an emoticon that shows how each group of people would have felt during this stage and explain why.
Freedmen / Radical Republicans / SouthernersEmoticon:
Happy/Sad / Emoticon:
Angry / Emoticon:
Angry
Explanation: Happy about the end of slavery and new rights. Sad about black codes / Explanation:
They wanted the South to be punished. / Explanation: They did not like the Freedmen’s Bureau, and the 13th Amendment.
Congressional Reconstruction:
What phrase best describes Congressional Reconstruction? Why?
“Punish! Punish! Punish!” – The Radical Republicans took over and sent an army to the South to punish the South.
What did the 14th and 15th Amendments do?
14th- Grants citizenship and guarantees equal protection under the law.
15th- Grants the right to vote to all people (but not women yet)
What two things did the Civil Rights Act of 1866 say?
African Americans have equal rights and the army can enforce them.
In 7 words or less describe sharecropping.
Freedmen rented land (parts of plantations) for large share of crops.
What act broke the south into military districts?
The Military Reconstruction Act
Draw an emoticon that shows how each group of people would have felt during this stage and explain why.
Freedmen / Radical Republicans / SouthernersEmoticon:
Happy and Sad / Emoticon:
Happy / Emoticon:
ANGRY
Explanation: Happy about the new rights, but sad about sharecropping. / Explanation: Happy the south is being punished. / Explanation: Angry about the army and the new amendments.
End of Reconstruction:
What do we mean when we say: “what was gained is lost and what was lost is regained”?
The rights freedmen gained during Reconstruction were lost through Jim Crow Laws. And the power the South had lost during Reconstruction was re-gained when the military left.
How did Reconstruction end? (What was the Compromise of 1877?)
Rutherford B. Hayes was given the Presidency in exchange for taking the military out of the South.
What did Jim Crow Laws do?
Made segregation practices official law in many Southern states and Communities.
What was the purpose of poll taxes and literacy tests?
To prevent freedmen from being able to vote.
What was the most famous secret society? What kinds of things would they do?
The Ku Klux Klan. They would threaten and terrorize African Americans in the South using violence.
Draw an emoticon that shows how each group of people would have felt during this stage and explain why.
Freedmen / Radical Republicans / SouthernersEmoticon:
SAD / Emoticon:
Angry/Indifferent / Emoticon:
Happy
Explanation: All of the rights freedmen gained were stripped away. Things got worse. / Explanation: Angry about the KKK and Jim Crow, but losing interest in Reconstruction. / Explanation: Believe the New South is rising. Finally rid of the military.
13th, 14th, 15th Amendments / Military Reconstruction Act / Jim Crow Laws
Southerners
(Use one adjective to describe how you would feel about each policy/event and WHY?) / Angry: these amendments gave freedmen more rights (ex 13th banned slavery) / Furious: the South did not want to follow Reconstruction and did not like the north having the power to force them to. / Great! Jim Crow laws left the South and freedmen the way they were before the war. Freedmen couldn’t even vote.
Radical Republicans
(Use one adjective to describe how you would feel about each policy/event and WHY?) / Proud: they wanted to punish the South & give African Americans rights. These amendments helped freedmen / Excited: the military helped punish the South and made sure the South was following Reconstruction laws. / Tired: they had tried and failed to fix the South. Former slaves found themselves only a little better than when they were slaves.
Freedmen
(Use one adjective to describe how you would feel about each policy/event and WHY?) / Excited: each amendment gave freedmen more rights.
(Use amendments to back up your answer!) / Alright: they liked the military because they made sure Southerners were treating the African Americans fairly and were abiding by all Reconstruction principles. / Disheartened: Jim Crow laws took away their rights.