Reconstruction Period Overview

Definition

• Reconstruction was the period following the Civil War when the U.S. government attempted to rebuild the Southern states and reunite the country.
• Aimed to address the divisions that led to the Civil War.

Key Events

• Presidential Shift: After President Lincoln's assassination, Andrew Johnson became president.
  • Johnson was a southerner and attempted to restore slavery under different terms.
• Congressional Control: Radical Republicans took control away from Johnson.
  • They sent troops to the South to enforce the 14th Amendment, granting new freedoms.

Social and Political Changes

• African American Political Participation:
  • Freed Black people voted in large numbers and were elected to various offices.
• Ku Klux Klan (KKK):
  • Emerged in response to Black political gains, targeting and attacking Black people and their allies.

End of Reconstruction

• Concluded with a political compromise where Southern states agreed to a Republican president, Rutherford B. Hayes.
  • Resulted in the withdrawal of northern troops from the South.

Aftermath

• Led to the beginning of the Jim Crow era, legalizing discrimination against Black people in the South for nearly a century.

Learning Resources

• BrainPOP offers various educational tools to learn about Reconstruction:
  • Movie: Watch a film detailing the Reconstruction era.
  • Quiz: Test knowledge on the Reconstruction period.
  • Vocab Builder: Enhance understanding of terminology.
  • Challenge & Creative Coding: Interactive learning experiences.
  • Primary Source & Worksheet: Additional materials for in-depth study.

Related Topics

• Madam CJ Walker
• Abraham Lincoln
• Civil War
• Jim Crow Laws

Additional Resources

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