5.10 Reconstruction

Reconstruction was the period after the Civil War (roughly 1865–1877) when the federal government tried to rebuild the South and define the rights of formerly enslaved people. Key things: the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments abolished slavery, guaranteed citizenship/equal protection, and protected voting rights; laws and programs like the Freedmen’s Bureau and the Reconstruction Acts (including Military Reconstruction) expanded federal power in Southern states; Congress—especially Radical Republicans—clashed with President Andrew Johnson (his impeachment highlights that). Southern resistance (Black Codes, KKK violence) plus Northern fatigue led to the Compromise of 1877, which effectively ended Reconstruction and allowed many white Southerners to reassert control, producing sharecropping and Jim Crow continuities. On the AP exam, this fits Learning Objective K (explain effects of government policy 1865–1877). For a focused review, see the Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

The Reconstruction Amendments reshaped citizenship and civil rights after the Civil War. The 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery and involuntary servitude nationwide. The 14th Amendment (1868) defined national citizenship (overturning the idea that states alone determine it), guaranteed due process and equal protection under the law, and helped Congress justify federal protection of civil rights. The 15th Amendment (1870) prohibited denying the right to vote because of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” aiming to secure Black male suffrage. Together they expanded federal power to protect formerly enslaved people—key CED content (KC-5.3.II.A) —but enforcement gaps, Black Codes, and later Supreme Court rulings limited their immediate impact. For AP review, study how these amendments changed state–federal relations and Reconstruction policy (see the Topic 5.10 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and practice questions at https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history.

Reconstruction started strong: 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, the Freedmen’s Bureau, and Congressional (Radical) Reconstruction temporarily expanded Black citizenship, voting, and officeholding. It failed because political, social, and economic forces undercut those gains. Southern resistance (Black Codes, white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, and violence) intimidated Black voters and officials. Northern commitment waned after economic recession and fatigue; Republicans lost Congress and concessions followed. Key turning point: the Compromise of 1877 pulled federal troops out of the South, allowing “Redeemer” state governments to roll back rights through segregation and voter suppression (sharecropping and local laws reinforced economic dependency). Constitutional gains stayed on the books but lacked enforcement, so many rights weren’t realized in practice. For AP FRQs/DBQs, use specific laws, amendments, and events (e.g., Enforcement Acts, Compromise of 1877) to support causation and continuity/change. Review Topic 5.10 for details (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

Reconstruction strengthened federal power over the states—temporarily. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act (1866), the Reconstruction Acts, and the 13th–15th Amendments, and used the Freedmen’s Bureau and federal troops to enforce citizenship, equal protection, and voting rights for formerly enslaved people. That created new national definitions of citizenship (14th) and voting protection (15th) and shifted disputes from state legislatures to Congress and federal courts (plus the impeachment clash with Andrew Johnson). Military Reconstruction put Southern governments under federal supervision. But by 1877 the Compromise of 1877 and waning Northern resolve let states reassert control: Black Codes evolved into Jim Crow, and many rights were undermined by violence (KKK) and systems like sharecropping. For AP study, focus on legislation, amendments, Military Reconstruction, and the Compromise of 1877 (see the Topic 5.10 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS). Practice DBQ/LEQ uses these docs—try related practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

Radical Republicans wanted far-reaching change: full civil and political rights for freedpeople, federal enforcement (Reconstruction Acts of 1867, Civil Rights Act of 1866), and strong congressional control over Reconstruction—they pushed the 14th (1868) and 15th Amendments and led moves to impeach Andrew Johnson when he resisted. Moderate Republicans accepted some rights for Black Americans but favored quicker restoration of Southern states, more lenient policies toward former Confederates, and more reliance on state governments than on prolonged military rule. On the AP exam, know this difference as part of KC-5.3.II (debates over citizenship and Congressional vs. presidential power) and use specific laws/events (1866 Act, 1867 Acts, impeachment, 14th/15th Amendments) as evidence. For a focused review, see the Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

The 14th and 15th Amendments both emboldened and split the women’s rights movement. The 14th’s citizenship/equal protection language still used “male” wording in practice, denying women federal voting claims, so activists pushed for explicit suffrage. The 15th Amendment (1870) enfranchised Black men but excluded women, prompting a major rift: Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton opposed accepting Black male-only suffrage and helped form the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA), while Lucy Stone and others supported the 15th and formed the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) to pursue state-by-state wins. Some activists prioritized racial justice (e.g., Frederick Douglass supported the 15th), others prioritized universal female suffrage—this division lasted until the 1890s reunification and shaped strategy through the 19th Amendment. For AP review, this fits KC-5.3.II.B; see the Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

Short answer: Reconstruction gave formerly enslaved people real constitutional and legal rights (13th ended slavery; 14th citizenship/equal protection; 15th voting rights), plus institutions like the Freedmen’s Bureau, Military Reconstruction, and Black officeholders supported by Radical Republicans. But those gains were rolled back by a mix of factors: Southern resistance (Black Codes, vigilante groups like the Ku Klux Klan), legal weakening by the Supreme Court (e.g., United States v. Cruikshank and later decisions that narrowed federal enforcement), discriminatory state laws and voter restrictions (poll taxes, literacy tests), economic systems like sharecropping, and the North’s waning resolve culminating in the Compromise of 1877 that ended federal troops in the South. The result: many rights existed on paper but weren’t protectable in practice until the 20th-century civil rights movement. For AP prep, link these causes to KC-5.3 and use the Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and extra practice (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

Short-term successes: Reconstruction passed the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, created the Freedmen’s Bureau and Civil Rights Act of 1866, and used Military Reconstruction and the Reconstruction Acts to force Southern states to rewrite constitutions. That opened political and leadership roles to formerly enslaved people (Black officeholders, voting gains), established public schools in the South, and temporarily expanded federal power to protect citizenship and equal protection (CED KC-5.3.II.A, KC-5.3.II.C). Long-term failures: Southern resistance (Black Codes, vigilante groups like the Ku Klux Klan), economic traps (sharecropping), Supreme Court limits and declining enforcement, and Northern waning resolve led to the Compromise of 1877 and withdrawal of troops. That rollback allowed Jim Crow segregation and large-scale disenfranchisement lasting decades. For AP work, link these causes/effects in SAQs or DBQs (use specific amendments, Reconstruction Acts, and Compromise of 1877). Review Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

Start with a clear, arguable thesis that answers “how effective were Reconstruction policies?” (e.g., “Reconstruction achieved important legal gains—13th, 14th, 15th Amendments and Civil Rights Act—but was limited in social/economic change because of Southern resistance and waning Northern will.”). Contextualize briefly (post–Civil War goals: reunify nation, integrate freedpeople; Radical vs. moderate Republicans; Black Codes/Klan). Use at least four documents to support subclaims (legal/political gains; federal enforcement like Military Reconstruction & Freedmen’s Bureau; limits: Black Codes, sharecropping, Compromise of 1877). Cite one piece of specific outside evidence (e.g., Enforcement Acts, Colfax Massacre, or Compromise of 1877). For two documents, analyze POV/purpose/audience (how a Radical Republican speech differs from Southern newspaper). End by qualifying: short-term successes vs. long-term rollback. Follow DBQ rules: thesis (0–1), contextualization (0–1), use ≥4 docs (0–2), add outside evidence (0–1), source two docs (0–1), show complexity (0–1). Review Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

“Reorder race relations in the defeated South” just means the federal government and northern politicians tried to change who had power and rights in Southern society after the Civil War. Instead of a system where enslaved Black people were denied citizenship and legal rights, Reconstruction policies (13th–15th Amendments, Civil Rights Act of 1866, Freedmen’s Bureau, Military Reconstruction, Reconstruction Acts) tried to give formerly enslaved people citizenship, legal protection, and voting power. That threatened old Southern elites, who responded with Black Codes, violence (Ku Klux Klan), sharecropping, and political resistance. In short: it was an attempt to remake social and political relationships so Black Americans had real rights and roles—an effort with short-term gains but long-term setbacks. For AP study, connect this to Learning Objective K and the listed keywords (Radical Republicans, Andrew Johnson, Compromise of 1877). See the Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and hit practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history) to prep for DBQ/LEQ prompts.

Because priorities and politics changed. After the Civil War the North supported Radical Reconstruction at first—passing the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, the Reconstruction Acts, and creating the Freedmen’s Bureau—but by the early 1870s enthusiasm faded. Causes: economic crises (the Panic of 1873) shifted attention to recovery; reports of corruption in some Republican administrations discredited reform; sustained violent Southern white resistance (Ku Klux Klan, Black Codes, intimidation) made lasting change costly and dangerous; key Supreme Court rulings and waning Congressional enforcement weakened protections; and political compromise (the disputed 1876 election and the Compromise of 1877) traded federal oversight for party stability. Together these factors produced the North’s “waning resolve,” ending effective Reconstruction by 1877. For AP review, this ties to KC-5.3.II.C (short-term successes, ultimate failure)—see the Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS). Practice DBQ/LEQ prompts often ask you to weigh these causes; try related practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

During Reconstruction formerly enslaved people gained real political rights and roles they’d been denied for centuries. Constitutional changes—the 13th, 14th (citizenship/equal protection) and 15th Amendments (voting rights)—plus laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts, and military reconstruction enforced Black suffrage and officeholding. The Freedmen’s Bureau helped register voters. As a result freedmen voted in large numbers and were elected as local officials, state legislators, sheriffs, congressmen (e.g., Hiram Revels, Blanche K. Bruce), and even a governor (Pinckney Pinchback briefly). Radical Republicans supported these gains, but Southern resistance (Black Codes, Ku Klux Klan violence) and waning Northern resolve led to rollback after 1877 (Compromise of 1877). For the exam, link these causes/effects and use specific examples from the CED (Reconstruction Acts, Freedmen’s Bureau, 14th/15th Amendments). See the Topic 5.10 study guide for quick review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

Southern resistance worked on multiple fronts to undermine Reconstruction. Legislatively and legally, states passed Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws to limit freedpeople’s rights and recreate labor control (leading to sharecropping and debt). Politically, white Southern “Redeemers” and Democrats used intimidation, fraud, and violence (e.g., Ku Klux Klan) to suppress Black voting and remove Republican officeholders, weakening enforcement of the 14th and 15th Amendments. Federal responses (Freedmen’s Bureau, Civil Rights Act of 1866, Enforcement Acts, Military Reconstruction) had short-term gains, but Northern resolve faded and court decisions plus Andrew Johnson’s leniency limited sustained federal power. The Compromise of 1877 ended military occupation, letting white supremacist state governments reverse many gains—showing how state-federal tensions and determined local resistance caused Reconstruction’s failure (KC-5.3.II, Reconstruction Acts, 13th–15th Amendments). For a focused review tied to the CED keywords, see the Topic 5.10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS). For more practice, try Fiveable’s APUSH problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).

During Reconstruction debates over citizenship centered on who qualified for full political rights and who enforced them. Key policies—13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments plus the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and Reconstruction Acts—expanded citizenship and equal protection (KC-5.3.II.A), granting formerly enslaved Black men citizenship and, in theory, the vote. Republicans fought over whether Congress or the president should enforce these rights (Radical vs. moderate tensions; impeachment of Andrew Johnson). Southern Black Codes and white violence (KKK) tried to exclude Black people in practice. Women and many Native Americans remained excluded: most women were denied the ballot (the women’s movement split over the 14th/15th Amendments—KC-5.3.II.B), and Native Americans weren’t fully citizens until 1924; Asians faced legal discrimination too. These debates tied to federal vs. state power and short-lived political gains for Black leaders (see the Fiveable Reconstruction study guide for targeted review: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5/reconstruction/study-guide/DiWHCM2v4Drc73iIcfDS; unit overview: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-us-history/unit-5). For more practice, use Fiveable’s AP problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-us-history).