Reconstruction
Definition
Reconstruction was the period following the Civil War (1865-1877) during which the United States worked to reintegrate Southern states back into the Union and rebuild the country.
Analogy
Imagine if after that big family argument, everyone decided to make up and start having movie nights together again. But first, they had to agree on some new rules about how they'd choose movies in future. That's a bit like what happened during Reconstruction.
Related terms
13th Amendment: The constitutional amendment that officially abolished slavery in 1865.
14th Amendment: This amendment granted citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and slaves who had been emancipated after the Civil War.
15th Amendment: This amendment prohibited governments from denying U.S. citizens the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
"Reconstruction" appears in:
Subjects (1)
Practice Questions (20+)
Which of the following was a key component of the Radical Republicans' plan for Reconstruction?
Which of the following was a key goal of Reconstruction in the United States?
Which of the following best describes the impact of Reconstruction on African American civil rights?
Which of the following was a major challenge faced by African Americans during Reconstruction in the United States?
Which of the following was a major cause of the end of Reconstruction in the United States?
What was the primary cause of the failure of Reconstruction?
When Reconstruction ended in 1877, the majority of African Americans in the South found life to be _____
Which of the following was a key difference between the Reconstruction policies of President Andrew Johnson and those of the Radical Republicans in Congress?
Which of the following best compares the Reconstruction policies of President Ulysses S. Grant and those of his successor, President Rutherford B. Hayes?
What was a result of the change in government between the Gilded Age and Reconstruction in the South?
How are the challenges faced during Shaping a New Republic similar to those during Reconstruction?
What was a continuous element in US society from Reconstruction through the Progressive Era?
How does public sentiment towards federal power during Reconstruction reflect attitudes seen following the passage of the Compromise of 1850?
What differentiated the roles of the Freedmen's Bureau and the Civil Rights Act during Reconstruction?
How did President Lincoln’s views regarding restoration of Southern states differ from those of Congressional Republicans during Reconstruction?
Whose plan for reconstruction emphasized breaking the old plantation system and redistributing land to freed slaves?
Despite changes brought by reconstruction which group retained economic power in southern states?
What continued to be a major factor in Southern politics despite efforts at reconstruction?
How does the concept of Radical Republicanism during Reconstruction mirror modern progressive politics?
Which radical Republican is known for his harsh stance towards former Confederates during the early days of Reconstruction?
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