Front

The 13th Amendment

Back

Ratified in 1865, abolished slavery in the United States, except as punishment for a crime.

Front

The 14th Amendment

Back

Ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved individuals, and provided equal protection under the law.

Front

The 15th Amendment

Back

Ratified in 1870, prohibited federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Front

Convict Leasing

Back

A system used in the post-Civil War South where states leased out prisoners, predominantly African American, to private businesses for labor. It was often exploitative and harsh, resembling slavery.

Front

Sharecropping

Back

An agricultural system where freedmen and poor whites rented land from landowners in exchange for a share of the crop. This system often trapped workers in cycles of debt and poverty.

Front

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Back

A Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine, providing a legal foundation for Jim Crow laws.

Front

The Nadir

Back

Refers to the period in U.S. history from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, marked by extreme racism, disenfranchisement, and violence against African Americans.

Front

The Freedman’s Bureau

Back

A federal agency established in 1865 to assist formerly enslaved individuals by providing food, housing, education, and legal support. It faced significant opposition and limited resources.

Front

Special Order No. 15

Back

Issued by General William T. Sherman in 1865, it set aside land along the southern coastline for freedmen to settle. Known as the "40 acres and a mule" promise, it was later rescinded.

Front

Black Codes

Back

Laws enacted in Southern states after the Civil War to restrict the freedom of African Americans and force them into exploitative labor arrangements.