Reconstruction Key Terms Review

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The 13th Amendment

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

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The 14th Amendment

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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.

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The 15th Amendment

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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.

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Convict Leasing

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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.

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Sharecropping

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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.

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Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

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

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The Nadir

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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.

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The Freedman’s Bureau

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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.

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Special Order No. 15

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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.

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Black Codes

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