Reconstruction Reteach

​Reconstruction Reteach

By ALYSSA MCCOY

Reconstruction

Reconstruction was the period right after the Civil War (1865–1877) when the United States tried to rebuild the South and bring the Southern states back into the Union. It also focused on helping newly freed African Americans gain rights and opportunities.

During Reconstruction:

• New laws and amendments were made, like the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.

• Freed slaves had to figure out how to live as free citizens, often facing challenges like Black Codes and sharecropping.

• There were conflicts between Southern states and the federal government about rights and control.

Open Ended

Summarize reconstruction in your own words

Lincoln's Plan

Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction was called the “10 Percent Plan.”

• It said that a Southern state could rejoin the Union once 10% of its voters in the 1860 election promised to be loyal to the United States.

• Lincoln wanted it to be easy and quick so the country could heal after the Civil War.

• He also wanted to forgive most Confederates and avoid punishing the South too harshly.

Multiple Choice

What was the main idea of Abraham Lincoln’s “10 Percent Plan”?

• Southern states had to pay a heavy fine to rejoin the Union

• Southern states could rejoin the Union after 10% of voters pledged loyalty

• Freed slaves could immediately vote in all elections

• All Confederate leaders were put on trial

Lincoln's Plan

Lincoln’s Plan for Reconstruction was called the “10 Percent Plan.”

• It said that a Southern state could rejoin the Union once 10% of its voters in the 1860 election promised to be loyal to the United States.

• Lincoln wanted it to be easy and quick so the country could heal after the Civil War.

• He also wanted to forgive most Confederates and avoid punishing the South too harshly.

Johnson's Plan

Andrew Johnson’s Plan came after Lincoln was killed in 1865.

• It was similar to Lincoln’s plan but a little stricter on the South’s leaders.

• Johnson allowed most Southern states to rejoin the Union quickly if they swore loyalty to the United States and ratified the 13th Amendment (which abolished slavery).

• He did not protect the rights of freed African Americans very much, and he pardoned many former Confederate leaders, which made Congress angry.

Multiple Choice

What was a key feature of Andrew Johnson’s plan for Reconstruction?

• He required all Southern states to give African Americans the right to vote

• He punished all former Confederate leaders by sending them to jail

• He forced Southern states to divide their land among freed slaves

• He allowed Southern states to rejoin the Union if they swore loyalty and ratified the 13th Amendment

Radical Republicans

Radical Republicans were a group of members of Congress who wanted to punish the South for causing the Civil War and to protect the rights of freed African Americans.

• They thought Lincoln and Johnson were too easy on the South.

• They passed laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1866 to give African Americans legal protections.

• They also supported the 14th and 15th Amendments to guarantee citizenship and voting rights.

Multiple Choice

What did the Radical Republicans want during Reconstruction?

• To punish the South and protect the rights of freed African Americans

• To let the South rejoin the Union quickly without any punishments

• To end Reconstruction immediately and return to pre-Civil War laws

• To allow Southern states to choose whether African Americans could vote

13 Amendment

13th Amendment (1865)

• What it did: Ended slavery in the United States.

• Why it mattered: It made slavery illegal everywhere in the U.S., giving freedom to millions of African Americans.

• Connection to Reconstruction: It was a key part of Reconstruction laws that tried to rebuild the country and protect freed people’s rights.

14 Amendment

14th Amendment (1868)

• What it did: Made anyone born or naturalized in the U.S. a citizen and guaranteed equal protection under the law.

• Why it mattered: It protected the rights of freed African Americans and made it harder for states to pass unfair laws like the Black Codes.

• Connection to Reconstruction: It was part of the Radical Republicans’ efforts to ensure African Americans had legal rights after the Civil War.

15 Amendment

15th Amendment (1870)

• What it did: Gave African American men the right to vote.

• Why it mattered: It was an important step in giving political power to freed African Americans during Reconstruction.

• Connection to Reconstruction: It helped Radical Republicans try to make sure African Americans could participate in government.

Freedmen's Bureau

Freedmen’s Bureau (1865)

• What it was: A government agency created to help formerly enslaved people and poor whites in the South after the Civil War.

• What it did: Provided food, clothing, medical care, schools, and help finding jobs.

• Why it mattered: It helped freed African Americans start new lives and gave them support during the difficult Reconstruction period.

Open Ended

What did the Freedmen's Bureau provide to formerly enslaved people and poor whites in the South after the Civil War.

Black Codes

Black Codes (1865–1866)

• What they were: Laws passed in Southern states after the Civil War to control and limit the freedom of African Americans.

• What they did: Restricted African Americans’ rights, like where they could work, live, or travel, and tried to keep them in a situation similar to slavery.

• Why it mattered: They showed that many in the South resisted giving freed people real freedom, which led to stricter federal Reconstruction laws.

Multiple Choice

What were Black Codes?

• Laws that gave African Americans full rights after the Civil War

• Rules that required Southern states to rejoin the Union

• Policies that created schools for freed slaves

• Laws that limited the freedom of African Americans in the South

Sharecropping

Sharecropping

• What it was: A system where freed African Americans and poor white farmers worked land owned by someone else.

• How it worked: They gave a part of their crops to the landowner as payment instead of receiving wages.

• Why it mattered: Many sharecroppers stayed in poverty because they often owed more to the landowner than they could earn, creating a never-ending cycle of debt that was hard to escape.

Poll Taxes

Poll Taxes

• What they were: Fees that people had to pay in order to vote.

• Who it affected: Mostly African Americans and poor white people in the South.

• Why it mattered: Poll taxes were used to stop African Americans from voting even though the 15th Amendment said they had the right to vote.

Literacy Tests

Literacy Tests

• What they were: Tests that people had to pass in order to vote.

• Who it affected: Mostly African Americans in the South.

• Why it mattered: These tests were often unfair or impossible to pass, and they were used to stop African Americans from voting, even though the 15th Amendment gave them that right.

Multiple Choice

What did poll taxes and literacy tests have in common after the Civil War?

• They helped freed African Americans gain the right to vote

• They were used to prevent African Americans from voting

• They were part of the 13th Amendment

• They were programs run by the Freedmen’s Bureau

Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow Laws

• What they were: Laws in the South that kept African Americans and white people separate in public places.

• Examples: Separate schools, buses, restaurants, and bathrooms.

• Why it mattered: They enforced racial segregation and made life unequal for African Americans for many decades after Reconstruction.

Open Ended

Explain what Jim Crow Laws are..in your own words!

Hiram Rhodes Revels

Hiram Rhodes Revels

• Who he was: The first African American U.S. Senator, elected during Reconstruction in 1870.

• Where he served: Represented Mississippi in the Senate.

• Why it mattered: His election showed that African Americans could hold political office and participate in government after the Civil War.

Multiple Choice

Why is Hiram Rhodes Revels important in U.S. history?

• He was the first African American U.S. Senator

• He wrote the 13th Amendment

• He led the Freedmen’s Bureau in the South

• He created the Black Codes

Civil Rights Act 1866

Civil Rights Act of 1866

• What it did: Gave African Americans citizenship and equal rights under the law.

• Why it mattered: It was passed to fight against Black Codes and protect the rights of freed people.

• Connection to Reconstruction: It was one of the first major laws to try to guarantee civil rights for African Americans after the Civil War.