Chapter 7 - The Reconstruction Era (SSUSH10)

SSUSH10a - How were Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson similar?

• They were both impeached

• They were both one slave owners

• Their election resulted in a Civil War

• They favored a lenient treatment of the South

Answer explanation

Both Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson favored a lenient treatment of the South after the Civil War, aiming to promote reconciliation and rebuild the nation, which distinguishes them from other leaders of the time.

SSUSH10c - Why were many Northerners upset when Southern legislatures passed "Black Codes"?

• They preferred a restoration of slavery

• They wanted to pass similar codes in the North

• They feared African Americans might move out of the South

• They felt white Southerners were ignoring the outcome of the war

Answer explanation

Many Northerners were upset by the Black Codes because they felt white Southerners were disregarding the war's outcome, which aimed to secure rights for African Americans, thus undermining the progress made during Reconstruction.

SSUSH 10a - During Reconstruction, how did the Radical Republicans in Congress threaten the separation of powers?

• by proposing three constitutional amendments

• by giving the full rights of citizenship to former slaves

• by interfering with the actions of Southern state governments

• by impeaching the President because they disagreed with his policies

Answer explanation

The Radical Republicans threatened the separation of powers by impeaching the President, Andrew Johnson, due to disagreements over his policies, which undermined the executive branch's authority.

SSUSH 10c - Which amendment abolished slavery?

• Thirteenth Amendment

• Fourteenth Amendment

• Fifteenth Amendment

• Nineteenth Amendment

Answer explanation

The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery in the United States, making it the correct answer to the question.

SSUSH 10d - What was the main purpose of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction Era?

• to make freedmen afraid to exercise their rights

• to create a new political party in the South

• to teach the freedmen how to read and write

• to assist Southerners who had lost their savings in the war

Answer explanation

The main purpose of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction Era was to instill fear in freedmen, preventing them from exercising their rights. This intimidation aimed to maintain white supremacy and resist the changes brought by Reconstruction.

SSUSH 10c - Which amendment to the Constitution guaranteed the right to vote to African Americans?

• Fifteenth Amendment

• Nineteenth Amendment

• Twenty-Fourth Amendment

• Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Answer explanation

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude," thus guaranteeing voting rights for African Americans.

SSUSH10c: Use the illustration below to answer the question.

Which consequence of Reconstruction is shown in this drawing?

• Freedmen left farming to find work in industry

• Northerners took control of Southern life for more than ten years

• For the first time, African Americans in the South exercised political rights

• Southern whites and African Americans in the South mixed freely without prejudice

Answer explanation

The drawing illustrates African Americans participating in political activities, highlighting that for the first time during Reconstruction, they exercised their political rights, which is a significant consequence of this period.

SSUSH10a: Use the list to answer the question.

How did the Radical Republicans in Congress respond to the events mentioned above?

• They welcomed former Confederate leaders back into Congress

• They voted to give extra federal money to help rebuild the South

• They passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and imposed martial law

• They gave extraordinary powers to President Johnson to deal with Southern leaders

Answer explanation

The Radical Republicans responded by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and imposing martial law to protect the rights of freedmen and ensure order in the South, contrasting with lenient approaches towards former Confederates.

SSUSH10b: The statement is from an interview recorded by the Freedmen's Bureau.

Who is being interviewed?

• a scalawag

• a carpetbagger

• a sharecropper

• a tenant farmer

Answer explanation

The interview recorded by the Freedmen's Bureau likely features a sharecropper, as they were common among freedmen post-Civil War, discussing their experiences in agriculture and labor arrangements.

SSUSH10e - How did the Presidential Election of 1876 lead to the end of Reconstruction?

• African-American voters refused to support Rutherford B Hayes, the Republican candidate

• In the election, Southern Democrats regained control of the Senate and voted to end Reconstruction

• The Republican candidate promised to end reconstruction to obtain Southern support for disputed electoral votes

• Once elected, the new President appointed Supreme Court Justices who declared that Reconstruction was unconstitutional

Answer explanation

The Republican candidate, Rutherford B. Hayes, promised to end Reconstruction in exchange for Southern support to secure disputed electoral votes, which ultimately led to the withdrawal of federal troops and the end of Reconstruction.