Feb 10 - Do Now - Freedmen's Bureau

What was the primary purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau?

• To promote industrialization in the North

• To economically and politically empower freed people after the Civil War

• To establish new trade routes

• To support the Confederate states

Answer explanation

The Freedmen's Bureau was established to assist freed people in the South after the Civil War, focusing on their economic and political empowerment through education, employment, and legal support.

Who was the Union war hero that led the Freedmen's Bureau?

• William T. Sherman

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Oliver O. Howard

• Robert E. Lee

Answer explanation

Oliver O. Howard was a Union general during the Civil War and later became the head of the Freedmen's Bureau, which aimed to assist freed slaves in the South after the war.

Which president vetoed the rechartering of the Freedmen's Bureau?

• Andrew Johnson

• Abraham Lincoln

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Rutherford B. Hayes

Answer explanation

Andrew Johnson vetoed the rechartering of the Freedmen's Bureau in 1866, opposing its extension and the federal support it provided to assist formerly enslaved people, making him the correct answer.

What was one of the main educational contributions of the Freedmen's Bureau?

• Building libraries in the South

• Establishing public schools for freed people and poor whites

• Creating new universities in the North

• Developing online learning platforms

Answer explanation

The Freedmen's Bureau played a crucial role in establishing public schools for freed people and poor whites, helping to provide education and promote literacy in the post-Civil War South.

Which of the following universities is part of the legacy of the Freedmen's Bureau?

• Harvard University

• Fisk University

• Yale University

• Princeton University

Answer explanation

Fisk University is part of the legacy of the Freedmen's Bureau, established to provide education to formerly enslaved individuals after the Civil War. The other universities listed do not have this specific historical connection.

What was a major reason for the failure of the Freedmen's Bureau?

• Insufficient support from Northern states

• Overwhelming success in achieving its goals

• Lack of interest from African Americans

• Opposition from white Southerners and President Johnson

Answer explanation

The Freedmen's Bureau faced significant opposition from white Southerners and President Johnson, which undermined its efforts to assist freed slaves and promote their rights, leading to its eventual failure.

What did the Freedmen's Bureau aim to provide to African Americans?

• Exclusive trade rights

• Free transportation to the North

• Military training and weapons

• Land, financial security, education, and political participation

Answer explanation

The Freedmen's Bureau aimed to assist African Americans by providing land, financial security, education, and political participation, helping them transition to freedom and integrate into society after the Civil War.

What was a significant challenge faced by the Freedmen's Bureau?

• Insufficient technological resources

• Racial violence and opposition from white Southerners

• Competition from other federal agencies

• Lack of qualified personnel

Answer explanation

A significant challenge faced by the Freedmen's Bureau was racial violence and opposition from white Southerners, which hindered its efforts to assist newly freed African Americans and enforce their rights.

How did the Freedmen's Bureau expand the reach of the federal government?

• By building a national railway system

• By creating a new political party

• By intervening in state affairs to promote racial and economic equality

• By establishing a national bank

Answer explanation

The Freedmen's Bureau expanded federal reach by intervening in state affairs, focusing on promoting racial and economic equality for formerly enslaved individuals, thus asserting federal authority in post-Civil War America.

What was the ultimate fate of the Freedmen's Bureau?

• It was expanded and became a permanent federal agency

• It was dismantled in 1872 due to pressure from white Southerners

• It merged with the Department of Education

• It was transformed into a private organization

Answer explanation

The Freedmen's Bureau was dismantled in 1872 due to increasing pressure from white Southerners who opposed its efforts to assist formerly enslaved people, leading to its eventual closure.