Reconstruction Study Guide

What era included the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments?

• Reconstruction Era
• Civil Rights Era
• Industrial Revolution
• Gilded Age

Answer explanation

Explanation:

The Reconstruction Era happened right after the Civil War, when the country was trying to come back together. During this time, the government made new laws (called amendments) to fix the problems caused by slavery. The 13th Amendment ended slavery, the 14th Amendment made formerly enslaved people citizens, and the 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote. These big changes were all part of Reconstruction because it was a time of rebuilding and making things more fair.

Match the Amendment to what it did:

• 14th Amendment

• Gave citizenship and equal rights to everyone born in the USA

• 13th Amendment

• Abolished slavery

• 15th Amendment

• Gave all men, regardless of race, the right to vote

Answer explanation

Explanation:

These three amendments were made after the Civil War to help protect the rights of formerly enslaved people. The 13th Amendment was first—it ended slavery for good. Then came the 14th Amendment, which said anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, no matter their race. That meant former slaves were now citizens! The 15th Amendment came last and said that African American men could vote. These changes were super important for making things more fair after slavery ended.

Who was Hiram Rhodes Revels?

• Hiram Rhodes Revels was a famous civil rights activist.
• Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American governor.
• Hiram Rhodes Revels was a prominent abolitionist leader.
• Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American U.S. Senator.

Answer explanation

Explanation:

Hiram Rhodes Revels made history during the Reconstruction Era. He became the very first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate. That was a big deal because, before the Civil War, Black people weren’t even allowed to vote, let alone be in government. His election showed that things were starting to change and that African Americans could now be leaders in the country. He represented the state of Mississippi and helped fight for rights and fairness during a really important time.

What did the Freedmen’s Bureau do?

• The Freedmen's Bureau provided assistance to formerly enslaved people, including food, education, and legal support.
• The Freedmen's Bureau was established to promote industrialization in the South.
• The Freedmen's Bureau primarily enforced laws against Native Americans.
• The Freedmen's Bureau focused on land redistribution among wealthy landowners.

Answer explanation

Explanation:

After the Civil War ended, a lot of formerly enslaved people didn’t have homes, jobs, or education. The Freedmen’s Bureau was a group created by the government to help them get started with their new lives. It gave out food, helped open schools, and offered legal help so people could understand their rights. It was kind of like a safety net to support people who had just gained their freedom and needed help adjusting to life after slavery.

What is Juneteenth?

• The day slavery ended in Texas

• The day Texas rejoined the Union

• The start of the Civil War

• The day Lincoln was elected

Answer explanation

Explanation:

Juneteenth is short for June 19th, and it marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas finally found out they were free—more than two years after slavery had officially ended in the U.S. Soldiers came to Texas and told everyone that slavery was over. That’s why Juneteenth is such an important celebration—it’s like Freedom Day for African Americans in Texas, and now it’s recognized across the country as a day to celebrate the end of slavery.

How did the 14th Amendment change the Dred Scott decision?

• It said all people born in the U.S. were citizens

•  It ended the Supreme Court

•  It made voting illegal for African Americans

•  It gave land to freedmen

Answer explanation

Explanation:

In the Dred Scott case, the Supreme Court said that Black people couldn’t be citizens, even if they were born in the U.S. That was a terrible decision. But later, the 14th Amendment fixed it by saying that anyone born in the United States is automatically a citizen, no matter their race. This meant that formerly enslaved people were now legally citizens, with rights that the government had to respect. It was a big step toward fairness and equality.

What was caused by the 15th Amendment?

• African American men could vote

• Women could vote
  

• Native Americans lost land

•  Immigrants got free citizenship

Answer explanation

Explanation:

The 15th Amendment was made after the Civil War to make sure that African American men had the right to vote. Before this, even after slavery ended, many Black men still weren’t allowed to vote just because of their race. The 15th Amendment said that no one could be stopped from voting because of their color, race, or if they were once enslaved. It helped African Americans have a say in government for the first time ever.

Why did sharecropping become common after slavery ended?

•  Southern landowners needed workers

• People wanted to grow food for fun

• Slaves still worked without pay

• The North forced it

Answer explanation

Explanation:

After slavery ended, Southern landowners still wanted to grow crops like cotton, but they no longer had enslaved people to do the work. At the same time, many freed African Americans needed jobs and places to live. So, landowners came up with a system called sharecropping, where freedmen worked the land and gave part of the crops as payment. It wasn’t slavery, but it still kept many workers poor and stuck in unfair deals, and it helped landowners keep control over farming in the South.

What were the three main goals of Reconstruction? (Choose THREE)

• Reunite the country

• Rebuild the South

• Change the Southern culture

• Help the North win the war again

Answer explanation

Explanation:

After the Civil War, the U.S. had a big job to do. The North and South had been fighting, and now they needed to come back together. The first goal of Reconstruction was to reunite the country—to bring the Southern states back into the United States. The second goal was to rebuild the South, since a lot of towns, farms, and roads had been destroyed. The third goal was to change the Southern culture, especially by ending slavery and helping African Americans become equal members of society. It was a time of big changes and challenges.

How did President Lincoln help end slavery for good?

• He supported the 13th Amendment

• He started the Freedmen’s Bureau

• He ran for Congress

•  He bought land for slaves

Answer explanation

Explanation:

President Abraham Lincoln wanted to make sure that slavery was gone forever, not just ended during the Civil War. To do that, he strongly supported the 13th Amendment, which made slavery illegal in the whole country. He worked hard to get enough people in Congress to vote for it. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation freed some slaves during the war, the 13th Amendment made it official and permanent. Lincoln knew this was the only way to truly end slavery for good.