History: Midterm Study Guide

What were the social, political, and economic problems the United States faced at the end of the Civil War?

A social problem: Racism A political problem: The Radical Republicans impeaching president Johnson. Economic problem:The south relying on slaves.

What problems existed at the end of the Civil War that needed to be resolved?

At the end of the Civil War most slaves were free and now white people didn't have slaves to do their work anymore. Now that slaves were free, they had to navigate their way through a new world which they had never experienced before.

What are the long term outcomes of segregation policies that were instituted after Reconstruction?

Black and white american citizens were completely divided after Reconstruction. One example was segregation in schools.

What was the importance of education for freedmen and women after the Civil War?

Education was a key tool to start a new life in America, but because none of them had education standing on their own two feet was quite a struggle.

Were sharecroppers truly free?

No, sharecroppers were not truly free. Lots of farmers actually went into debt because of sharecroppers.

What are the long term outcomes of the failures of Reconstruction?

Segregation was a main negative outcome of Reconstruction. It left the south in constant division. Black and white children couldn't even go to school together.

What were the outcomes of the Black Codes?

Slaves were meant to have more lenient rules, but they were truly strict and very unreasonable.

What rights did the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments guarantee American Citizens?

The 13th amendment guaranteed to abolish slavery in America. The 14th amendment guarantee that the American citizenship to all born in America evn former slaves. The 15th amendment guaranteed that any citizen could vote no matter race, color, or past infractions.

What were the different approaches to Reconstruction and what methods were most successful?

The Radical Republicans and Democrats both had different methods. The Democrates didn't really care about slavery and the Radical epublicans wanted to punish the south.

How did Reconstruction end?

The compromise of 1876 ended the Reconstruction era.

What were the long term impacts of the ruling in Plessy v Ferguson?

The fourteenth amendment assured all people were equal under the law, but in this trial this amendment was tested.

What were the immediate and long term effects of Reconstruction on the growth of the United states?

The immediate effects were slvery ending and black men becoming free. A long term effect was the civil rights movement which lasted from 1954 to 1968.

Which events should be considered turning points during Reconstruction?

The impeachment of president Johnson and Freedman's Bureau.

Why was the promise of Reconstruction unfulfilled?

The promise of Reconstruction was for black and white americans to be equal. This unfortunately did not happen because while white americans thought they were treating the black americans the same, they were not equal.

What were some of the failures of Reconstruction?

The radical republicans didn't succeed in saving former slaves from white persecution.

What was life like for freedmen and women after the Civil War?

They were very confused because the only life they knew was life as a slave. Most of them didn't have education or know how to read so their free life was most likely scary as well.

Were African Americans free during Reconstruction?

Yes they were free. After the 13th amendment was ratified slaves were prohibited.