AP US History Flashcards: Failure Of Reconstruction

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Failure Of Reconstruction, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP US History.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Which Supreme Court case upheld segregation?

Answer: Plessy v. Ferguson. 1896 decision that legalized segregation for decades.

Flashcard 2: Which president was impeached during Reconstruction?

Answer: Andrew Johnson. For violating the Tenure of Office Act in 1868.

Flashcard 3: What led to the end of Reconstruction?

Answer: The Compromise of 1877. Withdrew federal troops in exchange for Hayes's presidency.

Flashcard 4: Which amendment granted citizenship to all born in the U.S.?

Answer: The 14th Amendment. Ratified in 1868, it overturned Dred Scott decision.

Flashcard 5: What was the purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau?

Answer: To aid freed slaves and poor whites in the South. Established in 1865 to provide education and assistance.

Flashcard 6: What did the Civil Rights Act of 1875 aim to address?

Answer: Racial discrimination in public accommodations. Prohibited discrimination in hotels, theaters, and transportation.

Flashcard 7: What was the main goal of the Southern Homestead Act?

Answer: To provide land to African Americans and poor whites. Attempted to redistribute Southern land to the landless.

Flashcard 8: Which group's rights were most affected by the failure of Reconstruction?

Answer: African Americans. Lost protection when federal troops were withdrawn in 1877.

Flashcard 9: What was the Compromise of 1877?

Answer: An agreement that ended Reconstruction. Resolved the disputed 1876 election in exchange for federal withdrawal.

Flashcard 10: What was the Wade-Davis Bill?

Answer: A stricter Reconstruction plan proposed by Congress. Required majority oath and denied rights to Confederate leaders.

Flashcard 11: What was a Carpetbagger?

Answer: Northerners who moved South during Reconstruction. Southerners viewed them as exploiting the region's weakness.

Flashcard 12: Which amendment granted citizenship to all born in the U.S.?

Answer: The 14th Amendment. Ratified in 1868, it overturned Dred Scott decision.

Flashcard 13: Who were the Radical Republicans?

Answer: A faction that advocated for harsh Reconstruction policies. Led by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner.

Flashcard 14: What was the Ten Percent Plan?

Answer: Lincoln's plan for re-admitting Southern states. Required only 10% of voters to take loyalty oath.

Flashcard 15: What was the main criticism of the sharecropping system?

Answer: Perpetuated economic dependency and poverty. Trapped farmers in cycles of debt and poverty.

Flashcard 16: What was the main purpose of the Enforcement Acts?

Answer: To protect African American voting rights. Also known as the Force Acts, fought Klan terrorism.

Flashcard 17: Identify the term for laws enforcing racial segregation.

Answer: Jim Crow laws. Named after minstrel show character, enforced segregation.

Flashcard 18: What was the significance of the Civil Rights Act of 1866?

Answer: First U.S. law to define citizenship and affirm rights. Overrode Johnson's veto to protect freed slaves' rights.

Flashcard 19: Which political party dominated Southern politics during Reconstruction?

Answer: Republican Party. Supported by African American voters and federal protection.

Flashcard 20: Which Southern state was last to be readmitted to the Union?

Answer: Georgia. Readmitted in 1870 after extended federal occupation.

Flashcard 21: Define 'Black Codes'.

Answer: Laws limiting the freedom of African Americans in the South. Enacted by Southern states to restrict freed slaves.

Flashcard 22: What was the impact of the Panic of 1873 on Reconstruction?

Answer: Diverted attention from Southern issues. Economic crisis shifted Northern focus away from Reconstruction.

Flashcard 23: What was the significance of the Civil Rights Act of 1866?

Answer: First U.S. law to define citizenship and affirm rights. Overrode Johnson's veto to protect freed slaves' rights.

Flashcard 24: Identify the term for laws enforcing racial segregation.

Answer: Jim Crow laws. Named after minstrel show character, enforced segregation.

Flashcard 25: What was the Ten Percent Plan?

Answer: Lincoln's plan for re-admitting Southern states. Required only 10% of voters to take loyalty oath.

Flashcard 26: What was the Wade-Davis Bill?

Answer: A stricter Reconstruction plan proposed by Congress. Required majority oath and denied rights to Confederate leaders.

Flashcard 27: What was the main criticism of the sharecropping system?

Answer: Perpetuated economic dependency and poverty. Trapped farmers in cycles of debt and poverty.

Flashcard 28: Name the secretive group formed to intimidate African Americans.

Answer: The Ku Klux Klan. Founded in 1865 to terrorize African Americans and Republicans.

Flashcard 29: Which act divided the South into military districts?

Answer: The Reconstruction Act of 1867. Imposed military rule over the unreconstructed South.

Flashcard 30: What was the main focus of the Redeemers during Reconstruction?

Answer: To restore Democratic control in the South. Southern Democrats who 'redeemed' states from Republican rule.

Flashcard 31: Define 'Black Codes'.

Answer: Laws limiting the freedom of African Americans in the South. Enacted by Southern states to restrict freed slaves.

Flashcard 32: What was the significance of the election of 1876?

Answer: Led to the Compromise of 1877. Disputed election results led to political deal ending Reconstruction.

Flashcard 33: What was the Amnesty Act of 1872?

Answer: Restored voting rights to most Confederates. Removed political disabilities from most former Confederates.

Flashcard 34: Define 'Scalawag'.

Answer: Southern whites who supported Reconstruction. Often ostracized by other Southern whites for collaboration.

Flashcard 35: Identify the system that replaced slavery in the South.

Answer: Sharecropping. Created a cycle of debt and poverty for laborers.

Flashcard 36: What did the Civil Rights Act of 1875 aim to address?

Answer: Racial discrimination in public accommodations. Prohibited discrimination in hotels, theaters, and transportation.

Flashcard 37: Identify the president who succeeded Lincoln.

Answer: Andrew Johnson. Became president after Lincoln's assassination in 1865.

Flashcard 38: Identify the economic system involving tenant farming and debt.

Answer: Sharecropping. Farmers worked land but remained in debt to landowners.

Flashcard 39: What was the significance of the election of 1876?

Answer: Led to the Compromise of 1877. Disputed election results led to political deal ending Reconstruction.

Flashcard 40: Identify the economic system involving tenant farming and debt.

Answer: Sharecropping. Farmers worked land but remained in debt to landowners.

Flashcard 41: What was the Amnesty Act of 1872?

Answer: Restored voting rights to most Confederates. Removed political disabilities from most former Confederates.

Flashcard 42: What was the main goal of the Southern Homestead Act?

Answer: To provide land to African Americans and poor whites. Attempted to redistribute Southern land to the landless.

Flashcard 43: Identify the act that aimed to curb Klan violence.

Answer: The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. Gave federal power to prosecute Klan members.

Flashcard 44: Which act divided the South into military districts?

Answer: The Reconstruction Act of 1867. Imposed military rule over the unreconstructed South.

Flashcard 45: What was the effect of the Plessy v. Ferguson decision?

Answer: Established the 'separate but equal' doctrine. Allowed racial segregation if facilities were theoretically equal.

Flashcard 46: What led to the end of Reconstruction?

Answer: The Compromise of 1877. Withdrew federal troops in exchange for Hayes's presidency.

Flashcard 47: What was the purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau?

Answer: To aid freed slaves and poor whites in the South. Established in 1865 to provide education and assistance.

Flashcard 48: Which political party dominated Southern politics during Reconstruction?

Answer: Republican Party. Supported by African American voters and federal protection.

Flashcard 49: What was the main purpose of the Enforcement Acts?

Answer: To protect African American voting rights. Also known as the Force Acts, fought Klan terrorism.

Flashcard 50: What was the effect of the Plessy v. Ferguson decision?

Answer: Established the 'separate but equal' doctrine. Allowed racial segregation if facilities were theoretically equal.

Flashcard 51: Which president was impeached during Reconstruction?

Answer: Andrew Johnson. For violating the Tenure of Office Act in 1868.

Flashcard 52: What was the main criticism of Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies?

Answer: Too lenient towards the South. Radical Republicans wanted harsher measures against the South.

Flashcard 53: Identify the president who succeeded Lincoln.

Answer: Andrew Johnson. Became president after Lincoln's assassination in 1865.

Flashcard 54: What was the main focus of the Redeemers during Reconstruction?

Answer: To restore Democratic control in the South. Southern Democrats who 'redeemed' states from Republican rule.

Flashcard 55: Define 'Scalawag'.

Answer: Southern whites who supported Reconstruction. Often ostracized by other Southern whites for collaboration.

Flashcard 56: What was the primary goal of the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction?

Answer: To restore white supremacy. Used violence and intimidation to control black voters.

Flashcard 57: What was the Compromise of 1877?

Answer: An agreement that ended Reconstruction. Resolved the disputed 1876 election in exchange for federal withdrawal.

Flashcard 58: Identify the system that replaced slavery in the South.

Answer: Sharecropping. Created a cycle of debt and poverty for laborers.

Flashcard 59: Which Supreme Court case upheld segregation?

Answer: Plessy v. Ferguson. 1896 decision that legalized segregation for decades.

Flashcard 60: What was the main criticism of Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies?

Answer: Too lenient towards the South. Radical Republicans wanted harsher measures against the South.

Flashcard 61: Which group's rights were most affected by the failure of Reconstruction?

Answer: African Americans. Lost protection when federal troops were withdrawn in 1877.

Flashcard 62: Identify the amendment that abolished slavery.

Answer: The 13th Amendment. Ratified in 1865, it officially ended slavery nationwide.

Flashcard 63: Which Southern state was last to be readmitted to the Union?

Answer: Georgia. Readmitted in 1870 after extended federal occupation.

Flashcard 64: What was the impact of the Panic of 1873 on Reconstruction?

Answer: Diverted attention from Southern issues. Economic crisis shifted Northern focus away from Reconstruction.

Flashcard 65: Identify the amendment that abolished slavery.

Answer: The 13th Amendment. Ratified in 1865, it officially ended slavery nationwide.

Flashcard 66: What does the 15th Amendment guarantee?

Answer: The right to vote regardless of race. Ratified in 1870, though enforcement proved difficult.

Flashcard 67: Which group was primarily responsible for enforcing Reconstruction policies?

Answer: Union military forces. Federal troops protected Republican governments and voters.

Flashcard 68: What was the main goal of Reconstruction?

Answer: To rebuild the South and integrate freed slaves into society. This was the primary objective following the Civil War.

Flashcard 69: Identify the act that aimed to curb Klan violence.

Answer: The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. Gave federal power to prosecute Klan members.

Flashcard 70: Which group was primarily responsible for enforcing Reconstruction policies?

Answer: Union military forces. Federal troops protected Republican governments and voters.

Flashcard 71: What was the primary goal of the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction?

Answer: To restore white supremacy. Used violence and intimidation to control black voters.

Flashcard 72: What was a Carpetbagger?

Answer: Northerners who moved South during Reconstruction. Southerners viewed them as exploiting the region's weakness.