Ku Klux Klan

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was the nation's first domestic terrorist group, informally known as the Klan. There were three Klans, the first Klan was founded in 1865 by six veterans of the Confederates. The initial goal of the Klan was to stop blacks from voting. They wanted to restore white supremacy by targeting freedmen and whites that also supported the black rights using threats, murder, and really any kind of violence. The Klan's uniform consisted of a hooded robe and a mask that would keep their identity hidden, and make them more intimidating and scary on their night rides. Nathan Bedford Forrest, former Confederate General, became the Klan's first Grand Wizard (leader). Unfortunately, lynching was a very popular way that KKK would kill blacks. Lynching is a form of extrajudicial execution often by hanging, and the KKK was involved on over 400 lynchings.

A group of KKK members in their uniform robe and mask.

Nathan Bedford Forrest the Grand Wizard of the KKK.

African American lynching

The Reconstruction Amendments

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were considered to be the Reconstruction Amendments because they were adopted during the Reconstruction Era, 5 years right after the end of the Civil War (1865-1870). The 13th Amendment (passed in 1865) abolished slavery. The 14th Amendment (passed in 1868) grants citizenship to freedmen and equal protection under the law. It also prevented former Confederates from holding office. The 15th Amendment (passed in 1870) allowed the right to vote regardless off race, color, or previous condition of servitude. But, this did NOT include women. It took an entirely new amendment- the 19th- to allow women the right to vote.

Henry McNeal Turner

Henry McNeal Turner was a black minister and politician during and after the Civil War. In 1863, he was given the job as the first black chaplain of the United States Colored Troops. Afterward, he was elected to the Georgia General Assembly, but he and some other black legislatures were removed by a mostly Democratic Legislature. They believed that the right to vote did not equate to the right to hold office. Eventually, the black legislature were returned to their seats after protests from the Federal government.

Henry McNeal Turner

The Reconstruction Era

After the war was over the nation was totally wrecked. Farmlands, plantations, house, even entire towns had been destroyed, and the country was still divided. Abe Lincoln's plan was to have Southerners take an oath of allegiance to the Union, and once they had done this they would be pardoned. After 10% of voters took the oath, that state would be able to rejoin the Union and form a state government. Of course though, the states' constitution could NOT include slavery. Many Northerners thought that this plan wasn't nearly as harsh as it should be on the Southerners. They thought that at least half the voters should have to take the oath to return to the Union. Also, violent mob attacks would break out against freedmen and white sympathizers that supported Reconstruction. These mobs emerged into a secret organization that became the nation's first domestic terrorists. They called themselves the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

The Reconstruction Era gave freed African Americans the right to vote.

Sharecropping and Tenant Farming

Sharecropping developed in places such as colonial Africa, Ireland, and Scotland. It was introduced to the Southern United States during the time of the Reconstruction era when entire farms and/or plantations had been destroyed. Sharecropping is when people farmed land hat belonged to someone else for a portion of the crops instead of wages. Sharecroppers rarely ever had a chance to save money.

Family of sharecroppers in Georgia, USA.

Tenant Farmers were usually considered as being a "step up" from a sharecropper. Unlike the sharecroppers, tenant farmers lived on the land of the landlord, and they could decide at the end of the year if they wanted to pay the owner in cash or in crop.

Tenant Farmers

Freedman's Bureau

The Freedman's Bureau was an organization initiated by President Lincoln, but formed by "Radical Republicans". The Bureau was created to aid in the protection of the freedman's (freed slaves) rights during the Reconstruction era. The Bureau was in operation from 1865 until 1872 when it was shut down by President Ulysses S. Grant. Thanks to The Freedman's Bureau, many historically black colleges and universities began, as well as blacks were able to start their own church congregations.

A Bureau agent stands between Southern whites and freedmen.

Andersonville

Andersonville Prison was a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp. Located in present day Macon County, Georgia, the prison was opened in February of 1864. During the war, Andersonville received over 45,000 Union soldiers, and around 13,000 of them died due to various diseases. Diseases included things such as diarrhea, malnutrition, and starvation. Plus, the fact that the camp was jam packed and about as sanitary as a junkyard didn't help. Escaping the camp was completely out of the question. The "dead line" was the name given to a light fence inside the stockade wall. If a Confederate soldier saw a prisoner cross the "dead line" they would be shot, no questions asked. The camp was later closed in May of 1865. Today, Andersonville Prison is now Andersonvill National Historic Site and Andersonville National Cemetery.

Andersonville National Cemetery

Reconstruction of the stockade wall.