African American Civil Rights 1865-1992 – Specification Questions
Describe and explain the position of African Americans in 1865.
- 4 million slaves in the USA in 1961
- 1865 13th Amendment emancipated the slaves
- former slaves had equal rights and were legally free (given full civil rights and citizenship in
the North)
- faced violence and discrimination in the Old South
- introduction of sharecropping (former slaves worked for white landowners and received a
share of produce)
- could have legal marriages, freely worship, own property, be educated and freely travel
Describe and explain the policy of reconstruction.
- introduction of Black Codes in former confederate states (codes against vagrancy, 1/8
black blood)
- KKK set up in 1866 in Tennessee
- Freedmen's Bureau 1865 helped emancipated slaves
- 1868 14th and 1870 15th Amendments gave US citizenship and forbade the denial of the
vote
- 1867 Military Reconstruction Act gave military support in the South
- at least 1 black in Congress in every Southern state 1867-1877
- 1874 Battle of Liberty Place (white league occupy New Orleans government)
- 1873 Slaughter House case, rights under state control
- 1876 US vs Cruikshank case, freed 100 whites arrested for murder of a black
- migration of ex-slaves North and West, 15,000 to Kansas
- 4000 freed slaves gained land
Analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of reconstruction.
SUCCESSES
- AA earned many political and civil freedoms (suffrage, equal legal protection)
- 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments outlawed discrimination, gave citizenship and the vote
- Reconstruction Act gave legal equality and civil rights in the South
- Freedmen's Bureau helped with education, housing and employment
FAILURES
- white supremacy groups, Black Codes and state constitutions restricted political gains
- Black Codes disenfranchised and restricted legal rights
-KKK intimidated and undermined using violence, riots in Memphis and Louisiana
- Hayes-Tilden Compromise shows lack of interest and legal discrimination
- US vs Cruikshank undermined the Amendments
Describe and explain the Black Codes.
- implemented in 1865-1866 by Southern states to restrict AA
- tried to suppress freedmen into second class citizens
- set the precedent for legal segregation
- denied their civil rights (right to vote, right to education, right to equal legal treatment)
- intended to economically suppress blacks (restricted right to buy property, land, conduct
business and move freely)
Describe and explain the position of African Americans in 1865.
- 4 million slaves in the USA in 1961
- 1865 13th Amendment emancipated the slaves
- former slaves had equal rights and were legally free (given full civil rights and citizenship in
the North)
- faced violence and discrimination in the Old South
- introduction of sharecropping (former slaves worked for white landowners and received a
share of produce)
- could have legal marriages, freely worship, own property, be educated and freely travel
Describe and explain the policy of reconstruction.
- introduction of Black Codes in former confederate states (codes against vagrancy, 1/8
black blood)
- KKK set up in 1866 in Tennessee
- Freedmen's Bureau 1865 helped emancipated slaves
- 1868 14th and 1870 15th Amendments gave US citizenship and forbade the denial of the
vote
- 1867 Military Reconstruction Act gave military support in the South
- at least 1 black in Congress in every Southern state 1867-1877
- 1874 Battle of Liberty Place (white league occupy New Orleans government)
- 1873 Slaughter House case, rights under state control
- 1876 US vs Cruikshank case, freed 100 whites arrested for murder of a black
- migration of ex-slaves North and West, 15,000 to Kansas
- 4000 freed slaves gained land
Analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of reconstruction.
SUCCESSES
- AA earned many political and civil freedoms (suffrage, equal legal protection)
- 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments outlawed discrimination, gave citizenship and the vote
- Reconstruction Act gave legal equality and civil rights in the South
- Freedmen's Bureau helped with education, housing and employment
FAILURES
- white supremacy groups, Black Codes and state constitutions restricted political gains
- Black Codes disenfranchised and restricted legal rights
-KKK intimidated and undermined using violence, riots in Memphis and Louisiana
- Hayes-Tilden Compromise shows lack of interest and legal discrimination
- US vs Cruikshank undermined the Amendments
Describe and explain the Black Codes.
- implemented in 1865-1866 by Southern states to restrict AA
- tried to suppress freedmen into second class citizens
- set the precedent for legal segregation
- denied their civil rights (right to vote, right to education, right to equal legal treatment)
- intended to economically suppress blacks (restricted right to buy property, land, conduct
business and move freely)
