Ch 12: Reconstruction (1865-1877): Homework Help
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- President Lincoln's plans for a reconstructed Union
- President Andrew Johnson's attempts to continue Reconstruction and his impeachment
- Successes and corruption of President Ulysses S. Grant
- Reconstruction's effects on African Americans
- Transcontinental Railroad
- The Indian Wars
- Goals, successes and failures of the Reconstruction period

1. President Lincoln's Legacy: Plans for a Reconstructed Union
With the end of the Civil War, there came a resounding need for some sort of reconstructed Union. President Lincoln took that task on headfirst, as he established the Ten Percent Plan to help the Southern states enter back into the Union peacefully. Learn about Lincoln's plans to reconstruct the Union and the competition that this president faced by the Radical Republicans.

2. President Andrew Johnson: Attempts to Continue Lincoln's Reconstruction Plan
Taking over from President Lincoln following his assassination, President Andrew Johnson built upon Lincoln's moderate reconstruction plan, handled the southern border crisis of the time, and sought to defend states' rights. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of Johnson's attempts at continuing Lincoln's plan for the reconstruction of the Union in the wake of the Civil War.

3. The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson: Conflict Between President and Congress
Andrew Johnson was the first US president to be impeached. Learn about the conflict between President Johnson and Congress that led to his impeachment. Review the 14th Amendment, Military Reconstruction Act, and the Tenure of Office Act. Explore the actions of Congress and how they passed laws without President Johnson's support.

4. President Ulysses S. Grant: Election, Successes and Corruption
General Ulysses S. Grant, Union hero of the U.S. Civil War, won the presidential election in 1868 and served two terms. Examine Grant's successes (fighting to protect civil rights), failures (making decisions without consulting his cabinet), and corruption (members of seven departments, including his own vice president, were involved in at least 11 scandals) that clouded his tenure as president.

5. The Reconstruction Amendments: The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments
The historical era known as Reconstruction (1865-1870) saw the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, which address slavery, citizenship and voting rights. Learn more about the 13th Amendment (abolition of slavery), 14th Amendment (granting citizenship, due process, and equal protection under the law), and 15th Amendment (early voting rights), and how they helped begin the process of developing political equality for African Americans after the Civil War.

6. Reconstruction's Effects on African Americans: Politics, Education and Economy
Reconstruction's effects on African Americans was positive, with opportunities for self-improvement and advancement. Study the lives of four black leaders and their influence on politics, education, and economy in this period of American history.

7. Life in the South After the Civil War
Learn about life in the South after the Civil War. This lesson will explore the problems in the South after the war, sharecropping and convict leasing, the Redeemers and the Plessy vs Ferguson case, and paramilitary groups.

8. Transcontinental Railroad, Homestead Act and Women's Suffrage
In addition to the Civil War, Reconstruction and the Manifest Destiny, three other important events were evolving in the U.S. in the mid- to late-19th century. Discover the Homestead Act, which encouraged settlers to move west; the Transcontinental Railroad project which further enabled expansion to the West; and the fight to secure women's rights to vote, also known as Women's Suffrage.

9. The Indian Wars: Struggle Between Native Americans and Settlers
In the late 19th century, disagreements between white settlers and Native Americans led to what are known as the Indian Wars. Learn about the history of the Indian Wars, the Lakota Sioux Tribe, the Nez Perce People, and the Apache Tribe.

10. The End of Reconstruction and the Election of 1876
Learn about the end of Reconstruction and how it is related to the election of 1876. This lesson explores what led to the end of Reconstruction, the shift in politics, the Panic of 1873, supreme court cases of the time, and the election of 1876.

11. Reconstruction Period: Goals, Success and Failures
The Reconstruction period spanned 1865 - 1877, where the Republicans worked to repair the South after the Civil War. Learn about the goals, successes and failures of the Reconstruction period.

12. Amnesty Act of 1872: Summary & Explanation
The Amnesty Act of 1872 was a monumental legislative act of forgiveness in the Reconstruction period following the Civil War. Explore a summary of the Amnesty Act of 1872, an explanation of what it did, and the results for the former Confederates.

13. Carpetbaggers in Reconstruction: Definition & Explanation
After the Civil War and during the period called Reconstruction, people who moved from northern states to the South were often called carpetbaggers due to the cheap luggage manufactured from old rugs that they often carried. Learn the definition and explanation of carpetbaggers, the motives of the carpetbaggers, and how they were received by locals once they arrived.

14. The Freedmen's Bureau: History & Definition
The Freedmen's Bureau was instated by Congress in 1865 to support peace between freed African Americans and other citizens in the South during Reconstruction. Explore the history of the origins, successes & failures, and legacy of this bureau.

15. The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Definition, Summary & Facts
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 provided protection for minorities against discriminatory practices in voting. We'll consider its historical background, its provisions, its amendments, and its recent interpretation by the Supreme Court.
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