Reconstruction & Post-Reconstruction (1865–1896) by Nolan Carroll

Civil War Ends and Reconstruction Begins

ncarr2327 — 2025-04-30 18:39:17 UTC

The Civil War basically ends on April 9th, 1865. Robert E. Lee basically surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant which marked the end of the war... or something.

Anyways, this matter since this marked the beginning of reconstruction, which brought forth a lot of policies that expanded the rights of former slaves and sought to like... reconstruct the South after they got hit HARD...

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments Get Ratified

ncarr2327 — 2025-05-05 23:09:11 UTC

Why's this important? Well, you see, uhhhh-

13th Amendment: Ratified December 6, 1865, this amendment abolished slavery! (But, you could still become a slave for committing a crime)

14th Amendment: Ratified July 9, 1868, this amendment guaranteed citizenship to everyone born in the U.S. and assured equal treatment under laws!

15th Amendment: Ratified February 3, 1870, this amendment gave voting rights to all male citizens regardless of ethnicity/race!

These amendments matter since it gave hope to a lot of African Americans that their lives would get better. These amendments mainly just marked a period of time where African Americans were finally getting a lot of freedom... but that might've not been the entire case. (See "Black Codes were first made")

Black Codes were first made

ncarr2327 — 2025-05-05 23:29:45 UTC

Black Codes were basically laws that restricted the rights of Black people, and were first created from 1865-1866! For example, they blocked Black people from owning property and move through public spaces.

"Why the flip does this matter!!!😡" You ANGRILY ask...

Well, I'll tell you. This basically showed that just passing amendments that gave African Americans rights didn't guarantee that they were free from discrimination through things that weren't protected by amendments.

Plessy v. Ferguson ends, marking the end of Post-Reconstruction

ncarr2327 — 2025-05-05 23:41:20 UTC

The trial finished on May 18, 1896 and involved the Supreme Court!!! The Supreme Court basically ruled that Jim Crow laws did not violate the constitution, which basically meant segregation was legal!!!

Why's this important? I literally just said-

Anyways, the ruling of this trial MATTERS since it meant segregation was legal, and that now states were ENTIRELY free to discriminate against colored people as long as they called it "segregation"!

Ku Klux Klan

sxion7354 — 2025-05-05 23:50:41 UTC

Formed on December 24, 1865, founded by Confederates in Tennessee as a white supremacist group. This group uses fear and violence to oppose reconstruction and suppress black political participation. This matters because their tactics of racial terror demonstrated the fierce resistance to Black civil rights and also show how racism and violence are embedded in American society.

5. Civil Rights Act of 1875

sxion7354 — 2025-05-06 00:09:25 UTC

It was a law that guaranteed African Americans equal treatment in public accommodations, public transportation, and jury service. However, this law was later declared unconstitutional due to the many loopholes, and it was poorly enforced. It matter because this was an early attempts by the federal government to protect African American civil rights. Its failure set the stage for Jim Crow Laws.

Compromise of 1877 / End of Reconstruction

sxion7354 — 2025-05-06 00:17:43 UTC

The Compromise of 1877 was a deal. The deal was that the Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South in exchange for Rutherford B. Hayes becoming president. This marked the end of Reconstruction and federal enforcement of civil rights. It matters because the withdrawal of troops allowed southern states to pass racist laws and enforce segregation without interference, reversing many effects from the Reconstruction era.

Frederick Douglass’s Later Activism (1865–1895)

sxion7354 — 2025-05-06 00:28:09 UTC

Frederick Douglass continued to speak, write, and campaign for civil rights after the Civil War. He focused on voting rights, education, and protection under the law for Black Americans. Frederick served in several government roles and remained a key voice for justice. It matters because he bridged the gap between abolition and civil rights. He showed that black leadership can persist even if they do not have federal support. His legacy inspired future activists like MLK Jr.

Sources 😛

ncarr2327 — 2025-05-06 01:38:13 UTC

https://www.wikipedia.org/ --my beloved

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment#:~:text=Passed%20by%20Congress%20on%20January,slavery%20in%20the%20United%20States.

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/14th-amendment

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/15th-amendment

https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War

https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-plessy-ferguson#:~:text=The%20Court's%20%E2%80%9Cseparate%20but%20equal,for%20the%20next%20fifty%20years.

https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/links/misclink/blackcode.htm#:~:text=Black%20codes%20in%20the%20United,the%20Constitution%20and%20to%20assure