Chapter Sixteen
The Agony Of Reconstruction
Multiple Choice
1. The term Reconstruction refers to the _______.
A) period immediately following the Civil War
B) attempt to rebuild the city of Atlanta
C) struggle at Gettysburg
D) treatment of African Americans after emancipation
E) attempt to change southern ideas about slavery
Answer: A
Rationale:
Reconstruction refers to the period immediately following the Civil War when the United
States sought to rebuild and reintegrate the Southern states that had seceded back into the
Union. It involved significant political, social, and economic reforms aimed at addressing the
aftermath of the war and the issues of slavery and race.
2. Who was Robert Smalls?
A) He was an African-American Congressman during Reconstruction.
B) He was a former general from the Union Army.
C) He was an official in the Confederate government.
D) He was a crucial advisor to President Lincoln.
E) He was a southern planter who refused to free his slaves.
Answer: A
Rationale:
Robert Smalls was indeed an African-American Congressman during Reconstruction. He was
known for his daring escape from slavery and his subsequent political career, serving as a
representative from South Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives.
3. President Lincoln’s Reconstruction plans were committed to _______.
A) punishing the South for provoking the Civil War
B) establishing racial equality for the freedmen
C) sharing decisions with Congress on Reconstruction policies
D) leniency towards the southern states to the Union
E) protecting the rights of African-American citizens
Answer: D
Rationale:
President Lincoln favored a lenient approach towards the Southern states that had seceded,
aiming for a swift restoration of the Union rather than punitive measures. His plans included
granting amnesty to most Confederates who took an oath of loyalty to the Union and
allowing Southern states to rejoin once 10% of their voting population pledged allegiance.
4. As early as 1863, Lincoln proposed a plan for restoring southern state governments if
_______ percent of the 1860 voting population took a loyalty oath to the Union.
A) 5
B) 10
C) 20
D) 25
E) 50
Answer: B
Rationale:
Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan, proposed in 1863, stipulated that Southern states could be
reintegrated into the Union if 10% of their voting population (based on the 1860 election)
took an oath of loyalty to the Union and accepted emancipation.
5. Which of the following required 50 percent of southern voters to take an oath of loyalty to
the Union before the southern states could regain their status as states?
A) Fourteenth Amendment
B) Fifteenth Amendment
C) Loyalty Act
D) Tenure of Office Act
E) Wade-Davis Bill
Answer: E
Rationale:
The Wade-Davis Bill, introduced in 1864 by Radical Republicans in response to Lincoln's
Ten Percent Plan, required a majority (50%) of white male citizens in each Southern state to
pledge allegiance to the Union before the state could be readmitted to the Union.
6. President Lincoln’s response to the Wade-Davis Bill was to _______.
A) accept it completely
B) reluctantly support it
C) express no opinion on it
D) stop it with a pocket veto
E) ask Congress to reconsider
Answer: D
Rationale:
President Lincoln used a pocket veto to prevent the Wade-Davis Bill from becoming law. A
pocket veto occurs when the president does not sign a bill into law and Congress adjourns
shortly thereafter, effectively killing the bill.
7. The man who became president of the United States after Lincoln’s assassination was
_______.
A) Robert E. Lee
B) Andrew Johnson
C) Ulysses S. Grant
D) William H. Seward
E) Andrew Jackson
Answer: B
Rationale:
Andrew Johnson succeeded Abraham Lincoln as president of the United States after Lincoln's
assassination in 1865. Johnson, who had been Lincoln's vice president, assumed the
presidency during the tumultuous period of Reconstruction.
8. President Andrew Johnson was NOT a(n) _______.
A) southerner
B) Democrat
C) opponent of slave owners
D) supporter of African-American rights
E) Unionist
Answer: D
Rationale:
Andrew Johnson, while a Unionist and Democratic politician from Tennessee, was not a
supporter of African-American rights during Reconstruction. He clashed with Radical
Republicans in Congress over his lenient approach towards the South and his opposition to
granting civil rights to freedmen.
9. President Andrew Johnson was eventually _______.
A) loved by most African Americans
B) admired by wealthy southern planters
C) opposed by Radical Republicans
D) compromising in his actions and policies
E) determined to carry on with Lincoln’s plans
Answer: C
Rationale:
President Andrew Johnson faced significant opposition from Radical Republicans in
Congress who disagreed with his Reconstruction policies, particularly his leniency towards
the Southern states and his lack of support for civil rights for African Americans. This
opposition led to clashes between Johnson and Congress, including his impeachment trial.
10. Which one of the following Constitutional Amendments abolished slavery?
A) Thirteenth
B) Fourteenth
C) Fifteenth
D) Sixteenth
E) Seventeenth
Answer: A
Rationale:
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1865, abolished
slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. This amendment was a
crucial step in the process of Reconstruction and the establishment of civil rights for African
Americans.
11. Congressional Republicans believed that Reconstruction should _______.
A) guarantee that the southern ruling class would not regain power
B) return the South to its prewar system, minus slavery
C) treat the South as a conquered nation
D) guarantee the civil rights of freedmen
E) follow the plan that had been outlined by Lincoln
Answer: A
Rationale:
Congressional Republicans advocated for measures that would ensure that the former
Confederate ruling class, including slaveholders, would not regain political power in the
South. They aimed to dismantle the power structures that had supported slavery and to
establish political and social equality for freedmen.
12. The first bill ever passed over a presidential veto was the _______.
A) Wade-Davis Bill
B) Freedmen’s Bureau extension bill
C) Civil Rights Act of 1866
D) Tenure of Office Act
E) First Reconstruction Act
Answer: C
Rationale:
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first bill in American history to be passed over a
presidential veto. It aimed to grant citizenship and civil rights to freedmen, overturning the
Black Codes enacted by Southern states after the Civil War.
13. The congressional answer to Andrew Johnson’s resistance toward Radical Reconstruction
was the _______.
A) Fourteenth Amendment
B) Ten Percent plan
C) Wade-Davis Bill
D) Civil Rights Act
E) Freedmen’s Bureau Bill
Answer: A
Rationale:
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed by Congress as a
response to Andrew Johnson's resistance to Radical Reconstruction. It aimed to grant
citizenship and civil rights to freedmen and to prevent former Confederates from holding
public office.
14. Which of the following constitutional amendments was opposed by Andrew Johnson?
A) Thirteenth
B) Fourteenth
C) Fifteenth
D) Sixteenth
E) Seventeenth
Answer: B
Rationale:
Andrew Johnson opposed the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,
which granted citizenship and civil rights to freedmen and prohibited former Confederates
from holding public office. Johnson's opposition to the amendment reflected his lenient
approach towards the Southern states and his reluctance to grant civil rights to African
Americans.
15. Which of the following constitutional amendments attempted to ensure the civil rights of
former slaves?
A) Thirteenth
B) Fourteenth
C) Fifteenth
D) Sixteenth
E) Seventeenth
Answer: B
Rationale:
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was intended to ensure the civil
rights of former slaves by granting them citizenship and equal protection under the law. It
aimed to prevent discrimination and ensure legal equality for all citizens, regardless of race.
16. The federal agency designed to assist former slaves in making the economic adjustment
to freedom was known as the _______.
A) Freedmen’s Bureau
B) Department of Education
C) African-American Rights Association
D) Liberty Association
E) Southern Reconstruction Agency
Answer: A
Rationale:
The Freedmen's Bureau was a federal agency established in 1865 to assist newly freed slaves
and impoverished whites in the South with various social and economic services, including
education, employment, and legal representation.
17. The First Reconstruction Act of 1867 _______.
A) recognized southern state governments as legitimate
B) confiscated all property of ex-Confederates
C) guaranteed freedmen the right to vote in southern elections
D) supported the Black Codes
E) placed the South under military rule
Answer: E
Rationale:
The First Reconstruction Act of 1867 placed the South under military rule by dividing the
former Confederate states into military districts and requiring them to hold new elections and
draft new constitutions that granted voting rights to freedmen. It aimed to enforce Radical
Reconstruction policies and ensure civil rights for African Americans.
18. The Reconstruction Acts _______.
A) gave freedmen the power to protect themselves
B) led to a decade-long period of military rule
C) were supported only by Radical Republicans
D) readmitted states based on the number of freedmen
E) were actually a retreat from true radicalism
Answer: E
Rationale:
The Reconstruction Acts, passed by Congress during Reconstruction, aimed to enforce
Radical Reconstruction policies in the Southern states. While they did establish military rule
in the South for a period, they were seen by some as a compromise between more radical
proposals and the lenient approach favored by President Andrew Johnson.
19. Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House for his violation of the _______.
A) Civil Rights Act of 1866
B) Tenure of Office Act
C) Wade-Davis Bill
D) Fourteenth Amendment
E) Loyalty Act
Answer: B
Rationale:
Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives for violating the Tenure of
Office Act, which restricted the president's power to remove certain officeholders without the
Senate's approval. Johnson's removal of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without Senate
approval led to his impeachment.
20. Andrew Johnson was acquitted in the Senate because _______.
A) the President’s attorneys argued for a wide interpretation of “high crimes and
misdemeanors”
B) seven Republican senators broke with the party leadership and voted for acquittal
C) the Senate knew that the House of Representatives would never vote for impeachment
D) the prosecution argued that Stanton’s removal did not violate the Tenure of Office Act
E) Republicans feared that Johnson’s removal would strengthen the executive branch
Answer: B
Rationale:
Andrew Johnson was acquitted in the Senate because seven Republican senators broke with
the party leadership and voted for acquittal. Despite significant opposition to Johnson's
policies, these senators were not convinced that his actions constituted sufficient grounds for
removal from office, leading to his acquittal.
21. During Reconstruction, most African Americans _______.
A) were able to become independent farmers
B) lived in integrated urban societies
C) remained agricultural workers
D) had no opportunity for schooling
E) left the South in overwhelming numbers
Answer: C
Rationale:
Most African Americans during Reconstruction remained agricultural workers, often working
as sharecroppers or tenant farmers on plantations in the South due to economic and social
constraints.
22. Which one of the following groups was not part of the southern Republican party of
1868?
A) businessmen hoping for government support
B) poor white farmers
C) newly enfranchised African Americans
D) white planters
E) “scalawags” and carpetbaggers
Answer: D
Rationale:
White planters were generally not part of the southern Republican party of 1868. The
Republican party in the South during Reconstruction consisted of a coalition of African
Americans, poor white farmers, businessmen seeking government support, and "scalawags"
(Southern whites who supported Republican policies) and "carpetbaggers" (Northerners who
moved to the South for political or economic reasons).
23. What amendment to the Constitution states that no person could be denied the right to
vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude?
A) Eleventh
B) Twelfth
C) Thirteenth
D) Fourteenth
E) Fifteenth
Answer: E
Rationale:
The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1870, prohibited the
denial of the right to vote to any citizen on account of race, color, or previous condition of
servitude, thereby protecting the voting rights of African Americans.
24. The organization that symbolized most vividly the “white backlash” of the Reconstruction
era was _______.
A) the Union League
B) the Freedmen’s Bureau
C) the Redeemers
D) the White Citizens Council
E) the Ku Klux Klan
Answer: E
Rationale:
The Ku Klux Klan symbolized the "white backlash" of the Reconstruction era. Formed in the
late 1860s, the Klan used violence, intimidation, and terrorism to suppress African American
political participation and enforce white supremacy in the South.
25. The Redeemers _______.
A) continued the policies established during Reconstruction
B) offered new programs for working people and tenant farmers
C) were loyal to the class structure of the antebellum South
D) believed in the principles of laissez-faire and white supremacy
E) were mostly members of the old planter aristocracy
Answer: D
Rationale:
The Redeemers were Southern Democrats who sought to "redeem" the South from the
policies of Reconstruction. They believed in the principles of laissez-faire economics and
white supremacy, seeking to restore the power of the pre-Civil War planter class and maintain
racial hierarchy in the South.
26. Which of the following statements reflects Lincoln’s view of Reconstruction?
A) Free amnesty for all southerners including those who had willingly aided the Confederacy.
B) Reconstruction would guarantee full political and civil equality for southern blacks.
C) Congress would determine the terms for readmission of the seceded states.
D) Pardons would be granted to all southerners who took an oath to the Union.
E) The president and Congress would work together to readmit the Confederate states.
Answer: D
Rationale:
Lincoln's view of Reconstruction was reflected in the statement that pardons would be
granted to all Southerners who took an oath to the Union. He favored a lenient approach
towards the South, aiming to quickly reintegrate the seceded states into the Union with
minimal punishment for Confederate leaders and states.
27. What was the main implication behind Black Codes?
A) Southerners were willing to allow African Americans legal equality.
B) Southerners wanted African Americans to return to positions of servitude.
C) Southerners were interested in improving the education of the freedmen.
D) The freedmen would be allowed to vote and participate in the political process.
E) The idea of “separate but equal” was unconstitutional and would not be allowed.
Answer: B
Rationale:
The main implication behind Black Codes was that Southerners wanted African Americans to
return to positions of servitude and maintain social and economic control over them. These
laws restricted the rights and freedoms of African Americans, essentially reestablishing
aspects of the antebellum slave system.
28. After rejecting Johnson’s Reconstruction plan, what was the basis of Congress’s program?
A) social and moral regeneration of the South
B) confiscation and redistribution of plantations
C) enfranchisement of both the freedmen and ex-Confederates
D) guarantees for the rights of all citizens with the Fourteenth Amendment
E) pardons for members of the planter class who asked for them
Answer: D
Rationale:
After rejecting President Johnson's Reconstruction plan, the basis of Congress's program was
to establish guarantees for the rights of all citizens with the passage of the Fourteenth
Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment aimed to grant citizenship
and civil rights to freedmen and prevent former Confederates from holding public office.
29. What was the main belief of the Radical Republicans?
A) that the process of Reconstruction should be completed quickly
B) that the South should be treated with sympathy and compassion
C) that Reconstruction policy should be initiated by the president
D) that there was an inherent equality between races
E) that southern society should be restructured before states were readmitted
Answer: E
Rationale:
The main belief of the Radical Republicans was that southern society should be restructured
before states were readmitted to the Union. They advocated for more radical Reconstruction
policies that would ensure civil rights for freedmen, redistribute land to the formerly
enslaved, and fundamentally change the social and political structure of the South.
30. How did President Johnson antagonize Republicans in Congress?
A) He called for an extension of the Freedmen’s Bureau.
B) He supported a civil rights bill to guarantee equality for African Americans.
C) He urged confiscation and redistribution of southern land.
D) He vetoed bills with strong Republican support.
E) He insisted on support for the Fourteenth Amendment as a condition of readmission.
Answer: D
Rationale:
President Johnson antagonized Republicans in Congress by vetoing bills with strong
Republican support, including legislation related to Reconstruction efforts such as civil rights
bills and the extension of the Freedmen's Bureau. His opposition to Republican policies and
his lenient approach towards the South led to significant tension and conflict between the
executive and legislative branches during Reconstruction.
31. What was a result of the congressional elections of 1866?
A) Johnson’s Reconstruction policies were supported at the polls.
B) The Radical Republicans lost ground in Congress.
C) Democrats regained control of the House, but not the Senate.
D) Radical Reconstruction was strengthened and Johnson weakened.
E) Johnson’s reelection campaign got a big boost.
Answer: D
Rationale:
The result of the congressional elections of 1866 was that Radical Reconstruction was
strengthened and President Johnson was weakened. The elections gave Republicans in
Congress, particularly the Radical Republicans, a stronger position to pursue their
Reconstruction agenda, including the passage of legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of
1866 and the Reconstruction Acts.
32. What was the meaning of the phrase “regeneration before Reconstruction”?
A) restructuring southern society before readmission to the union
B) funding the rehabilitation of those areas in the South damaged during the war
C) transforming southern society, including land reform, before readmission
D) repudiating the debts owed by the former Confederate states to the Union
E) suspending military rule in the South until elections could take place
Answer: A
Rationale:
The phrase "regeneration before Reconstruction" referred to the idea of restructuring
Southern society before readmitting the Southern states to the Union during the
Reconstruction era. This restructuring involved addressing social, economic, and political
issues such as land reform, civil rights, and political representation for African Americans.
33. Why did the House of Representatives impeach President Johnson?
A) because he dismissed officers in the southern military districts
B) because he challenged the Tenure in Office Act by removing the Secretary of War
C) because he vetoed the First and Second Reconstruction Acts
D) because he attempted to abolish the Freedmen’s Bureau
E) because he opposed the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment
Answer: B
Rationale:
The House of Representatives impeached President Johnson because he challenged the
Tenure in Office Act by removing the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, without the Senate's
approval. This act was viewed as a violation of the law and an encroachment on the powers
of Congress.
34. What was the intent of many northerners who went south after the war?
A) They wanted to carry reforms to an area they felt needed change.
B) They wanted to keep African Americans adrift between slavery and freedom.
C) They wanted to acquire land and to fight for their own enfranchisement.
D) They wanted to ensure that the South would not embrace interracial democracy.
E) They wanted to oppose the Reconstruction plan of the Radical Republicans.
Answer: A
Rationale:
The intent of many northerners who went south after the war was to carry reforms to an area
they felt needed change. These individuals, often referred to as "carpetbaggers," sought to
promote Reconstruction policies such as civil rights for freedmen, land reform, and economic
development in the South.
35. How did former slaves’ ideas about their freedom conflict with the ideas of their northern
allies?
A) Their northern allies wanted freed blacks to continue working on plantations for white
planters, but African Americans did not want to return to plantation life.
B) Freed blacks wanted to move to the North and begin new lives, but their northern allies
felt they needed to stay in the South.
C) Their northern allies felt that freed blacks should continue with their communal work
system, but freed blacks wanted to take part in the piecework system.
D) Freed blacks wanted to move to new land of their own, while their northern allies felt they
should remain on the land where their families had lived for generations.
E) Freed blacks wanted to continue with a family-based communal work system, but
northerners wanted them to become individual wage earners.
Answer: E
Rationale:
Former slaves' ideas about their freedom conflicted with the ideas of their northern allies in
that freed blacks often wanted to continue with a family-based communal work system, while
many northerners wanted them to become individual wage earners. This conflict reflected
differing perspectives on labor, economic independence, and social organization.
36. How did the northern military help some former slaves work toward economic
independence?
A) Northern soldiers were tasked with the assignment of teaching former slaves the practice
of piecework.
B) The Union Army enforced the contract-labor system by making sure that southern planters
offered flexible wages.
C) General Sherman issued an order that set aside the islands and coastal areas of South
Carolina and Georgia for exclusive black occupancy.
D) The northern military established an economic base for former slaves in parts of Alabama,
Mississippi, and Louisiana.
E) Union generals issued an order that led to the formation of the sharecropping system,
which allowed black farmers to work their land free and clear.
Answer: C
Rationale:
General Sherman's Special Field Orders No. 15, issued in 1865, set aside the islands and
coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia for exclusive black occupancy, providing some
former slaves with the opportunity to work toward economic independence by obtaining land
and establishing communities.
37. How did Black Codes seem like another form of slavery to African Americans?
A) Black Codes severely limited the legal and economic rights of African Americans.
B) Black Codes forced many African Americans to work for whites for free.
C) Black Codes made wage labor for African Americans a crime.
D) Black Codes restricted African Americans to the plantations where they had been
enslaved.
E) Black Codes encouraged whites to join the militia to attack or murder African Americans.
Answer: A
Rationale:
Black Codes seemed like another form of slavery to African Americans because they severely
limited the legal and economic rights of African Americans, effectively subjecting them to
conditions reminiscent of slavery. These laws restricted their freedom of movement, labor
choices, and access to legal protections.
38. What was true about most southern African Americans who held political power during
Reconstruction?
A) They alienated whites by pushing for massive land restriction.
B) They concentrated their efforts on educational and political reforms.
C) They used the Freedmen’s Bureau to oppress ex-Confederates.
D) They pushed for educational integration.
E) They were more corrupt than their white counterparts.
Answer: B
Rationale:
Most southern African Americans who held political power during Reconstruction
concentrated their efforts on educational and political reforms. They sought to advance the
cause of civil rights, promote education for freedmen, and secure greater political
representation for African Americans in the post-war South.
39. Which of these tainted President Grant’s first term in office?
A) the Teapot Dome scandal
B) congressional override of his veto
C) failure of the Wade-Davis Bill
D) the Crédit Mobilier scandal
E) kickbacks given to Grant for lands taken from former members of the Confederacy
Answer: D
Rationale:
The Crédit Mobilier scandal tainted President Grant's first term in office. The scandal
involved corruption within the Union Pacific Railroad Company and its construction
subsidiary, Crédit Mobilier of America, which implicated several members of Congress and
tarnished Grant's administration with allegations of bribery and financial impropriety.
40. Why were some American women angered by the Fifteenth Amendment?
A) It gave voting rights to white women, but not to African-American women.
B) White women did not want African Americans to have the right to vote.
C) It gave voting rights to African-American men, but not to any women.
D) It did not make the imposition of poll taxes, property qualifications, or literacy tests
illegal.
E) It allowed African Americans to vote in the North, but not in the South.
Answer: C
Rationale:
Some American women were angered by the Fifteenth Amendment because it granted voting
rights to African-American men, but not to any women, regardless of race. This omission
perpetuated the disenfranchisement of women from the political process, reinforcing gender
inequality in voting rights.
41. What was the main reason for the Ku Klux Klan’s success in the South after 1868?
A) popular support from whites of all social classes
B) its centralized political organization
C) its support from the southern state Republican governments
D) the persistent threat of a violent black uprising
E) the Force Act, which protected terrorist groups like the Klan
Answer: A
Rationale:
The main reason for the Ku Klux Klan's success in the South after 1868 was popular support
from whites of all social classes. The Klan appealed to white Southerners who opposed
Reconstruction policies and resented the political and social advancements of African
Americans, gaining significant membership and influence during this period.
42. What is significant about the result of the disputed election of 1876?
A) It was the final Radical Republican victory.
B) It meant the end of the Reconstruction era.
C) It marked the beginning of a Republican resurgence nationwide.
D) It demonstrated the political power of southern African Americans.
E) It was resolved more quickly than anyone expected.
Answer: B
Rationale:
The significance of the result of the disputed election of 1876 was that it meant the end of the
Reconstruction era. The compromise that resolved the disputed election, known as the
Compromise of 1877, led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South and effectively
ended Reconstruction efforts to protect civil rights and promote racial equality.
43. What did Republican leaders agree to do in order to ensure the election of Rutherford
Hayes?
A) offer lucrative positions to members of the electoral commission
B) end federal support for southern radical regimes
C) continue federal support for southern radical regimes
D) support fraudulent elections with federal troops
E) split control of southern state governments with Democrats
Answer: B
Rationale:
Republican leaders agreed to end federal support for southern radical regimes in order to
ensure the election of Rutherford Hayes. This was part of the Compromise of 1877, which
effectively ended Reconstruction efforts in the South and led to the withdrawal of federal
troops, allowing Southern Democrats to regain control and institute policies of racial
segregation and disenfranchisement.
44. In what way did white farmers resemble black southerners in their treatment at the hands
of southern governments run by the Redeemers?
A) They were often denied the right to vote and were intimidated at the polls.
B) They were forced to pay high taxes on any imported goods from the North.
C) They were not allowed to own property and could work only for rich planters.
D) They could not borrow any federal money and were forced to give up their farms.
E) They were forced into deeper debt due to the crop lien system that favored local
merchants.
Answer: E
Rationale:
White farmers resembled black southerners in their treatment at the hands of southern
governments run by the Redeemers in that they were forced into deeper debt due to the crop
lien system that favored local merchants. The crop lien system, prevalent in the post-
Reconstruction South, often trapped farmers, both white and black, in cycles of debt bondage,
contributing to economic exploitation and inequality.
45. How might Reconstruction have been different if Lincoln had not been assassinated?
A) African Americans might have gained political and economic rights sooner, since Lincoln
was a strong supporter of equal rights for all Americans.
B) Terrorist groups like the Ku Klux Klan would not have developed in the South and African
Americans would not have been violently attacked.
C) Women would also have gained the right to vote, since Lincoln would have encouraged
this in the Fifteenth Amendment.
D) Lincoln would have refused to allow any former Confederates to participate in the
Republican government.
E) Since Lincoln favored more leniency toward the South, readmission of southern states
might have happened more rapidly.
Answer: E
Rationale:
Reconstruction might have been different if Lincoln had not been assassinated because
Lincoln favored a more lenient approach towards the South compared to the Radical
Republicans. His policies, such as the Ten Percent Plan, which offered amnesty to
Confederates who pledged loyalty, indicated a more conciliatory stance. Therefore, without
Lincoln's assassination, Reconstruction might have proceeded with a greater emphasis on
reconciliation and a faster readmission of Southern states to the Union.
46. All of the following contributed to the rift that developed between President Johnson and
Congressional Republicans EXCEPT _______.
A) the appointment of provisional southern governors
B) the passage of the Black Codes
C) the veto of the Freedmen’s Bureau bill
D) the veto of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
E) the refusal to seat the recently elected southern delegation
Answer: A
Rationale:
All options except the appointment of provisional southern governors contributed to the rift
between President Johnson and Congressional Republicans. Johnson's appointment of
provisional southern governors was consistent with his lenient Reconstruction policies and
did not directly contribute to the growing conflict with Republicans in Congress.
47. Why did Andrew Johnson resist the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth
Amendment?
A) Johnson felt that these laws did not grant equal rights to African Americans, and thus
pushed for further legislation.
B) Johnson strongly supported states’ rights and felt that these laws did not allow states to
manage their own affairs.
C) Johnson felt that by stating the rights of African Americans, state governments would be
able to exploit legal loopholes.
D) Johnson believed that his Republican supporters would never vote for him again if he
backed equal rights for African Americans.
E) Johnson knew that these laws would only encourage terrorist organizations to form in
opposition to them.
Answer: B
Rationale:
Andrew Johnson resisted the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment
because he strongly supported states' rights and felt that these laws infringed upon the
autonomy of the states. Johnson, a Democrat from Tennessee, believed in a limited role for
the federal government in imposing civil rights legislation on the states.
48. How did the Redeemers restrict voting rights in the late 1870s and early 1880s?
A) African Americans were not allowed to vote at all and were kept away from the polls.
B) Any African Americans voting for Democrats had their votes discarded.
C) If African Americans tried to vote for Republicans, they were intimidated and threatened.
D) African Americans could vote only if they paid a fee to the Republican candidates.
E) African Americans risked losing their jobs if they tried to vote for any Democratic
candidates.
Answer: C
Rationale:
The Redeemers, who were primarily Southern Democrats, restricted voting rights in the late
1870s and early 1880s by intimidating and threatening African Americans who attempted to
vote for Republicans. This intimidation tactic, along with the implementation of poll taxes,
literacy tests, and other discriminatory measures, aimed to suppress African American
political participation and maintain Democratic control in the South.
49. What was the legacy of Reconstruction for most African Americans?
A) the benefits of freedom
B) poverty and discrimination
C) land ownership
D) skilled factory jobs
E) successful entry into politics
Answer: B
Rationale:
The legacy of Reconstruction for most African Americans was poverty and discrimination.
Despite the promise of freedom and citizenship rights, African Americans faced widespread
racial prejudice, economic exploitation, and political disenfranchisement in the postReconstruction South. Discriminatory Jim Crow laws and social customs perpetuated racial
segregation and limited opportunities for African American advancement.
50. How did African Americans end up paying the heaviest price for the sectional reunion
after Reconstruction?
A) African Americans lost an enormous amount of wealth and property during
Reconstruction and by the end were reduced to poverty.
B) Congress made no efforts to address the rights of African Americans in their attempts to
repair the damaged South during Reconstruction.
C) Although African Americans saw signs of equal rights at the start of Reconstruction, once
it ended many of these rights were not enforced.
D) Many laws were passed by Congress during Reconstruction that deliberately restricted the
rights of newly freed slaves.
E) African Americans who left the South for the North after the Civil War found that their
rights became restricted as Reconstruction progressed.
Answer: C
Rationale:
African Americans ended up paying the heaviest price for the sectional reunion after
Reconstruction because, although they initially saw signs of equal rights at the start of
Reconstruction, many of these rights were not enforced once Reconstruction ended. The
withdrawal of federal troops from the South, the rise of Jim Crow
Essay
1. Analyzing the political struggle between the presidency and Congress over how to
reconstruct the Union. What was at stake in this contest?
Answer: The political struggle between the presidency and Congress during Reconstruction
was primarily over the extent of federal authority in rebuilding the Union. President Andrew
Johnson favored a lenient approach towards the South, advocating for quick restoration of
Southern states to the Union with minimal federal intervention. Congress, on the other hand,
led by Radical Republicans, sought more stringent measures to ensure civil rights for newly
freed slaves and to prevent former Confederate leaders from regaining power. At stake in this
contest was the future of race relations, the balance of power between the federal government
and the states, and the definition of citizenship and equality in post-Civil War America.
2. Why did the South have such a difficult time restoring its economy? How did
sharecropping reduce many African Americans to permanent tenant-farmer status?
Answer: The South faced significant challenges in restoring its economy after the Civil War
due to the devastation wrought by the conflict, the abolition of slavery, and the loss of labor.
The collapse of the plantation system left many landowners and former slaves struggling to
adapt to new economic realities. Sharecropping emerged as a dominant system, where
landless farmers, often African Americans, worked land owned by others in exchange for a
share of the crops produced. However, due to exploitative contracts and a lack of economic
opportunity, many African Americans became trapped in cycles of debt and dependency,
effectively reducing them to permanent tenant-farmer status, perpetuating conditions similar
to slavery.
3. What groups comprised the southern Republican party during Reconstruction? What
motivated each to support the Republicans? Why did the southern Republican party fail?
Answer: The Southern Republican Party during Reconstruction consisted of several groups,
including carpetbaggers (northern transplants), scalawags (southern whites who supported
Reconstruction), and newly enfranchised African Americans. Carpetbaggers were motivated
by economic opportunities in the South, while scalawags sought to align with the party for
various reasons such as opposition to Confederate leadership or economic interests. African
Americans were motivated by the promise of civil rights and political empowerment.
However, the Southern Republican Party ultimately failed due to factors such as white
supremacist violence, economic upheaval, and the withdrawal of federal support for
Reconstruction.
4. What was the role of the North in the failure of Reconstruction?
Answer: The North played a significant role in the failure of Reconstruction through a
combination of factors. While initially supportive of efforts to rebuild the South and protect
the rights of freed slaves, Northern enthusiasm waned over time. Many Northerners grew
weary of the costs, both financial and human, associated with Reconstruction efforts.
Furthermore, as the nation shifted its focus towards westward expansion and
industrialization, attention and resources were diverted away from the South. Additionally,
Northern racism and growing sectional reconciliation led to a weakening of commitment to
racial equality and civil rights in the South, contributing to the failure of Reconstruction.
Test Bank for The American Story
Robert A. Divine, T. H. Breen, R. Hal Williams, Ariela J. Gross, H. W. Brands
9780205900688
