APUSH Recap: The Civil War & Reconstruction
Here’s the thing y’all…for most APUSH class timelines the Civil War and/or reconstruction falls around the winter holiday break.
Were you a little checked out? Probably.
Was your teacher a little checked out? Maybe.
It’s normal. You can’t be 100% locked in 100% of the time. But that’s why it’s so important for you to review material that you’ve already covered. This doesn’t just apply to what you might have been dialed out of in December. You really should be reviewing concepts from throughout the year, periodically.
This time, I’ve got your back. Here is a SUPER BRIEF overview of dates, events, and concepts you should know about the Civil War and Reconstruction (Periods 5 & 6)
When was the Civil War?
For anyone thinking, this is NOT a dumb question! It’s important to have a comprehensive understanding of the historical timeline.
Harriet Tubman is born into slavery (1822)
The Civil War: Apr 12, 1861 – Apr 9, 1865
Reconstruction
The Robber Barons (Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt) peaked
Paternalism
Paternalism was a justification used by the Southerners for slavery. Paternal - as in father - was a reference to how the masters viewed themselves to their slaves. They told themselves that they were doing the enslaved people a kindness by feeding them, housing them, and giving them purpose.
Enslaved people often used the notion of paternalism to their advantage by exploiting this view of self. They found opportunities within this system to resist and win a degree of freedom and autonomy.
Not everyone in the South owned slaves, so why did they care?
Even, though not all southerners owned slaves, many of them benefitted from the system. There were other jobs (overseers, merchants, etc.) that employed people within the industry. Also, racism.
Events that Caused the Break Up Between the North (Union) and South (Confederacy) 💔
Read more on the lovely History.com
Abraham Lincoln was the Republican Party’s Nominee
The Democrats were primarily in the SOUTH
and the Republicans were primarily in the NORTH.
DO NOT get this confused with the present day. The political parties were not the same despite having the same names we’re familiar with today.
Don’t forget about the Border States…
The states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and West Virginia comprised the Civil War's middle ground. They remained loyal to the Union despite still supporting slavery. Abraham Lincoln understood that maintaining control over these states could make or break the Union’s chances in the war.
The Emancipation Proclamation Didn’t Free ALL the Slaves
It applied only to states that had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal border states. And technically because the confederacy wasn’t listening to the USA, it was really just ~ good press ~. (And set the precedent for the new attitude on slavery upon reconciliation).
Reconstruction was…
Between 1861 to 1900. It is the period in which the United States figured out how to integrate millions of newly freed African Americans into social, political, and labor systems. This was a time of significant economic, political, and social transformation within the United States.
The 13th, 14th, & 15th Amendments
13th - Outlawed slavery
14th - Ensured civil rights and liberties to all (such as formerly enslaved folks)
15th - Male suffrage; all men regardless of race, color, or previous servitude could vote*
*Why did this make (white) women angry? Well, women had been fighting for the right to vote since 1820 (Seneca Falls Convention). White women, who considered themselves above black men in the social order, now found themselves without the opportunity to vote whereas black men could. They felt like they were being snubbed. Remember, the end of the Civil War did not mark the end of racism.
The Freedman’s Bureau
Established right at the end of the Civil War, the Freedman’s Bureau was the institution tasked with helping all these folks who had limited education, no employment, or homes to establish themselves economically and politically. Southerners (including Pres. Andrew Johnson) challenged the legitimacy of the bureau because it was questioned if the federal government should be so directly involved in supporting citizens.
The Black Codes
These were discriminatory laws passed in the South that aimed to keep white supremacy in place. Black codes limited the economic and political potential of black people. These codes paved the way for Jim Crow.
The OG White Supremacist Terrorists: The KKK
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a white supremacist terrorist group that emerged primarily in the South after the Civil War. It took violent steps to undermine the Republican party (remember, not the same as today), hoping to maintain black economic instability and ensure white racial and economic superiority in the postwar South.
Congress passed the Ku Klux Klan Act in 1871, federally outlawing Klan violence and political intimidation. However, Klan violence continued and allowed the South to maintain a ruling racial order that morphed into Jim Crow.
