Topic 1.3: Subversive groups during Reconstruction
During the Reconstruction period several discriminatory groups developed in order to intimidate the freedmen. The most infamous of these was the Ku Klux Klan. Although originally the KKK was a social organization of ex-Confederate soldiers, it soon grew into a terrorist group. The goal of the KKK was to use violence, intimidation and voter fraud to keep African Americans from exercising their rights under the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments so that whites could regain control of state governments. Public lynching’s became common methods of intimidating African Americans who did not ‘know their place.’ Although the federal government made some feeble attempts to control the KKK and other groups who practiced racial discrimination and intimidation, by 1876 these groups had achieved their purpose. The election of 1876 was so riddled with fraud that the electoral votes in three states were called into question. The election was decided by the House of Representatives. Democrats agreed to support the election of the Republican candidate in exchange for the removal of all federal troops from the South. This Compromise of 1877 resulted in the end of Reconstruction and African Americans were abandoned by the federal government. Democrats won control of the southern state governments.
The constitutional rights gained by the “Civil War” amendments (13-15) were regularly violated by terrorist groups like the KKK (Klan) which included working class whites as well as businessmen, lawyers, judges and politicians. Although African Americans protested their rapidly deepening exclusion from public life, violence, intimidation and lynching’s by terrorist groups effectively silenced most protests. Soon southern governments were passing laws to limit the rights of African Americans guaranteed by the 15th amendment.
(Source: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/ccr/Standards-Learning/documents/Grade5.pdf )
The constitutional rights gained by the “Civil War” amendments (13-15) were regularly violated by terrorist groups like the KKK (Klan) which included working class whites as well as businessmen, lawyers, judges and politicians. Although African Americans protested their rapidly deepening exclusion from public life, violence, intimidation and lynching’s by terrorist groups effectively silenced most protests. Soon southern governments were passing laws to limit the rights of African Americans guaranteed by the 15th amendment.
(Source: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/ccr/Standards-Learning/documents/Grade5.pdf )