Ku Klux Klan And The Reconstruction Era

Words: 1431
Pages: 6
Open Document
The infamous white supremacist group, the Ku Klux Klan, formed its roots in the southern states shortly after the American Civil War during the time period known as the Reconstruction Era. This Reconstruction Era was the idea of the nation working together in order to put the United States back to its previous state that it was before the war began. Abraham Lincoln’s goal was to join the nation as one now that it had officially prohibited slavery in the United States (Howard). As a secretive clan of brothers the Ku Klux Klan wanted white supremacy in the United States and in order to accomplish this, the members targeted political parties and former slaves using various methods during the Reconstruction Era, in which they were founded.
The …show more content…
Although the Klan seemed very secretive they made public appearances quite regularly, however they were covered in the white bed cloths so no one would be able to identify them (The Ku Klux Klan- A Secret History (History Channel)). The Klan participated in “night rides”; these night rides would consist of male members riding around in the sheets scaring the recently freed slaves claiming they were ghosts of dead Confederate soldiers (The Ku Klux Klan- A Secret History (History …show more content…
These measures include murder of Republicans, intimidation of voters, burning predominately black schools and churches. It is believed that the first major act of the Klan’s terrorist acts began in March 1868 (Bryant). On March 31, 1868 the Ku Klux Klan took the drastic step of murdering George Ashburn who was a Republican organizer who lived in Columbus, Georgia. (Bryant) From this act of murder the Klan violence spread all throughout Georgia, which was a predominately black state. From January 1st until November 15th it is reported that there were three hundred thirty-six incidents of murder and assault with the intent to kill on freedmen; in Georgia alone (Bryant). The other states were not immune to the Ku Klux Klan. These mass killings also took place in states such as Kansas and Louisiana (Station) . Kansas suffered over two thousand deaths stemming from the 1868 presidential election (Station). Louisiana did not suffer as much as Georgia and Kansas, however the state lost one thousand blacks nearing the election (Station). The majority of the violence which stemmed from the Klan was ways for them to intimidate African-American voters and those who supported the Republican Party, whether that be African-Americans or whites. The acts of violence were sometimes displayed publicly or more typically the night rides as were mentioned above. Intimidation at the voting was not just limited to African-Americans
Show More

Related Documents: Ku Klux Klan And The Reconstruction Era

Abdul Mohammed 56 U Essay

Ms. Serrano Reconstruction The reconstruction was an era from 1863 to 1877, used to rebuild the damage done in the South by the Civil War. Mostly focused on helping African Americans become accepted into modern society, the reconstruction tore America apart. The reconstruction era in America was killed because of violence promoted towards blacks in the south by the Ku Klux Klan. While the North tried their best to help the South, the southerners…

Words 717 - Pages 3

Reconstruction Dbq

The Reconstruction of 1865-1877 did not help African-American lives because the Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, and the KU Klux Klan made it hard for them to live their lives. The reconstruction era is a very bad time for African Americans to be living in the United States. The Ku Klux Klan formed and is a violent group against African American. Black Codes made lives even worse they were loopholes from the actual laws but this only targeted blacks.The Jim Crow laws were a racial segregation in the south…

Words 1335 - Pages 6

AP US HISTORY Essay

Marisol Sanchez-Matias March 7, 2015 AP US History Reconstruction is referred to the period in the United States history immediately following the Civil War in which the federal government set the conditions that would allow the rebellious Southern States back into the Union. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments were reconstructed Amendments to the United States Constitution. The Thirteenth Amendment is that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for…

Words 705 - Pages 3

Racism During The Reconstruction Era

constant controversy in the United States of America, notably during Reconstruction. For the time being, this specific stage had a considerable impact on the country because it was known as the effort to give African Americans a voice, as well as reunify the nation after the tragic civil war. Although laws and compromises were put in place to pave a pathway to a better life for freedmen, they were ineffective. The Ku Klux Klan became known and African Americans lived in a constant state of fear,…

Words 507 - Pages 3

John Hollitz's Thinking Through The Past

apparent that history is not a list of facts to be recited and memorized. Rather, history is the study of past events that vary in time, place, and interpretation. All four of the the authors from the sources provided have varying opinions on the Reconstruction period and how African Americans were treated during that time period. These opinions are based upon the author’s race, the time period, and their ideology. The first source is an excerpt by Woodrow Wilson in 1906. He is better known as…

Words 537 - Pages 3

Ku Klux Klan Essay

The Ku Klux Klan Starting in 1921, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) began their terrible acts, they were a white supremacist group, believing that all non-Caucasian people are inferior and that they have no place In the US because they believe that it’s the true home to white Christians. The KKK was a horrendous racist organization; they tortured people, fought for superiority and targeted many African-Americans because they think of themselves as superior. They changed a lot of people’s beliefs during this…

Words 735 - Pages 3

Ku Klux Klan and Current Klan Organizations Essay

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK), or just the Klan, is the name of three distinct movements in the United States. They first played a violent role against African Americans in the South during the Reconstruction Era of the 1860s. The second was a very large controversial nationwide organization in the 1920s. The current manifestation consists of numerous small unconnected groups that use the KKK name. They have all emphasized secrecy and distinctive costumes, and all have called for purification of American…

Words 1086 - Pages 5

The Jim Crow Era

During Reconstruction, social and political standings caused liberties to grow or diminish depending on who was involved. Constitutionally, there was an increase in rights for the black community. However, the influence of Jim Crow era culture and the notion of white supremacy limited the functionality of the rights of free blacks. The Jim Crow era put the government in control of what was equal and just for freedmen. The Fifteenth Amendment was put in place so that black males could vote, but this…

Words 1864 - Pages 8

The Ku Klux Klan

Ku Klux Klan It has been aurally perceived and verbalized about throughout history, that there was never subsistence of "The" Ku Klux Klan. There is traceable evidence of different forms of kineticism and organizations that have utilized this designation. The history of the K.K.K. interacts with the history of race cognations from our country. The Klan can be divided into five different eras: The Reconstruction, The Terminus of the War (& Pulaski Six), The Klan Mobilization, The Reign of Terror,…

Words 1289 - Pages 6

Unit 4 Civil War

During the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War, many efforts were made to rebuild the nation and address the challenges…

Words 1358 - Pages 6