Unit 8 Vocabulary
The Civil War and Reconstruction
state’s rights
rights held by the states that place limits on the
implied powers of the federal government over
state governments
secede
to formally withdraw from an organized body
sovereignty
complete power and authority
regiments
a military unit made up of a number of
battalions, or groups, of troops
ironclads
ships used during the Civil War that were heavily
armored with iron plates
drafted
required to serve in the military
martial law
rule by the military instead of the usual civil
authorities
freedpeople
former slaves who have been freed from slavery
suffrage
voting rights
civil rights
individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution
impeach
to bring charges against a public official
scalawags
name given to southerners who supported
Reconstruction for personal economic gain
carpet baggers
Northerners who moved to the South after the
Civil War; so called because they often carried
all they owned in bags made of carpet
segregation
Forced separation of whites and African
Americans in public
tenant farmers
people who rent land to grow crops
sharecroppers
farmers who lacked land and necessary supplies
and thus promised a large part of their crop to
the landowner in exchange for these items
sectionalism
excessive devotion to local interests and
customs
blockades
the isolation of a nation, area, city, or harbor by
hostile ships or forces in order to prevent the
entrance and exit of traffic and commerce
Reconstruction
The post-Civil War era from 1865 to 1877; the
U.S. re-admitted the southern states to the
Union and the federal government implemented
policies affecting southern states
amendment
a change made to the U.S. Constitution
allegiance
loyalty to a nation or cause
emancipation
the act of freeing someone from the control of
another
proclamation
the act of announcing something officially or
publically
vigilantism
the act of taking matters in to one’s own hands
and out of the hands of the law
federalism
a system in which power is distributed between
the central or federal government and smaller
state or local governments