How did conditions shown in the central image of the cartoon contribute to the collapse of Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow?
A.
Reconstruction policies fomented anger and resentment among many Southern whites.
B.
The granting of citizenship rights to freed African Americans transformed local and state legislatures.
C.
New opportunities for African Americans enabled them to resist Southern oppression.
D.
Presidential support for Radical Republican policies limited the appeal of the Ku Klux Klan.
1 answer
A. Reconstruction policies fomented anger and resentment among many Southern whites. The central image shows a white man, possibly a former Confederate soldier, being forced to take an oath of loyalty to the United States under the gaze of a black Union soldier. This scene reflects the harsh and controversial policies of Reconstruction, including military rule in the South and the granting of civil rights and voting rights to African Americans. These policies provoked backlash and resistance among many white Southerners, leading to the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and other violent groups that sought to undermine African American rights and restore white supremacy. This ultimately contributed to the collapse of Reconstruction and the establishment of Jim Crow laws, which legalized racial segregation and discrimination in the South.