Question

What factor led to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan and similar groups?

Answer 1

The Ku Klux Klan and similar groups were formed in response to social and political changes following the American Civil War. These changes included the abolition of slavery, the reconstruction of the Southern states, and the granting of civil rights to formerly enslaved African Americans. Many white Southerners who felt threatened by these changes formed groups like the Ku Klux Klan as a way to resist and intimidate African Americans and their supporters. The Klan used violence, intimidation, and fear tactics to maintain white supremacy and control over African Americans in the post-Civil War South.