#AP African American Studies: Post-Civil War Challenges - Your Ultimate Review Guide 🚀

Hey there! Let's get you prepped for the AP exam with a super-focused review of the post-Civil War era. We'll break down complex topics, make connections, and get you feeling confident. Let's do this! 💪

#Reconstruction Era: A False Dawn?

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• What: Laws enacted by Southern states in 1865-66 to restrict African American freedom and maintain white supremacy. Think of them as a sneaky way to keep the old system alive. 😠
• Why: To control Black labor, limit their rights, and ensure they remained a subordinate class. They were designed to undermine the 13th Amendment.
• How:
  • Property Restrictions: Made it hard for African Americans to own land. 🏠🚫
  • Labor Contracts: Forced exploitative annual contracts, often with little to no pay. 💸
  • Family Disruption: Allowed states to take children and force them into unpaid apprenticeships. 💔

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• Sherman's Land Order: General Sherman's plan to give 40 acres to freed families was revoked. This was a huge blow to Black economic independence. 🚜❌
• Sharecropping: Replaced slavery with a system where Black families worked land owned by whites in exchange for a share of the crops. This often led to debt and poverty. 📉
  • Crop Liens: Farmers borrowed money for supplies, using future crops as collateral. If the harvest failed, they were trapped in debt. 😟
• Convict Leasing: African Americans were arrested for minor offenses and leased out as forced labor. It was basically slavery with a different name. ⛓️

#Key Documents and ...