The People of Reconstruction

Match the following U.S. Presidents with the significant action or document they are associated with.

• Author of the Emancipation Proclamation

• Abraham Lincoln

• President who succeeded Lincoln after his assassination

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Commanding General of the Union Army during the Civil War

• Rutherford B. Hayes

• President during the end of Reconstruction

• Andrew Johnson

During a history trivia night, Anika is asked, "Which President was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth?"

• Rutherford B. Hayes

• Andrew Johnson

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Abraham Lincoln

Answer explanation

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States and was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. The other options are incorrect.

Who became President after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln?

• Robert E. Lee

• Andrew Johnson

• Rutherford B. Hayes

• Ulysses S. Grant

Answer explanation

After Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Vice President Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency, making him the immediate successor.

Which President was the first to be impeached?

• Andrew Johnson

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Abraham Lincoln

• Rutherford B. Hayes

Answer explanation

Andrew Johnson was the first U.S. President to be impeached in 1868. The other options, Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, and Rutherford B. Hayes, were not impeached during their presidencies.

Who was the Union General during the Civil War to whom Robert E. Lee surrendered?

• Abraham Lincoln

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Andrew Johnson

• Rutherford B. Hayes

Answer explanation

Ulysses S. Grant was the Union General who accepted Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, effectively ending the Civil War. The other options were not military leaders during this event.

Which President agreed to remove federal troops from the South in the Compromise of 1877?

• Abraham Lincoln

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Rutherford B. Hayes

• Andrew Johnson

Answer explanation

Rutherford B. Hayes agreed to remove federal troops from the South as part of the Compromise of 1877, which effectively ended Reconstruction and allowed Southern states to regain control.

Who was the Confederate General during the Civil War?

• Abraham Lincoln

• Robert E. Lee

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Andrew Johnson

Answer explanation

Robert E. Lee was the prominent Confederate General during the Civil War, leading the Army of Northern Virginia. In contrast, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant were Union leaders, while Andrew Johnson was a post-war president.

Match the following individuals with their notable achievements in American history.

• Prominent abolitionist and orator who escaped from slavery

• Hiram Revels

• First African American to serve in the United States Senate

• John Roy Lynch

• Civil War hero who later served in the U.S. House of Representatives

• Frederick Douglass

• One of the first African American members of the U.S. House of Representatives

• Robert Smalls

Which historical figure was a conductor on the Underground Railroad?

• Elizabeth Cady Stanton

• Harriet Tubman

• Susan B. Anthony

• Frances Harper

Answer explanation

Harriet Tubman was a key figure in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom. She made numerous trips back to the South, guiding many to safety, which solidifies her legacy as a conductor.

Who was arrested for illegally voting in the presidential election of 1872?

• Lucy Stone

• Susan B. Anthony

• Elizabeth Cady Stanton

• Charlotte 'Lottie' Rollins

Answer explanation

Susan B. Anthony was arrested for illegally voting in the presidential election of 1872, as she cast her ballot in defiance of laws prohibiting women from voting at that time.