Texas History and Reconstruction Challenges

The video discusses the failure of Reconstruction in Texas, highlighting the transition from slavery to sharecropping, which limited economic mobility for freedmen. The end of Reconstruction was driven by political shifts and economic concerns. Despite this, Texas experienced significant economic growth due to homestead laws and immigration. However, this period was also marked by racial violence, lawlessness, and tensions due to the presence of federal troops. The video provides a comprehensive overview of the social, economic, and political landscape of Texas from 1865 to 1880.

What system replaced slavery in Texas during Reconstruction?

• Wage labor

• Tenant farming

• Sharecropping

• Indentured servitude

What was a major factor in the end of Reconstruction?

• Economic prosperity

• Natural disasters

• Political alignment of moderates

• Military intervention

What was a consequence of the political alignment between northern and southern moderates?

• Economic decline

• Strengthening of federal authority

• Abandonment of freedmen

• Increased support for black civil rights

What was the primary focus of Texas's economy during the late 1800s?

• Mining

• Cotton and wool production

• Oil production

• Manufacturing

How did the population of Texas change from 1860 to 1870?

• It doubled

• It increased by about a third

• It remained the same

• It decreased by half

What was a notable demographic change in Texas from 1870 to 1880?

• The population decreased

• The population doubled

• The population remained stable

• The population tripled

Which group was known for intimidating blacks and federal authorities in Texas?

• The Texas Rangers

• The Confederate Veterans

• The Ku Klux Klan

• The Union Army

What was the impact of the U.S. Army's presence in Texas during this period?

• It was welcomed by all Texans

• It led to a decrease in violence

• It had little effect due to poor management

• It effectively maintained law and order

What was the role of white gangs in Texas during Reconstruction?

• They supported federal authorities

• They intimidated blacks and opposed federal authority

• They helped in economic development

• They were neutral in political matters

What was a significant challenge faced by settlers in the Texas countryside?

• Lack of water resources

• High taxation

• Resurgent Indian threat

• Severe weather conditions