History 371HON

Devine

Fall 2014

Study Questions: "Racial Terrorism" by John David Smith

1. Why was the Ku Klux Klan so popular among southern whites during Reconstruction? How did the post-war atmosphere contribute to the popularity of the Klan and its goals?

2. What actions did Ku Klux Klan members take against freedmen and white Republicans, and what were their motivations? Were they successful?

3. What kinds of people did the Ku Klux Klan members tend to target – and why?

4. According to Smith, were the Klan's violent "reigns of terror" more motivated by politics or by racial prejudice?

5. How did African Americans respond to the Ku Klux Klan's attacks? What attitude did the freedmen have towards the federal government?