Civil War & Reconstruction (1850–1877) Quiz
The road to war, the war itself, and the fight over what came after. 10 multiple-choice questions with explanations.
Questions
Which 1857 Supreme Court decision held that Black Americans could not be U.S. citizens?
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Dred Scott v. Sandford. Dred Scott also said Congress could not ban slavery in the territories.
Which 1854 law let territories decide on slavery by popular vote and led to "Bleeding Kansas"?
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Kansas–Nebraska Act. It effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise line.
Which state seceded first, in December 1860?
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South Carolina. South Carolina seceded on December 20, 1860, after Lincoln's election.
In what year was Fort Sumter attacked, starting the war?
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1861. Confederate forces fired on the fort in April 1861.
When did the Emancipation Proclamation take effect?
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January 1, 1863. It declared enslaved people in Confederate-held areas free.
Which July 1863 battle is often seen as the turning point in the East?
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Gettysburg. Lee's invasion of the North was defeated at Gettysburg.
Where did Robert E. Lee surrender to Ulysses S. Grant in 1865?
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Appomattox Court House. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865.
Which amendment guaranteed birthright citizenship and equal protection of the laws?
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14th. The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868.
The 15th Amendment (1870) barred denying the vote on account of…
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Race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Southern states later used poll taxes and literacy tests to get around it.
Which deal is usually said to have ended Reconstruction in 1877?
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The Compromise of 1877. Rutherford Hayes became president and federal troops were withdrawn from the South.