The labor unions of the late 1800s were brought about to protect the rights of workers. Workers during this time were often treated horribly with poor working conditions. Also workers wages were very low. A major goal of the labor unions was to receive higher wages. Along with the poor conditions and low wages, men, women, and children worked days as long as 12 hours long. With many new technological advances during this time, the rich became richer and the poor became poorer. The majority of the population were the poor factory workers. They hoped to ban together in order to receive higher wages, better working conditions, and less hours.

The Ku Klux Klan, known as the KKK, is an extremist group that originated in Tennessee during the 1860’s. For many men joining the KKK brought a sense of fraternity or brotherhood. They believed in white supremacy. They had a hatred towards Jews, Catholics, homosexuals, or anything that was seemed to be foreign. They performed hate crimes against individuals who were a race or religion they did not like. They were responsible for the death of many African American’s after the civil war. They lynched and beat many people to death. The KKK held massive rallies to preach what they believed and held huge initiation ceremonies. They are infamous for their white robes and pointed hats and they had a popular ritual of burning a cross. Many government officials were a part of the Klan which caused a great deal of terror in the south. The KKK still exists today; however, it is not as nearly massive as it once was during the reconstruction. 

This political cartoon illustrates the life of many African Americans in the south after the Emancipation Proclamation. The cartoon shows a soldier protecting a very scared looking African American from a white southerner holding a whip. Unfortunately, after many slaves were freed they still lived a very scared life. They faced threats such as the KKK and many other angry white southerners. Many African Americans were lynched or beaten to death and had very little protection. 

John Breckinridge was the southern democratic candidate during the 1860 presidential election. He believed it was best to keep the country unified. He wanted to expand slavery throughout the entire country. He believed that slavery was a very crucial part of the economy and wanted to expand the wealth to the north and west. He did not believe slavery was wrong, and he was a big supporter of it.