Sagot :
Blacks gained more rights after the Civil War. But Blacks and Whites were still not equal. Groups were forming to fight against some of the rights that Blacks acquired after the Civil War. One of these groups was the Ku Klux Klan or KKK. This group was formed by six men in Tennessee at 1866.
The name comes from the Greek word "kuklos", which means circle. At first the group was supposed to be just a social group. Soon, it became more violent.
The KKK considered the white race the best race. Moreover, the rights that Blacks had acquired after the Civil War angered the members of the group.
Most members were men who were once part of the Confederate Army (= they fought against the abolition of slavery during the Civil War). The other members were owners of plantations. Who was in the band was supposed to be a secret. To try to hide their identity, the men wore white robes and hoods.
The main objective of the group was to prevent Blacks from using the rights they had acquired. The KKK wanted Blacks to have as little power as possible. They have used all possible means to achieve this goal. The KKK mainly attacked Blacks. But anyone who disagreed with the group could be offensive. The band members came in the middle of the night on horse. The members often pulled people from their homes. Some were lucky and survived.
Others were killed by KKK members.
The killings made the people of the North very angry. They called on President Grant to do something to stop the violence. Congress has passed several laws. A law of 1870 has prohibits bribery or violence against people to prevent them from voting. Others laws were passed to get rid of the KKK. The military was also used to retaliate against this group. The government started arresting KKK members in different States.
Soon, thousands of male members of the group found themselves in court.
But the group had achieved many of its goals. When the army left the South, there was even less protection for Blacks. Whites felt in control again.
Blacks always had the right to vote, but most of them did not have it or could not.
The South launched new tests suffrage or new taxes to prevent Blacks from voting. The KKK remained silent for many years. Unfortunately, he has not disappeared. Several years later, the group will reappear. This would be as violent as it was after the Civil War.