The term Reconstruction Era, in the context of the history of the United States, has two senses: the first covers the complete history of the entire country from 1865 to 1877 following the American Civil War (1861 to 1865); the second sense focuses on the attempted transformation of the Southern United States from 1863 to 1877, as directed by Congress, with the reconstruction of state and society. With the three Reconstruction Amendments, the era saw the first amendments to the U.S. Constitution in decades. 

Three visions of Civil War memory appeared during Reconstruction: the reconciliationist vision, which was rooted in coping with the death and devastation the war had brought; the white supremacist vision, which included terror and violence; and the emancipationist vision, which sought full freedom, citizenship and Constitutional equality for African Americans. 

Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson both took moderate positions designed to bring the South back into the union as quickly as possible, while Radical Republicans in Congress sought stronger measures to upgrade the rights of African Americans, including the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, while curtailing the rights of former Confederates, such as through the provisions of the Wade–Davis Bill. Johnson followed a lenient policy toward ex-Confederates. Lincoln's last speeches show that he was leaning toward supporting the enfranchisement of all freedmen, whereas Johnson was opposed to this.

1. How many ways did we look at the Reconstruction Era?
2. What years does the first one span?
3. What event preceded this?
4. When was that?
5. How much of the country does this version cover?
6. What part does the other version concern?
7. What years?
8. Who was trying change the south?
9. What did they use?
10. How many?
11. What were they amending?
12. How long had it been since it was amended?
13. What kind of position did Lincoln have?
14. What did he want to reunite?
15. With what?
16. How fast?
17. Who shared this idea?
18. What did Congress want to do for African Americans?
19. What was one amendment that would do that?
20. What bill was about former Confederates?

Numbered answers:
1. two
2. 1865-1877
3. American Civil War
4. 1861 to 1865
5. the entire country
6. the attempted transformation of the Southern United States
7. 1863-1877
8. Congress
9. Reconstruction Amendments
10. three
11. the U.S. Constitution
12. in decades
13. moderate
14. the union
15. the South
16. as quickly as possible
17. Andrew Johnson
18. upgrade their rights
19. Fourteenth Amendment
20. Wade–Davis Bill