What did the Ku Klux Really Want? CDL response

1. What were the common goals of the Ku Klux Klan?

They wanted to protect and defend their families against ex-slaves and republicans. They wanted to retain white supremacy. The Ku Klux clan killed any black that would try to leave or that tried to receive an education. They went around killing republicans in several states. Their overall goal was to keep things as it was before the civil war.

2. How did the Ku Klux Klan affect the civil liberties of the people?

They would whip any slave that spoked their mind freely or wanted to be payed for the job before doing more work. This was against their freedom of speech and wage labor laws. They would interfere with black citizens right to an education. Harassing, and threatening they used force to get blacks to do what they wanted.

3. Why was the KKK threatened by the idea of higher education for blacks?

If blacks received an education then they wouldn't take the labor jobs. The plantation owners wanted the blacks back so they wouldn't have to do the work. The KKK clan also didn't want blacks to leave. They wanted to keep blacks oppressed and with an education they knew that was gonna be hard to keep them working in their former slave jobs. Black americans needed to stay in their place and not step out of line in the minds of the KKK.

4. Why do you think that the government took so long to try to put an end to the KKK's Power?

Police officers for one were not arresting white men since they killed a black man. So even men who were supposed to be honorable didn't help during the period of their reign. Since it wasn't in such large numbers that the KKK was killing it probably didn't make the government take action until it was on a massive scale. The government also could've been scared to take action at first since the KKK clan were killing members of their government. Once thousands and thousands of people died they were now seen as a national threat not a local one.

5. How do you think the KKK influenced the outcome of the presidential election of 1868?

They killed many republican candidates so they affected it greatly. They would also kill members from legislature. 300 republicans were killed before the election had even began. This turned everything in favor for the democrats. If it were not for the KKK Ulysses S. Grant may have won and gotten votes from black americans if so many political members and officials weren't killed.