The History of Ku Klux Klan :: essays research papers

It has been heard and talked about throughout history, that there was never such a thing as "The" Ku Klux Klan. There is traceable evidence of different movements and organizations that have used this name. The history of the K.K.K. corresponds with the history of race relations from our country. The Klan can be divided into five different eras: The Reconstruction, The End of the War (& Pulaski Six), The Klan Mobilization, The Reign of Terror, and The End of the First Era. Each stage was brought out by economic and social changes. Each stage also is at the same point in time as an escalation in racial standings. As it was started in 1865, the Ku Klux Klan has sent a sense of terror through people’s minds. A group of six white Southerners was the start of this organization. The history of violence of the K.K.K. is a result of the hatred and anger from the end of the Civil War. The reason for this hatred was because blacks had won their struggle for freedom of slavery. They fought to deny the civil rights for African Americans. They wanted the blacks to be forced into slavery once again. The K.K.K. tore apart reconstructing governments and established a reign of terror and violence throughout the whole war-torn South. The first era of the K.K.K. lasted about three or four years, than faded. The arose again after World War 1. The overall story starts with many generations of Americans learning hard lessons of life. These experiences led to fierce individualism, surprising inventiveness, and the thought that they could be whatever and go wherever they wanted to. Other things occurred alon g with these thoughts. "Frontier Justice" was an instant, private and violent method of settling differences without law officials. This was a large component to the motivation of the Ku Klux Klan. To some whites the freedom of slaves meant that their social and economic ways of life had been defeated. For some white Southerners, this was a nightmare that came true. The number of slaves living around the whites were seen as threats. Night patrols were a result of bloody slave revolts. These patrols consisted of white men that were empowered and authorized by law to look enforce a curfew for slaves, look for runaways and guard rural areas. This was done to prevent any black rebellions. These patrollers were given the right to whip any violators they caught.