The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is an extremist hate group in the United States. It was founded shortly after the Civil War ended and used intimidation, violence and murder to maintain white supremacy in Southern government and social life. During Reconstruction, many attempts were made to help freed slaves become a part of society. The KKK attracted fighters of the former Confederacy who resented the changes of Reconstruction. The KKK used intimidation and violence to prevent formerly enslaved African-American men from voting.
Many of the advances of the Reconstruction period did not last long. After Reconstruction ended, state lawmakers decided on Jim Crow laws that ensured white superiority and segregation. In the early 20th century, the KKK also acted against Catholic and Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.
