Identify who, what, where, when, and/or why the following are important:
1. Oliver Otis Howard
2. Carpetbaggers
3. "Bloody Shirt"
4. Homestead Act
5. Alexander Stephens
6. Fenians
7. Knights of Labor
8. Apprenticeship laws
9. Force Acts
10. "rifle clubs"

1. **Oliver Otis Howard**: Oliver Otis Howard was a Union general during the American Civil War and later the commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, which was established to aid freed slaves during Reconstruction. He played a significant role in the early civil rights movement and was the founder of Howard University in Washington, D.C., an institution aimed at educating African Americans.
2. **Carpetbaggers**: Carpetbaggers were Northern businessmen and politicians who moved to the South after the Civil War during the Reconstruction era. They were often perceived negatively by Southern whites, who saw them as opportunists looking to exploit the region's political and economic chaos for their gain. However, some carpetbaggers were genuinely interested in helping to rebuild the South and advance the rights of freed slaves.
3. **"Bloody Shirt"**: "Waving the bloody shirt" was a phrase used in American politics to refer to the practice of politicians referencing the blood of martyrs or heroes to criticize opponents. Post-Civil War Republican candidates often invoked the memory of the Union's war dead to discredit their Democratic opponents, who were associated with the Confederacy and the Civil War.
4. **Homestead Act**: The Homestead Act of 1862 was a significant piece of legislation that encouraged Western migration by providing settlers with 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land. This act was crucial in the expansion and development of the American West.
5. **Alexander Stephens**: Alexander Stephens was the Vice President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. After the war, he was imprisoned for a short period but returned to political life, serving as a U.S. Congressman and Governor of Georgia. His role in the Confederacy and his political career during Reconstruction made him a significant figure in Southern history.
6. **Fenians**: The Fenians were a group of Irish nationalists and revolutionaries in the mid-19th century who sought to establish an independent Irish Republic. They were known for their attempts to invade British-ruled Canada as a way to pressure Britain to withdraw from Ireland. Their actions and broader nationalist movement had a lasting impact on Irish-American relations and the quest for Irish independence.
7. **Knights of Labor**: The Knights of Labor was one of the largest and most important American labor organizations of the 19th century. Founded in 1869, it sought to unite all workers in a single national union and advocated for broad social reforms, including an eight-hour workday, the end of child labor, and equal pay for equal work.
8. **Apprenticeship laws**: Apprenticeship laws were regulations that governed the training of apprentices in various trades. These laws were important for setting standards for training, working conditions, and the treatment of young workers learning a craft or trade. They played a significant role in the development of skilled labor in many societies.
9. **Force Acts**: The Force Acts, also known as the Enforcement Acts, were passed by the U.S. Congress in the early 1870s to protect the constitutional rights of African Americans during Reconstruction. These laws were designed to combat the activities of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups that were intimidating and violently oppressing black citizens and their allies in the South.
10. **"rifle clubs"**: Rifle clubs were paramilitary groups in the South during the Reconstruction era. They were often composed of white Southern Democrats who used violence and intimidation to suppress black voting and civil rights. These clubs played a role in the eventual end of Reconstruction and the establishment of the Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation and disenfranchised African Americans.