Who started the Klu Klux Klan and what does it mean?

Question

please don't answer unless your really sure, because it is a question for my homework. (in a way, this isn't the exact question. im not cheating!!! promise!)

Answer 1

Origins of the Ku Klux Klan

The origin of the Ku Klux Klan was a carefully guarded secret for years, although there were many theories to
explain its beginnings. One Popular notion held that the Ku Klux Klan was originally a secret order of Chinese
opium smugglers. Another claimed it was begun by Confederate prisoners during the war. The most ridiculous
theory attributed the name to some ancient Jewish document referring to the Hebrews enslaved by Egyptian
pharaohs.

In fact the beginning of the Klan involved nothing so sinister, subversive or ancient as the theories supposed. It
was the boredom of small-town life that led six young Confederate veterans to gather around a fireplace one
December evening in 1865 and form a social club. The place was Pulaski, Tennessee, near the Alabama border.
When they reassembled a week later, the six young men were full of ideas for their new society. It would be secret, to heighten the amusement of the thing, and the titles for the various officers were to have names as
preposterous-sounding as possible, partly for the fun of it and partly to avoid any military or political implications.

Thus, the head of the group was called the Grand Cyclops. His assistant was the Grand Magi; there was to be a
Grand Turk to greet all candidates for admission, a Grand Scribe to act as secretary, Night Hawks for messengers and a Lictor to be the guard. The members, when the six young men found some to join, would be called Ghouls. But what name to call the society itself? The founders were determined to come up with something unusual and mysterious. Being well-educated, they turned to Greek. After tossing around a number of ideas, Richard R. Reed suggested the word "kuklos," from which the English words "circle and "cycle" are derived. Another member, Captain John B. Kennedy, had an ear for alliteration and added the word "clam." After tinkering with the sound for a while, group settled on the "Ku Klux Klan." The selection of the name, chance though it was, had a great deal to do with the Klan's early success. Something about the sound aroused curiosity and gave the fledgling club an immediate air of mystery, as did the initials K.K.K., which were soon to take on such terrifying significance.

Soon after the founders named the Klan, they decided to a bit of showing off and so disguised themselves in sheets and galloped their horses through the quiet streets of little Pulaski. Their ride created such a stir that the men decided to adopt the sheets as the official regalia of the Ku Klux Klan, and they added to the effect by making grotesque masks and tall pointed hats. The founders also performed elaborate initiation ceremonies for new members. Their ceremony was similar to the hazing popular in college fraternities and consisted of blindfolding the candidate, subject him to a series of silly oaths and rough handling, and finally bringing him before a "royal alter" where he was to be invested with "royal crown." The altar turned out to be a mirror and the crown two large donkey's ears. Ridiculous though it sounds today, that was the high point of the earliest activities of the Ku Klux Klan.

Had that been all there was to the Ku Klux Klan, it probably would have disappeared as quietly as it was born. But at some point in early 1866 the Club, enlarged with new members from nearby towns, began to have a chilling effect on local blacks. The intimidating night rides were soon the centerpiece of the hooded order: bands of white-sheeted ghouls paid late night visits to black homes, admonishing the terrified occupants to behave themselves and threatening more visits if they didn't. It didn't take long for the threats to be converted into violence against blacks who insisted on exercising their new rights and freedom. Before its six founders realized what had happened, the Ku Klux Klan had become something they may not have originally intended--something deadly serious.

Answer 2

It was begun in Ohio following the American Civil War by a group of disaffected racists; no single individual can be identified as the first leader of this ring of savages. Nor can an exact date, or even exact year, be precisely determined. There was a certain amount of KKK activity on a local level for an indeterminate amount of time before officialdom took note and their behavior began to make the newspapers.
It is more than peculiar that it began in Ohio, which provided tens of thousands of willing volunteers for the Union army during the Civil War. Paradoxically, Ohio had many more anti-war "copperheads" than any other state in the Union. A very (in)famous congress critter from Ohio made quite a few fiery speeches against the conduct of Mr. Lincoln and his generals - the guy's first name was Clement - if you're honest about not cheating at your homework, YOU look up his last name! Hint: it starts with a "V"...

Answer 3

Yes, There are still people involved in the KKK even today. In the town I was raised in, they still have a yearly rally meeting at the courthouse. I think that racism is wrong.but by definition, I think everyone is a little racist.(for example, you are being racist against your own race) There are alot of contributing factors on how a persons views of a certain race can be warped. Some look at african americans in a negative way because When they see violent acts on the news and in the papers, it is more often black americans. Wether or not black are more prone to violence is not the issue. the issue is, the stories being chosen to be run are based on this minority, or because in a struggling area, it is this minority group which suffers and so has to try and find other means of survival. Society is not the only ones to blame, sometimes we are taught this through our parents. and everytime some one in the minority crosses us, we tend to remember it, and be less forgiving then if it were some one of our own color. I am not ashamed of my own race (white) nor should you be. It is not the race as a whole choosing to join the KKK, but the individual, and by being ashamed of your race....you are being as ignorat and racist as the KKK...your just choosing a different race to hate..... Side note: watch the movie American History X, it is graffic, but has a good message on how easily racism can get out of hand and how sheep like people can really be.

Answer 4

it was started by a group of guys following the Civil War to maintain the Southern States way of life. At first it had nothing to do with racism and such but was high-jacked by others. I just saw a tv program on its history but i can't remember the names of the guys who thought of it.

Answer 5

It started as a mens organization after the civil war. Mostly for returning veterans to gather. It was perverted into a racist outfit a bit later.

Answer 6

started out as a group of guys who dressed up wanting to scare people, and then crazy people joined and they got violent.

Answer 7

They were running a marathon on the Aryan nation thing on A&E this past weekend. If you were doing your project then it could have helped. I don't know much about the KKK though. It's a ridiculous group. With just a bunch of redneck inbreds.

Answer 8

David Duke. I don't know what it means.

Answer 9

GERMAN WAR
THE HEAD CAPTIAN
CALLED HITLAR
I THINK HE THE *****
NOT JUST ONLY US JEWS TO
I CANT TELL THE DIFFERANTS SOMETIMES

Answer 10

mlk started it , so he could come out and fight for civil rights, so people would sympathize with the blacks