Final answer:
The Ku Klux Klan was founded in 1866 in Pulaski, Tennessee and became notorious for its white supremacist violence during Reconstruction. It resurged in the 1920s, fueled by the film Birth of a Nation, pushing nativist and white Protestant supremacist agendas. Federal actions, such as those under President Grant, sought to suppress its violence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ku Klux Klan was organized in 1866 in Pulaski, Tennessee by Confederate veterans. Over time, the organization evolved from a fraternal order into a violent white supremacist group intent on maintaining white dominance in the post-Civil War South through terror and intimidation. Its tactics resulted in widespread violence and murder, particularly aimed at African Americans and white Republicans supporting civil rights.
After a period of dormancy following Reconstruction, the Ku Klux Klan experienced a resurgence in 1915, partly in response to the popularity of D. W. Griffith's film Birth of a Nation. This Second Klan extended its bigotry, advocating for white Protestant supremacy while opposing immigrants, Catholics, Jews, and African Americans. At its height in the 1920s, the Klan boasted millions of members, including women, and exerted significant influence, despite its public disavowal of violence.
Federal interventions, such as the enforcement actions under President Grant, attempted to suppress Klan activities, but the legacy of its violent efforts to oppose civil rights and social change remained a troubling aspect of American history.