Final answer:
The KKK of the 1920s, also known as the Second Klan, differed from the original Klan of the Reconstruction era in that it was a more mainstream fraternal organization with wider social support, including middle-class members, and expanded its targets beyond African Americans to include immigrants and non-Protestants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) of the 1920s was not the same organization that began a reign of terror during Reconstruction. The original Klan, formed in 1866, sought to undermine Reconstruction efforts and maintain white supremacy through violence and terror, often targeting newly freed African Americans and their white allies.
The resurgence of the Klan in the 1920s, while still fundamentally racist and steeped in white supremacist ideology, was more of a mainstream fraternal organization that boasted a wide membership across different social classes and attracted members with rallies and ceremonious rituals.
This 'Second Klan' expanded its reach beyond just African Americans to include anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, and anti-Semitic sentiments. Despite its public disavowal of violence, the Second Klan's ideology often manifested in violence against minorities.
The 1920s Klan also interwove its activities with larger social and political movements of the time, such as nativism and prohibition. It was larger and had a more national presence compared to the localized and fragmented groups of the Reconstruction era. The newer Klan's ability to draw support from a broader segment of society and its influence in politics marked a stark difference from the original Klan of the Reconstruction.