Final answer:
The primary motive for the formation of the Ku Klux Klan was to reestablish white supremacy in the South by using social violence, intimidation, and violence against African Americans and their white supporters, particularly during the Reconstruction era.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary motive for the formation of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was to reestablish white supremacy in the South following the Civil War. Founded in 1865 by Confederate veterans, the KKK used intimidation and violence against African Americans and their white supporters, aiming to reverse the advancements gained by Black people during Reconstruction. Social violence was a tool for the KKK's broader goal of preserving the pre-war social order, and acts of terror including lynching and murder were perpetrated. The Klan also conjured fears of interracial relationships by demonizing Black men as threats to white women, justifying sexual violence as a form of control. The movement expanded its hate targets over time to include immigrants and non-Protestants, further instigating hostility and division during periods of social change.