What was one of the primary goals of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction Era?

The primary goal of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction Era was indeed the political defeat of the Republican Party. The Klan emerged as a white supremacist organization that sought to maintain and reinforce white dominance in the South following the Civil War. They opposed the Reconstruction policies implemented by the federal government, which included efforts to grant civil rights and political power to African Americans, many of whom were aligned with the Republican Party.

By targeting Republican politicians, both black and white, and using intimidation, violence, and terror tactics, the Klan aimed to undermine Republican influence and restore Democratic control in Southern states. This objective was closely tied to the Klan's overall ideology of white supremacy and its desire to re-establish the social order that existed before the Civil War, with white citizens holding power over the newly freed African American population.

In contrast, promoting civil equality or advancing African American rights directly contradicts the Klan’s objectives, as those rights were seen as a threat to the white supremacy they sought to protect. Similarly, the creation of public education systems was not a goal of the Ku Klux Klan; rather, they frequently sought to undermine such initiatives if they threatened their agenda. Hence, the answer focuses on the Klan's primary