What effects did the rise of the Ku Klucks Klan have on the Southern politics?

The KKK had an emmense effect on national politics, not just Southern. However, you're right that the majority of their influence was focused in the South. Do not forget though that border, western and northern states have had signifigant KKK influence. For example, Ohio has a very disturpted history of violence caused by the existence of the KKK.

To answer your question in the South, I must begin with the immediate history after 1865. Once Nathan Bedford Forest, and his five counterparts, began their policy of terroism, the African American community found little protection from their opressors. I am not saying that the North didn't attempt to silence the opression; however, do to the huge cost of war and a growing distaste for conflict, the programs established to prevent terrorism were underfunded and short lived.

One event alone solidified the KKK's influence in the South. After two decades of attempting to reclaim the south, groups like the KKK found a huge victory in the Compromise of 1877. This compromise gave the presidency to the Republican, Rutherford B. Hayes. The Democrat Samual Tilden had actually won the popular vote, Hayes the electoral college vote; however, in exchange for the dems not contesting the election, the Republicans promised to remove northern troops from the south and return southern politics to the "redeemers".

The redeemers were southern white men who wanted to reclaim the glory of the south and were still bothered by the abolishment of slavery. Many were clan members themselves. This event allowed 80-plus years of opression to thrive in the South. Working together, the KKK would supress the black votes and murder or intimedate any early civil right efforts while the Democrats (aka Dixicrats) would re-establish "white supremecy" in the South.

From this effort came Jim Crow Laws, Segragation, and other forms of intitutionalized racism. It wasn't until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s that we began to right the wrongs of this era. Keep in mind we're still working on it.

I hope this helps.

Ku Klux Klan

There were two movements - one immediately after the civil war and then one in the beginning of the 20th century.

The first movement really didn't have a lot of political influence.

The second movement had members who were politically active and some who held public office. They campaigned for many "reforms" in the south, especially in Alabama.

Ku KLUX Klan