what happen at the civil war reconstruction

Answer 1

The Civil War Reconstruction refers to the period following the American Civil War (1861-1865) when the United States government aimed to rebuild and reconstruct the Southern states that had seceded and underwent significant damage during the war.

During this time, several key events took place:

1. The Emancipation Proclamation: Issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, this executive order declared that all slaves in the seceded Confederate states were to be freed. It paved the way for the eventual abolition of slavery nationwide.

2. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments: These amendments were passed to grant equal rights and citizenship to African Americans. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all citizens, and the 15th Amendment prohibited racial discrimination in voting rights.

3. Freedmen's Bureau: Established in 1865, this federal agency aimed to assist newly freed African Americans and impoverished whites in the South. It provided food, housing, medical care, and education to the needy population.

4. Reconstruction Acts: Passed by Congress in 1867 and 1868, these acts divided the South into military districts and mandated that Southern states rewrite their constitutions to include provisions for African American voting rights. It also required the ratification of the 14th Amendment before they could rejoin the Union.

5. Ku Klux Klan: During Reconstruction, white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan emerged to intimidate and terrorize African Americans and their white allies. They used violence, including lynchings, to suppress their political and civil rights.

6. Sharecropping and tenant farming: In the absence of a widespread land redistribution after the war, many African Americans became sharecroppers or tenant farmers. They were forced to work land owned by white landowners, often in oppressive and exploitative conditions.

7. End of Reconstruction: Reconstruction officially ended in 1877 when the last federal troops were withdrawn from the South as part of a compromise after a disputed presidential election. This marked the beginning of the Jim Crow era, characterized by racial segregation and disenfranchisement of African Americans.

Overall, the Reconstruction period attempted to address the aftermath of the Civil War and bring about equality for African Americans. However, due to the pushback from white Southerners and the lack of sustained federal commitment, Reconstruction did not fully achieve its goals, leading to decades of racial discrimination and inequality.