The Reconstruction era followed the American Civil War, focusing on rebuilding the South and integrating freed slaves into society. It saw the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which aimed to ensure equality and voting rights for African Americans. Despite initial progress, the Compromise of 1877 led to the end of Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow laws. This period laid the groundwork for future civil rights movements.
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The American Civil War, a defining conflict in the nation's history, came to an end in 1865
The Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln left his successor, Andrew Johnson, to navigate the post-war landscape
The Black Codes
In reaction to President Johnson's lenient policies, the post-war Southern state legislatures enacted the Black Codes, restrictive laws that sought to control the labor and behavior of former slaves and other African Americans
The Radical Republicans' Push for Aggressive Reconstruction
In reaction to the Black Codes and President Johnson's lenient policies, the Radical Republicans in Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th Amendment, and pushed for a more aggressive Reconstruction strategy
President Johnson's persistent resistance to Radical Republican measures and his breach of the Tenure of Office Act led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives
The Reconstruction Acts, passed by the Radical Republicans beginning in 1867, divided the South into military districts and set strict conditions for readmission to the Union
The Ratification of the 13th and 14th Amendments
As a result of the Reconstruction Acts, Southern states were required to ratify the 13th and 14th Amendments, which abolished slavery and granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the United States
The Election of the First African American Senator
The Reconstruction era saw the election of the first African American senator, Hiram Revels, who took the seat once held by Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy
The Ratification of the 15th Amendment
Under President Ulysses S. Grant, the 15th Amendment was ratified, prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude
The disputed presidential election of 1876 led to the Compromise of 1877, effectively marking the end of Reconstruction
The Compromise of 1877 resulted in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, signaling the end of federal enforcement of Reconstruction policies
With the end of Reconstruction, white Southern Democrats regained political control and enacted laws that eroded the rights of African Americans, paving the way for the Jim Crow era of segregation and disenfranchisement
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End of American Civil War
Civil War concluded in 1865, marking transition to Reconstruction era.
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Reconstruction Era Goals
Rebuild Southern states, integrate freed slaves into society.
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Andrew Johnson's Policy
Continued Lincoln's lenient approach, granted amnesty, allowed ex-Confederates in Congress.
