The politics and violence of the Reconstruction Era

The years from 1865 (the end of the Confederacy) to 1877, known as the Reconstruction Era, was the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. After the war, the south was in shambles and refused to ally with the Union. During the Reconstruction Era, numerous bills and laws were passed to reintegrate the South into the Federal system. During this time, the Republican Party rose to prominence and significantly altered southern society and culture. There were more riots and acts of violence directed against black populations, as well as the emergence of numerous racist organizations.

With a majority in Congress thanks to the 1866 election, the Republicans were able to pass the 14th Amendment, improving the rights of African Americans and restricting the authority of former Confederates. In 1868, radical republican and civil war veteran Ulysses S. Grant won the presidency. To prevent violence against African Americans, he improved Washington's legal ability to step in and defend their citizenship rights. However, Republican candidate Rutherford Hayes bargained with southern political figures in the 1876 presidential election to win. The end of the Reconstruction Era was signaled by the withdrawal of federal forces in 1877.

In the years to come, new racial institutions would deny black people the right to vote and keep them confined to low-paying jobs in agriculture and households. As a result, reconstruction is largely thought to have failed. The Civil Rights Movement, commonly referred to as the "Second Reconstruction," would bear fruit nearly a century after the Reconstruction Era's seeds were first placed in the constitution.