Simmons University

The Reconstruction Era in the United States followed the Civil War and spanned from 1865 to 1877. It aimed to address the social, economic, and political challenges faced by the nation after the abolition of slavery. Here is a brief timeline highlighting key events during the Reconstruction Era:

• 1865: The Civil War ends with the surrender of Confederate forces. President Abraham Lincoln, who favored a lenient approach to reconstruction, is assassinated in April. Vice President Andrew Johnson assumes the presidency.

• 1865: The Freedmen's Bureau is established to provide assistance to newly freed slaves, including education, employment, and legal support.

• 1865: The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, officially abolishing slavery throughout the country.

• 1866: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 is passed, granting citizenship and equal rights to all individuals born in the United States, regardless of race or previous condition of slavery.

• 1867: The Reconstruction Acts are passed by Congress, dividing the former Confederate states into military districts and requiring them to draft new state constitutions that grant voting rights to African American men.

• 1868: The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing equal protection under the law for all citizens and granting citizenship to former slaves.

• 1870: The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

• 1870s: African Americans are elected to various political offices, including state legislatures and even the U.S. Congress. This period witnesses a significant increase in black political participation.

• 1873: The economic Panic of 1873 leads to a severe depression, undermining many of the gains made during the Reconstruction Era.

• 1876: The disputed presidential election of 1876 between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden results in the Compromise of 1877. As part of the compromise, federal troops are withdrawn from the South, effectively marking the end of Reconstruction.

• 1877: With the withdrawal of federal troops, Southern states begin enacting Jim Crow laws and implementing systemic racial segregation and discrimination, suppressing the political and economic rights of African Americans.

The Reconstruction Era was a complex and contentious period in American history, marked by progress in racial equality and political participation, as well as the subsequent rollback of those gains. It left a lasting impact on the struggle for civil rights and the ongoing quest for racial justice in the United States.