Reconstruction refers to the period following the Civil War of rebuilding the United States. It was a time of great pain and endless questions.

What was the purpose of reconstruction?

The Reconstruction Era lasted from the end of the Civil War in 1865 to 1877. Its main focus was on bringing the southern states back into full political participation in the Union, guaranteeing rights to former slaves and defining new relationships between African Americans and whites.

What time period does the Reconstruction era refer to?

Reconstruction (1865-1877), the turbulent era following the Civil War, was the effort to reintegrate Southern states from the Confederacy and 4 million newly-freed people into the United States.