Answer:
In the aftermath of the Civil War, the US government embarked on a period of rebuilding and social integration known as Reconstruction. This spanned from 1865 to 1877 and was marked by the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution. These amendments abolished slavery, granted citizenship and equal protection to African Americans, and provided voting rights for African American men.
During Reconstruction, the federal government introduced policies to help rebuild the South and promote economic and educational opportunities for African Americans. The Freedmen's Bureau was established to provide support to newly freed slaves, including education, clothing, food, and employment. The Reconstruction Act of 1867 divided the South into military districts and mandated states to grant African American men voting rights and ratify the 14th Amendment before they could rejoin the Union.
However, Reconstruction faced opposition from white southerners who were against integration of African Americans into society and resented the federal government's presence in the South. During this period, white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan emerged, perpetrating violence and intimidation to suppress the rights of African Americans.
The end of Reconstruction occurred in 1877 when the federal government removed its troops from the South, resulting in the termination of military occupation and the return of control to southern states. Unfortunately, this led to the rise of Jim Crow laws and other forms of segregation and discrimination against African Americans that persisted for decades.