Question

What makes the Reconstruction era significant in U.S. history? What is its legacy? How did it impact the nation in the future? Are there any influences we can see even today?

Answer 1

One of the most important events in US history is the civil war and the reconstruction era that followed. While civil war was fought to end slavery and to end the continuous blackmailing of the Southern states of leaving the union, reconstruction ensured that everyone is treated equally irrespective of whether they supported the union or not. This would mean that reconstruction brought a sea of change in the society and politics, especially in the South where people were very much into the discriminatory practices. Reconstruction provided the necessary financial and moral support to the Southern states in order to build America as a single nation with equal importance to all the states. Although the states agreed to abolish slavery, they started enacting slave codes and tried to discriminate the African Americans to a great extent. Today, although people have gained their legal rights to equal treatment and equal opportunities, they still struggle under institutional racism that prevent people of color from education, employment, housing, healthcare etc. Nevertheless, the society has come a long way in repairing the damages it suffered from racism, slavery and segregation.

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