The end of the Civil War was one of the greatest turning points in the United States history that changed the way the nation ran politically, socially and economically. The Union defeating the Southern Confederacy put forth an interracial democracy, united all states into a single nation and most importantly - abolished slavery. This gave birth to Reconstruction, a period that followed the Civil War focusing on the integration of African Americans into a society that was previously dominated by white people. Reconstructionopened a pathway to educational and economical opportunities, citizenship and freedom, and the establishment of beneficial laws and amendments for equal rights. However, the unsettling years that followed turned out to be …show more content…
In addition to fresh opportunities, African Americans also gained freedom from being considered property and had the benefit of becoming citizens. This provided them with what was seemingly equal access in all different areas such as public transportation and facilities. To reassure they receive these accesses, the Civil Rights Act of 1875, hinging upon the 13th Amendment and 14th Amendment, guaranteed “to protect all citizens in their civil and legal rights” and “recognize the equality of all men before law” (Sumner). Accompanied with the act, the Freedmen’s Bureau in 1865 helped provide commodities such as food, housing, medical aid and legal assistance for freed blacks(Lincoln). This created stability and security that they lacked prior to Reconstruction, improving their living standards. As well as that, the Emancipation Proclamation, declared on January 1st 1863, provided that all slaves “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free” (Lincoln). Although the proclamation was declared unconstitutional later on, it was a huge turning point for African Americans because it provided them with hope, was a backbone for the abolishment of slavery, and was a catalyst for