We "abolished" slavery, but did it really do anything? Blacks were freed, but did they have anywhere to go? No. Many went into poverty, never reuniting with their families which were split up during slavery. The Freedmen's Bureau was established to help ex-slaves with food, education, and land. The government passed laws "eliminating" discrimination of blacks. But take a look at the South. They continued to think they were superior to blacks, with beliefs such as Social Darwinism to back up their point. Groups such as the KKK and The Knights of the White Camellia were formed. Reconstruction was a betrayal of former slaves.
Another problem about Reconstruction was that even though the Union convinced the Southern states to re-enter the Union, there were still extreme tensions between the two. Southerners still felt seperated from the North, and Northerners still looked down upon the South. Some of this tension still exists today.
So even though we may have rebuilt cities, expanded our army, and reunited our states, the Reconstruction era was a failure socially, economically, and politically. Oh, and sorry for the casual tone of this entry, I just figured it was the best way to express my opinion on the topic.
