1. War fatigue and desire for reconciliation: The Civil War had been a long and bloody conflict, and many Northerners were tired of war and eager to move on. They were willing to compromise with the South in order to achieve reunification.
2. Economic interests: Northern businesses were eager to re-establish trade with the South, and they saw Reconstruction as an obstacle to this goal. They feared that if the South was punished too harshly, it would take longer for the Southern economy to recover and for trade to resume.
3. Political divisions and racism: The Republican Party, which had been the main force behind Reconstruction, was divided on how to proceed. Some Republicans were more radical and wanted to punish the South more severely, while others were more moderate and wanted to reconcile with the South. Additionally, many Northern whites held racist views and were not supportive of efforts to grant African Americans equal rights.
4. Changing public opinion: Public opinion in the North gradually shifted away from supporting Reconstruction. As the war receded into the past, many Northerners became less interested in the issue of racial equality and more concerned with their own economic well-being.
As a result of these factors, the Northern support for Reconstruction declined, and the federal government gradually withdrew its troops from the South. This led to the end of Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow laws, which established a system of racial segregation and discrimination that lasted for nearly a century.