Advances:
* Abolition of Slavery: The ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1865 officially abolished slavery throughout the United States.
* Freedmen's Bureau: Established in 1865, the Freedmen's Bureau provided assistance to emancipated slaves, offering food, housing, medical care, education, and job training.
* 14th and 15th Amendments: The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited states from depriving citizens the right to vote based on race.
* Reconstruction Acts: These federal laws passed by Congress during the Reconstruction era outlined steps for the Southern states to rejoin the Union. They imposed conditions such as the ratification of the 14th and 15th Amendments, protection of civil rights, and the enfranchisement of African American men.
* African American Suffrage: During Reconstruction, many African American men registered and voted for the first time, exercising their newfound political rights.
* Election of African American Officials: Several African American men were elected to public office during Reconstruction, including members of Congress, state legislators, and local officials.
Setbacks:
* Backlash and Resistance: Southern resentment of federal Reconstruction policies, including granting civil rights to African Americans, led to backlash and resistance, including the creation of paramilitary groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.
* Black Codes: Southern states enacted "Black Codes," which subjected African Americans to severe restrictions, including limitations on their civil rights, property ownership, and economic opportunities.
* Violence and Terrorism: African Americans who attempted to exercise their civil rights and participate in politics faced widespread violence, discrimination, and intimidation from white supremacist groups.
* Supreme Court Decisions: The Supreme Court's rulings on cases such as the Slaughterhouse Cases (1873) and United States v. Cruikshank (1876) weakened certain federal Reconstruction policies and limited the protection of African American civil rights.
* Compromise of 1877: This informal agreement between Northern and Southern political leaders resulted in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, marking the end of Reconstruction and signaling a decrease in federal support for civil rights enforcement.
In summary, while Reconstruction led to significant advances in civil rights, such as the abolition of slavery and the establishment of African American suffrage, it also faced numerous setbacks including racial violence, resistance to equality, and the erosion of gains made during the era.