The American Civil War ended in 1865, leaving the country in ruins and deeply divided. The main conflict after the war was the Reconstruction era, which lasted from 1865 to 1877. During this period, the United States grappled with the challenges of rebuilding the war-torn nation, reintegrating the former Confederate states into the Union, and addressing the issue of slavery and the rights of African Americans. The Reconstruction era was marked by political turmoil, economic instability, and social unrest, as the country struggled to come to terms with the legacy of the Civil War and to forge a new path forward.