Successes:
* The abolition of slavery was a major success of Reconstruction. The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1865, outlawed slavery in the United States. This was a major step forward for civil rights in America.
* The Freedmen's Bureau was established to help former slaves make the transition to freedom. The bureau provided food, clothing, shelter, and education to freedmen. It also helped them find jobs and land.
* The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States. This amendment also guaranteed equal protection under the law to all citizens.
* The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1870, prohibited states from depriving citizens the right to vote based on race. This amendment gave African American men the right to vote.
Failures:
* The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was a white supremacist terrorist group that opposed Reconstruction. The KKK used violence and intimidation to keep African Americans from exercising their rights.
* The Compromise of 1877 ended Reconstruction. This compromise allowed white Democrats to regain control of the South. It also led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, which left African Americans vulnerable to violence and discrimination.
* Jim Crow laws were passed in the South after Reconstruction. These laws segregated African Americans from whites in all aspects of life. Jim Crow laws were a major obstacle to African American progress.
Overall, the reconstruction of the South was a mixed success. There were many important achievements, such as the abolition of slavery and the granting of citizenship to African Americans. However, there were also many failures, such as the rise of the KKK and the passage of Jim Crow laws. The legacy of Reconstruction is still debated today.