Frontier and Reconstruction

The Frontier and Reconstruction Era

When Commander Robert E. Lee of the Confederate Army surrendered to Union Army commander Ulysses S. Grant, it officially ended the American Civil War which by this time had been going on for four years. The event is important for two main reasons. First it marked the end of what many continue to say is the deadliest war in the history of the U.S. (Huddleston 3). The second reason is that the end of the Civil War also marked the beginning of what is now known as the Reconstruction Era of the U.S. The main objective of the reconstruction was how to incorporate the eleven states that original seceded back into the federal government. Also at stake was how these same eleven states would get back their self-government as well as their seats in congress. The status of those who led the Confederacy also needed to be addressed. Finally there was also the issue of the freed slaves regarding their civil rights and other rights including the right to vote. Though there remains to be a debate on what year the Reconstruction Era actually started most agree that it ended in 1877. The end of this era in U.S. history is marked by what is known as the Compromise of 1877. The Compromise, though both informal and unwritten, led to the resolution of the dispute of the 1867 U.S. Presidential election. Though it was not as long as it should have been, it is clear that the reconstruction era played an important role in the history of the U.S. due its lasting impacts.

Impacts of the Reconstruction

One of the biggest impacts that the Reconstruction had was that there were three amendments to the U.S. Constitution that would affect the nation greatly. All three amendments can be considered as landmark events in American History. The Thirteenth Amendment officially abolished slavery as well as involuntary servitude in the country. In addition the amendment continues to prohibit such except in cases where it is used to punish individuals for crimes...