The Reconstruction Era is one of the most significant years of U.S. History. This is the decade where many important events and movements took place. One of these events that define this decade is the Reconstruction which is the moment when the people of America tried to rebuild or reunite their nation after experiencing a bloody and horrifying war. There were also people that are really famous until now because of the things that they did for the people of America during this time and they are the people who really define this decade. They are President Abraham Lincoln and President Andrew Johnson. The movements that took place in this period of time are also very important for the U.S. History and some of these movements that define this decade are the Ku Klux Klan Movement and the Freedman's Bureau. These events, people, and movements are some of the key factors that made the U.S. as it is.

 

            Reconstruction, the major event and the most defining moment that took place in this decade, started in 1863 and ended in 1877. This was a very important event for the people of America because this was the time when the Americans tried to rebuild their nation after the Civil War (1861-1865). Many people realized how terrible the war had affected them and they wanted to organize everything. The North, though many South still dislikes them, started to help the Southerners, especially the millions of new freedmen and freedwomen who did not know what to do after they were freed from slavery. Even though there were people who did not like what was happening to their country such as the slaves having rights, Reconstruction still continued to make everything the way it should really be. In this decade, the 13 th , 14 th , and 15 th Amendments were also ratified. These Amendments were very important to the slaves because these Amendments formally abolished slavery, protected their civil rights, and prohibited the racial restrictions on voting.

 

            President Abraham Lincoln is one of the people who define this decade. He was determined to bring unity for the people of the South and of the North. Although many people did not feel the same way, Lincoln tried to make it as easy and as quickly as possible to unite these two rival states. He did his very best to stand and fight for what he thought was the best thing to do such as ending Slavery which was a factor that hindered South from uniting with the North. Another person who defines this decade is President Andrew Johnson. He was the one who was in position during the first two years of Reconstruction.   He was a Southerner and he succeeded to presidency after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. At first, people thought that he seemed to be the perfect person to lead them in Reconstruction. He did many kinds of things but these things did not help in the goal of uniting South and North. Instead, he was probably against the Reconstruction because he believed that there should not be any equality among the whites and the slaves even though he does not want slavery. He even attempted to reject the civil rights because he was against it which caused him to be impeached.   Although these two presidents did not really live up to the end of Reconstruction which ended in 1877, I still think that both of them were very important people that define this decade.

 

 

            There were also many movements that took place in this period of time such as the Black Codes Movement which discriminated the blacks again and gave almost unlimited power to the whites. But one of them that really define this decade is the Freedman's Bureau. This organization or movement helped the new freed slaves by giving them the things that they need such as food, clothing, and shelter. There were times when the supplies that they send to these people were also given to the whites, but it was okay for them because they said that they will help anyone who needs it. I think this is really a defining moment of this decade because this is the start of the ending of Slavery. This is also one of the first movements that helped the Slaves. Another movement that also defines this decade is the Ku Klux Klan. This was a hate organization that terrorized the blacks because they don't want them to be free. Both of these movements, although very different from each other, are very important things that people should know because they both led to the abolition of the slaves.

 

            This decade is definitely one of the most important decades of America's history. During this decade, the Northerners and the Southerners became united. Slavery also ended which brought many changes to America. I believe that it would be really different if slavery did not end in this decade. The 13 th , 14 th , and 15 th Amendments were also written and ratified during this period of time. These Amendments gave many rights to the slaves. This may not be the most famous decade but this is definitely a defining event of America's History.