Introduction
Reconstruction was an era of unprecedented political conflict and of far-reaching changes in the nature of American government.
At the national level, new laws and constitutional amendments permanently altered the federal system and the definition of citizenship.
In the South, a politically mobilized black community joined with white allies to bring the Republican party to power, while excluding those accustomed to ruling the region.
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The national debate over Reconstruction centered on three questions:
On what terms should the defeated Confederacy be reunited with the Union?
Who should establish these terms, Congress or the President?
What should be the place of the former slaves in the political life of the South?
