One of the main problems the Union had to deal with during Reconstruction was the integration and protection of newly freed African American citizens. Here are the steps to understand this issue:

1. End of Civil War: The American Civil War ended in 1865 with the defeat of the Confederate States. This led to the abolition of slavery and approximately 4 million African Americans were freed.

2. Reconstruction Era: The period following the Civil War, from 1865 to 1877, is known as the Reconstruction Era. During this time, the Union, or the North, had to reintegrate the Confederate states and figure out how to incorporate freed slaves into society.

3. Freedmen's Bureau: To aid with this, the Union established the Freedmen's Bureau in 1865. This organization was designed to help freed slaves and poor whites in the South by providing food, housing, medical aid, and legal assistance. It also established schools to educate the freed African Americans.

4. Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws: However, Southern states enacted Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans. These laws presented a significant problem for the Union during Reconstruction.

5. Enforcement Acts: In response, the Union passed the Enforcement Acts between 1870 and 1871 to combat the Ku Klux Klan's violence and the Southern states' ongoing attempts to suppress African Americans.

6. End of Reconstruction: The Compromise of 1877 effectively ended Reconstruction. Federal troops were withdrawn from the South, and this led to the rollback of the progress made in civil rights for African Americans.

In conclusion, one of the main problems the Union faced during Reconstruction was the challenge of integrating and protecting the rights of newly freed African Americans in the face of significant resistance from the Southern states.

Question

One of the main problems the Union had to deal with during Reconstruction was the integration and protection of newly freed African American citizens. Here are the steps to understand this issue:

1. End of Civil War: The American Civil War ended in 1865 with the defeat of the Confederate States. This led to the abolition of slavery and approximately 4 million African Americans were freed.

2. Reconstruction Era: The period following the Civil War, from 1865 to 1877, is known as the Reconstruction Era. During this time, the Union, or the North, had to reintegrate the Confederate states and figure out how to incorporate freed slaves into society.

3. Freedmen's Bureau: To aid with this, the Union established the Freedmen's Bureau in 1865. This organization was designed to help freed slaves and poor whites in the South by providing food, housing, medical aid, and legal assistance. It also established schools to educate the freed African Americans.

4. Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws: However, Southern states enacted Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans. These laws presented a significant problem for the Union during Reconstruction.

5. Enforcement Acts: In response, the Union passed the Enforcement Acts between 1870 and 1871 to combat the Ku Klux Klan's violence and the Southern states' ongoing attempts to suppress African Americans.

6. End of Reconstruction: The Compromise of 1877 effectively ended Reconstruction. Federal troops were withdrawn from the South, and this led to the rollback of the progress made in civil rights for African Americans.

In conclusion, one of the main problems the Union faced during Reconstruction was the challenge of integrating and protecting the rights of newly freed African Americans in the face of significant resistance from the Southern states.

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