"The end of the American Civil War brought with it an end to the unjust system of chattel slavery in the South. This raised challenging questions: How should the freedmen be integrated into American society? And how should rebellious states regain their former position within the federal government? Between 1865 and 1877, the United States passed through a turbulent period known as Reconstruction. Thanks to the passage of Constitutional amendments, Black Americans received greater rights; however, white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan fought to restrict Black civil rights as much as possible." -- Back cover.