What were the final outcomes of Reconstruction - Copy (2) -...

What were the final outcomes of Reconstruction?
There were a few momentous developments from the Reconstruction era. First and foremost, the 13th
amendment abolished slavery throughout the United States. This was the biggest step forward in the fight for
civil rights and equality for all that this country has ever seen. The ratification of the 13th amendment started
the long road to racial and sexual impartiality in this country. This was followed by the 14th amendment which
defined the rights of citizens. This amendment is essential to the practice of law today and is consistently
referred to in the political battlefield on such issues as abortion, and perhaps even more relevant to those of us
who share a border with Mexico, immigration. This amendment clearly describes the idea that if you are born
within the borders of the United States, you are considered a natural born American and afforded all of the
same rights as all residents of this country. The 15th amendment gave all African Americans the right to vote.
Free public education was a dream of Thomas Jefferson's and somewhat came to fruition during the
Reconstruction era. Again, it was a far cry from what it was supposed to be, but it did start the first ripple toward
an educated populous. One of the biggest adverse affects of the era was the obliteration of the Southern
economy, which resulted in resentment, rebellion, violence, and segregation.
To what extent is it valid to claim that Reconstruction was a failure?
It is not hard to imagine that African Americans could not have gone from being considered enslaved,
uncivilized savages one day to being equal, voting citizens with all of the same rights the next. Predictably this
didn't happen, but there are things that the government could have done to facilitate this happening much
sooner than it did. Segregation was permitted in virtually all public arenas, and the poor handling of the
rebuilding and transition of the Southern economy caused too much violence and resentment that resonated
deep in to the 20th century.
To what extent was it a success?
The government did devise a new tax structure that shored up some issues with the infrastructure and trade. A