Uncertainty
(Spring 1865)
After President Lincoln's assassination, Andrew Johnson takes office amid deep uncertainty. (4:12)
"White Men Alone"
(Spring 1865)
President Johnson plans to restore the Union quickly with few changes to the social order. (6:02)
War in Congress
(Spring 1866)
Deep rifts divide Washington as Congress passes the first law to protect civil rights. (8:18)
A Radical Plan
(Spring 1867)
Congress imposes military governance in the South and grants African Americans the right to vote. (4:44)
Lost Civilization
(Fall 1873)
As stories of black corruption and a severe economic depression grip the nation, white Northerners begin to sympathize with the white South. (5:44)
The Coushatta Massacre
(Fall 1874)
President Grant makes an unpopular decision to send troops South to suppress an insurrection. (8:01)
The End of Reconstruction
(Spring 1877)
Republicans agree to abandon Reconstruction in a back-room political deal. (2:20)