During the American Reconstruction Era (1865-1877), the U.S. government attempted to integrate formerly enslaved individuals into society and rebuild the South after the Civil War. Key actions included the establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau to assist newly freed blacks and the passing of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which abolished slavery, granted citizenship rights, and secured voting rights for African American men. Despite initial progress, Reconstruction faced significant resistance from Southern whites, leading to the rise of Jim Crow laws and systemic racism that would persist for decades, undermining many achievements.