US Civil War

During the Civil War, the loss of life was a major issue as was the cost of the war. Another controversy involved the forced conscription of soldiers.

The economy was completely destroyed

Only some African Americans should be able to vote

Many freed slaves remained on the farms where they had worked as slaves for several reasons:

Some masters asked (or demanded) that the newly free slaves stay on the master's property, offering a house and wages. However, by the time the master was done charging the freed slaves for rent and supplies, they received no wages and could not afford to move to another place.

Some slaves were not told that they were free.

Many freed slaves did not know how to live as free men and women. They would try it for awhile and then return to their former masters.

Others stayed with their masters because the master had been good to them and continued to treat them well after emancipation.

The most obvious are death and the destruction of property.

Leaders in the North disagreed about the terms of Reconstruction.

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