The American Civil War ended in a terrible and bloody way with six hundred thousand victims, with the victory of the North and the defeat of the South. The southern soldiers returned from the war and found their home in ruins. Many people have lost their homes, land, jobs and their lifestyle. Many southerners faced starvation due to high food prices and widespread crop failure. The Confederate money used by the Southerners was now worthless. Numerous banks collapsed and merchants went bankrupt because people could not pay their debts. The people of the South were penniless and broken. (“Post”)But once again America was reunited, but its economy was ruined and damaged socially and politically. After the Civil War, a change was needed. The Civil War helped African Americans gain citizenship, the right to vote, and most importantly, freedom. On April 11, 1865, President Lincoln presented his plan for Reconstruction (“Cause”). Reconstruction was intended to improve and restore America to a united and successful country, while also helping newly “freed” African Americans into society. He warned people that the Reconstruction years would be “fraught with great difficulties.” Three days later he was murdered (“Causa”). The twelve years following the Civil War were called Reconstruction. The Reconstruction era was an opportunity for change and was an expansion of freedom for former slaves. It was a time when the North and the Republicans attempted to restore the Southern economy, establish new governments, and support the rights of freedmen. There were also many problems and resistance to the reconstruction process. “…there were so many different views on how Reconstruction should be accomplished, and why so much… half of the document… Library of Congress). Np, nd Web. May 9, 2014. “Primary Documents in American History.” 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs and Services, Library of Congress). Np, nd Web. 08 May 2014. Randall, J. G. and David Herbert Donald. The civil war and reconstruction. Lexington, MA:Heath, 1969. Page No. Web."The reconstruction of the South." Reconstruction in the South. NP, nd Web. 11 May 2014."Southern Resistance." Reconstruction era. Np, nd Web. May 12, 2014.SparkNotes. SparkNotes and Web. May 11, 2014. The cover of Harper's Weekly, March 14, 1874 "The Ku Klux Klan in Rebuilding North Carolina: Methods of Madness in the Struggle for Southern Domination." Omeka RSS. Np, nd Web. May 11, 2014. Tourge Albion, Letter on the Activities of the Ku Klux Klan. New York Tribune, May 1870.