Assess successes Failures of reconstruction in granting civil political equality for former slaves in southern states
The reconstruction era after the civil war was an era where the south was basically reconstructed after all the fighting which occurred during the civil war. Reconstruction had political and civil successes; however it also had civil and political failures. Most historiographical views tended to view reconstruction as a failure in general, not relating to slavery. However Woodward stated that the reconstruction era was a failure because it did not help the slaves. Political successes were out weighed by political failures, reconstruction succeeded politically because Slaves were now able to vote, and ratification of the 14th and 15th amendments because they implemented slave suffrage. However they were not fully successful, and thus considered failures because to begin restrictions were put on voting.