Final answer:
During Reconstruction, political reforms such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and economic reforms like the establishment of the Freedman's Bureau were introduced in the South. However, these reforms did not survive the Compromise of 1877, which marked the end of Reconstruction and led to the erosion of many of the reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the period between 1864 and 1877, several political reforms were introduced in the South. One major reform was the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which granted citizenship and legal rights to African Americans.
Economically, the South experienced significant changes during this period. The abolition of slavery meant that former slaves were no longer part of the labor force, causing a shift in the region's economic structure. The federal government aimed to promote economic recovery and development in the South through initiatives such as the Freedman's Bureau and the establishment of schools and hospitals.
Time and time again, white Southerners resisted social reforms that threatened their perceived supremacy. The Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups emerged during this period as a response to the political and social changes brought about by Reconstruction.
The Compromise of 1877 marked the end of Reconstruction and had a significant impact on the survival of the reforms introduced during this period. As a result of the compromise, federal troops were withdrawn from the South, effectively ending the federal government's intervention in Southern affairs. With the withdrawal of federal support, many of the political, economic, and social reforms introduced during Reconstruction were gradually eroded and replaced by Jim Crow laws and other discriminatory practices.