Final answer:
The lasting effect of Reconstruction was the rise of a new era in Southern America characterized by segregation and discrimination, known as the Jim Crow era, where African Americans faced systemic oppression despite the 15th Amendment's intentions.The correct option isOption 2: A new era in Southern America where segregation and discrimination flourished.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lasting effect of Reconstruction after the Civil War is most accurately described by Option 2: A new era in Southern America where segregation and discrimination flourished. Reconstruction failed to achieve its goal of creating an interracial democracy with equal rights for all.
Despite efforts to expand rights for African Americans, including the 15th Amendment that aimed to guarantee voting rights regardless of race, disenfranchisement and segregation under Jim Crow laws were rampant in the South. Instead of integration and Republican dominance, the end of Reconstruction saw the rise of white supremacist politics and practices that oppressed African Americans for many more decades.
Optimistic initiatives such as the establishment of public school systems and the election of Black politicians were overshadowed by violent backlash and entrenched racism, which ultimately led to the Jim Crow era. These Jim Crow laws enforced segregation across all aspects of life, and despite the legal freedoms granted, true equality remained elusive. This regime persisted well into the 20th century and became a defining feature of life in the post-Reconstruction South.
The correct option isOption 2: A new era in Southern America where segregation and discrimination flourished.