Question

In what ways did the scandals of President Grant's administration aid in ending the policy known as Reconstruction?

A. The scandals caused most people to focus on the economic issues of the day.
B The scandals caused most people to feel Reconstruction partly a cause of the corruption.
C The scandals caused most people to what to impeach President Grani, thus ending presidential reconstruction.
D. The scandals caused most people to want to adopt laws to ensure the freedren had equal rights."

Answer 1

Option (C), The Grant administration's scandals contributed to the end of Reconstruction by shifting focus away from civil rights enforcement to economic recovery, eroding public trust, and weakening the Republican Party, leading to diminished federal commitment and the Compromise of 1877, which removed federal troops from the South.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scandals of President Grant's administration played a significant role in aiding the end of Reconstruction. The widespread corruption, including scandals such as the Crédit Mobilier affair, the Whiskey Ring, and the Indian Trading scandal, eroded public trust in the federal government and shifted the nation's focus away from enforcing Reconstruction policies. Instead, citizens and politicians alike became more concerned with economic recovery and other pressing domestic issues following the Panic of 1873.

The scandals, along with the violence and voter suppression tactics employed as part of the Mississippi Plan, caused the Republican Party to lose support and weakened the federal commitment to Reconstruction, contributing to its eventual demise. Furthermore, Grant's inability to find a policy that satisfied both Northerners and Southerners caused further disenchantment. The political maneuvers around the presidential election of 1876, particularly the Compromise of 1877, ultimately ended Reconstruction and led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.