Final answer:
A major goal of the Freedmen's Bureau was to educate former slaves, among providing other forms of assistance such as healthcare and securing labor contracts. Education was viewed as vital for the empowerment and civil rights of African Americans after the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Major Goal of the Freedmen's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau, officially known as the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, was established in 1865 by Congress in the aftermath of the American Civil War to aid freed slaves during the Reconstruction era. A major goal of the Freedmen's Bureau was to educate former slaves. It worked to facilitate various forms of assistance, such as establishing schools, providing food and healthcare, reuniting families, and helping freed slaves to secure labor contracts. Education is repeatedly affirmed as a means of emancipation and was a crucial element of civil rights for African Americans.
While efforts by the Freedmen's Bureau to provide land to former slaves were disrupted by President Johnson's policies, it's clear that education was one of the fundamental objectives of the Bureau. This focus was aimed at helping freed slaves adapt to their new status as free citizens and to empower them to participate more effectively in American society. By establishing schools and educational opportunities, the Freedmen's Bureau played a pivotal role in setting the foundations for African American education and political participation following emancipation.