Final answer:
Reconstruction brought legal freedom to African Americans but did not fundamentally resolve issues of poverty, land ownership, or financial security, especially for older freed individuals. A 64-year-old woman who was previously enslaved in Mississippi would not see significant life changes regarding employment or financial stability during Reconstruction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Reconstruction era was a complex period that sought to reintegrate Confederate states back into the Union and transform Southern society after the Civil War. It involved discussions of citizenship, equality, and the rights of freed people. The era saw African Americans strive for land ownership, education, financial security, and family reunification. However, Reconstruction had uneven effects and, despite ambitious programs such as the Freedmen's Bureau, many African Americans, including elderly freedwomen in Mississippi, faced persistent poverty and limited economic opportunities.
Reconstruction did provide African Americans with legal freedom and, in some cases, the opportunities to find family members and engage in the political process, but it did not ensure financial security or land ownership as a universal benefit, particularly for older individuals. Sharecropping became widespread and most farmers, regardless of color, could not afford to own land. Progress was made on paper, but the reality was far more challenging on the ground.
Therefore, for a woman who spent her entire life enslaved in Mississippi and gained freedom at age 64 after the Civil War, Reconstruction would not significantly impact her life (Option D). While she might experience personal gains in terms of family reunification or legal rights, the stringent socio-economic barriers would likely prevent her from accessing stable employment, financial security, or land ownership.