Final answer:
A number of events between 1857 and 1877, including the Civil Rights Act of 1875, the 14th Amendment, economic pressures due to the Panic of 1873, and the diminishing federal commitment to Reconstruction, prompted the federal government to reassess the status of African Americans, paving the way for the era of segregation and diminishing civil rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Key Events and Movements Affecting African Americans (1857-1877)
Between 1857 and 1877, several significant events and movements led the federal government to redefine the standing of African Americans in American society. The Civil Rights Act of 1875, one critical legislation during Reconstruction, aimed to guarantee African Americans equal treatment in public accommodations and prohibited racial discrimination. However, in 1883, the Supreme Court struck down this Act, signaling the onset of increased segregation and discrimination.
The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, provided a constitutional guarantee of equality under the law, which was a foundational step towards civil rights. Nonetheless, the Panic of 1873 contributed to a political shift against the Republicans, leading to weakened federal enforcement of Reconstruction policies as the American public demanded economic recovery over civil rights enforcement. Increasing violence by the Ku Klux Klan and other groups coupled with the diminishing federal commitment, exacerbated the situation for African Americans, who saw their civil rights decline as the decade progressed.
The federal government attempted to address the rising violence and disenfranchisement of African Americans by passing the Enforcement Acts between 1870 and 1871, but these efforts were insufficient to sustain meaningful protection, and by 1876, the resolve to combat the KKK weakened significantly. This period marked a staunch turning point as federal support dwindled, and the stage was set for the era of Jim Crow laws that institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination.