Question

How did the end of Reconstruction and the election of 1876 lay the groundwork for systemic discrimination?

Option 1: It marked the end of discrimination in the United States.
Option 2: It saw the emergence of civil rights movements.
Option 3: It reinforced segregation and discriminatory policies.
Option 4: It led to nationwide efforts to promote equality.

Answer 1

The end of Reconstruction and the election of 1876 laid the groundwork for systemic discrimination by enabling white Democrats to pass laws disfranchising black voters and instituting segregation, leading to almost a century of civil rights struggles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The election of 1876 concluded the era of Reconstruction, leading to a significant shift in the U.S. political landscape. It resulted in the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, signaling the end of efforts to integrate freed slaves as equal citizens. The political power of the South reverted to conservative white Democrats, who proceeded to pass laws and policies that established a system of white supremacy. This marked the beginning of an era of systematic discrimination against African Americans, with the implementation of disfranchisement through literacy tests and poll taxes, as well as the institutionalization of segregation through Jim Crow laws. The federal government's retreat from its Reconstruction policies laid the groundwork for nearly a century of struggle for civil rights and racial equality.