Final answer:
The Reconstruction era was marked by a significant political struggle between President Andrew Johnson, who wanted a rapid reunification that was lenient towards ex-Confederates, and Congressional Republicans, who favored a harsher approach ensuring the rights of freedmen and Republican support in the South. This contest was over the political and social future of the South and the integration of freed slaves into society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The political struggle between the presidency and Congress during the Reconstruction era revolved around different visions for restoring the Union and integrating the freedmen into American society. President Andrew Johnson sought a rapid reunification of the Union that would be lenient towards former Confederate states and exclude former slaveholders from power, whereas Congressional Republicans aimed to punish the Confederate elite and ensure that freedmen and lower-class whites, or yeomen, supported Republican policies. What was at stake was the future political landscape of the South, the rights of millions of freed slaves, and the overall social order and harmony in post-Civil War America.
The end of the Civil War left the nation to face significant economic and political problems, such as determining the status of former slaves, rebuilding southern economies, and managing the reintegration of secessionist states. The debates in policy led to major amendments to the Constitution and the federal government's intervention to protect the legal rights of the freedmen. However, the victory of Congressional Republicans was short-lived as the nation struggled with enforcement and faced backlash, including the rise of groups like the Ku Klux Klan, which sought to return to antebellum power structures.