Final answer:
President Andrew Johnson rescinded early steps toward economic equality in 1865, leading to a swift restoration process that restricted protections for freed slaves. The ensuing struggle with Congress continued through the Reconstruction era until the Compromise of 1877 effectively ended Reconstruction under President Rutherford B. Hayes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The early steps toward economic equality in 1865 were rescinded by President Andrew Johnson who followed Abraham Lincoln after his assassination. Johnson favored a swift restoration of the Southern states without significant protection for the newly freed slaves, which led to a clash with Congress that was more inclined to impose stricter requirements for re-admittance to the Union and ensure the rights of freedmen. This ongoing debate ultimately led to the impeachment of Johnson and soured many people on Reconstruction. It wasn't until Rutherford B. Hayes was elected and the Compromise of 1877 came into effect that Reconstruction came to an end. However, this compromise failed to protect the rights of former slaves, leading to the reassertion of conservative Southern authority over the freedmen.