Final answer:
The option 'collecting taxes' was not one of the functions of the Freedmen's Bureau, which focused on reuniting families, establishing schools, and helping secure labor contracts, not on tax collection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question revolves around identifying which of the listed options was not one of the functions of the Freedmen's Bureau. The Freedmen's Bureau, officially known as the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, was established in 1865 to assist freed slaves and poor whites in the South in the aftermath of the American Civil War.
Among its functions, the Freedmen's Bureau was responsible for reuniting families, which had been separated by slavery and war, establishing schools to provide education for both children and adults, and helping workers secure labor contracts to enable them to find employment and work under fair conditions.
However, collecting taxes was not a function of the Freedmen's Bureau. The Bureau did not have the authority to collect taxes; it was mainly focused on providing direct assistance, such as food and shelter, and helping people transition to a life of freedom and self-sufficiency.