At the beginning of the Reconstruction era, option A, "Most northern whites believed blacks should be given the vote," is closer to the truth.
During the Reconstruction era, which followed the American Civil War, there was considerable debate over how to integrate newly freed African Americans into American society and politics. While many Northerners believed that African Americans should be given equal rights and opportunities, including the right to vote, many Southerners remained opposed to granting these rights.
Following the Civil War, the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution was passed in 1870, which prohibited states from denying citizens the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." However, even with the passage of the 15th Amendment, many Southern states implemented policies such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses that effectively prevented African Americans from voting.
So, while many Northerners believed that African Americans should be given the vote, it took significant effort and legislation to actually extend voting rights to African Americans in the post-Civil War era.