45.7k views
1 vote
The "Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands" - better known as the Freedmen's Bureau- was established by Congress in March of 1865. Briefly describe the purpose of the Freedmen's Bureau, and explain how it was or was not effective.

You MUST use complete sentences in your answer.

2 Answers

3 votes

Answer: The Freedmen's Bureau was created primarily by the United States Congress in 1865 to provide for the welfare and needs of former slaves and indigent blacks and whites in the United States following the Civil War. The Bureau concentrated on meeting fundamental requirements such as food, free medical services, shelter, clothing, education, free legal services, and so on. This program, however, confronted its own set of challenges, the most significant of which were a lack of money and human resources, as well as political interference.

The Bureau's main accomplishments include: it was able to provide food for its target audience throughout its existence.

Step-by-step explanation: On March 3, 1865, Congress passed “An Act to establish a Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees” to provide food, shelter, clothing, medical services, and land to displaced Southerners, including newly freed African Americans. The Freedmen’s Bureau was to operate “during the present war of rebellion, and for one year thereafter,” and also established schools, supervised contracts between freedmen and employers, and managed confiscated or abandoned lands. The battle to establish the Freedmen’s Bureau, and then to extend the legislation one year later, was a major factor in the struggle between President Andrew Johnson and Radical Republicans in Congress over Reconstruction and the role of the federal government in integrating four million newly emancipated African Americans into the political life of the nation.

User Nevets
by
3.1k points
5 votes

Answer:

The Freedmen's Bureau was mainly established by the U.S congress in 1865 to cater for the welfare and needs of former slaves and indigent blacks and whites in the U.S. after the Civil war. The Bureau focused on providing basic needs which include food, free medical services, shelter, clothing, education, free legal services, etc. This program however also faced its own challenges which majorly include paucity of funds and human resources, as well as political interference.

The major achievements of the Bureau include: during the duration of its existence, it was able to provide food for its target audience

Step-by-step explanation:

User UndoingTech
by
3.5k points