Cause: Reconstruction America 1863-1877

After the destruction of the Civil War, the United States faced the immense challenge of rebuilding a ravaged South and incorporating millions of freed slaves into the life of the nation. On April 11, 1865, President Lincoln introduced his plan for reconstruction, warning that the coming years would be “fraught with great difficulty.” Three days later he was assassinated. The years to come witnessed a time of complex and controversial change.

TONYA BOLDEN is the author of several books for young readers, including Rock of Ages: A Tribute to the Black Church and The Champ: The Story of Muhammad Ali. She is also the editor of two books in the bestselling 33 Things series and the adapter of American Patriots: The Story of Blacks in the Military from the Revolution to Desert Storm.