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The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first United States federal law to define citizenship and affirm that all citizens are equally protected by the law. It marked a pivotal moment in American history, laying the foundation for future civil rights legislation.

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1868: Adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment

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1868: Adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment

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The Fourteenth Amendment was adopted on July 9, 1868, guaranteeing equal protection under the laws. It greatly expanded the protection of civil rights to all Americans and was a key achievement of the Reconstruction era.

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The First Reconstruction Act of 1867 divided the South into five military districts and laid out the requirements for readmission of Southern states into the Union. It signified a major federal intervention in the South to ensure civil rights for freed slaves and reconstruct the post-war South.

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1865: General Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. 15

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1865: General Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. 15

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In 1865, General Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. 15, provisionally granted up to 40 acres of land to freed families in the coastal areas of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Though short-lived, it represented an early attempt at redistributing land to formerly enslaved peoples.

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1865: Establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau

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1865: Establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau

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The Freedmen's Bureau was established in 1865 to aid freed slaves in the South during the Reconstruction era. It provided food, housing, medical aid, schooling, and legal assistance. Its efforts were crucial in helping the newly freed slaves transition to citizenship and freedom.

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The Compromise of 1877 effectively ended the Reconstruction era. Through this agreement, Rutherford B. Hayes was recognized as president in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, marking the end of federal efforts to protect the rights of African Americans in the South.

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The Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871 were passed to protect African Americans' rights to vote, hold office, serve on juries, and receive equal protection of laws. They were aimed at curtailing the rising violence and intimidation tactics of the Ku Klux Klan.