“Reconstruction was an economic failure, but a political success by 1877.” Discuss.

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that Reconstruction was an economic failure, but a political success by 1877. Consequences may extend beyond the timeframe but they must be clearly linked to the issue raised in the question. Candidates may offer equal coverage of economic and political factors, or they may prioritize their assessment of either. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. Candidates may refer to the slow recovery of the Southern economy, absent economic assistance from the national government and the early termination of the Freedman’s Bureau hindering the ability of freedmen to gain land or education. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example the political achievements of freedmen in Reconstruction governments and the rights gained by passage of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments (though also the brief enforcement of these gains), but with a focus on the issue in the question. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The assertion that Reconstruction was an economic failure, but a political success was not chosen very often. Knowledge directed to the political elements of Reconstruction was much more developed than for economic aspects. Some candidates mistakenly applied post-Reconstruction examples of the Jim Crow era in their evidence for political limitations of Reconstruction.