Why did the period following the Civil War is known as Reconstruction?

Answer 1

After the Civil War, owning slaves was made illegal. Reconstruction was set up to help integrate newly freed African-Americans into society so they could learn how to run their own household, find a job and raise a family.

Reconstruction also ensured the wealthy white landowners who had voted to secede from the Union did not have the political power to cause further problems.

Answer 2

Buildings were destroyed in the south after the civil war, so reconstruction happened. Although many people in the south were against it.

The original answer seems to misunderstand what "Reconstruction" refers to. In this context "Reconstruction" refers to the transformation of the Southern United States from 1863 to 1877, as directed by the Federal Government in Washington, D.C. with the reconstruction of state and society. President Lincoln and his Vice-President (soon to be President) Andrew Johnson took a moderate position designed to bring the South back to normal as soon as possible. The Radical Republicans of Lincoln's party sought to punish the former Confederate states for the war and enforce their view of how things should be done (in contrast to the wishes of the citizens of the Southern States), setting up a free labor economy, removing all former Confederates from power, and enfranchise the Freedmen. While some of these goals were laudable, the means of achieving them were heavy handed (to put it charitably) and rife with corruption. The corruption was a byproduct of the suppression of all opposition by force - whether it was those trying to hold onto power, those wanting to prevent enfranchising the Freedmen, or those objecting to the prevalent "carpetbagging" and general corruption of the government officials appointed by the Federal government.

Answer 3

Because the nation needed to be put back together and healed. It had been nearly destroyed physically, economically, morally, etc. by war. The government needed to rebuild the Southern governments, and heal relations between different factions.

Answer 4

Because the south's economy was totally destroyed after the war and also they had to figure out what rights the freed African Americans should have.

Answer 5

We had just destroyed our own country in a violent civil war and thinks to good ole general grant basically destroyed much of our agricultural areas too.

Answer 6

Reconstruction is necessary after every war to rebuild the society and structures that were damaged by the war.

Answer 7

To rebuild the south