Historians tend to see Reconstruction as a mix of successes and failures. Based on what you have learned about the goals and struggles of Reconstruction, in what ways did it succeed? Why do you think so? In what ways did it fail? Why?

What ideas do you have for how Reconstruction could have been handled so it would have been more satisfactory for all involved? Would you have changed some of the decisions made by the government? How would you have addressed the strong feelings people had about their culture and way of life?