Why post-Civil War Reconstruction is really an oxymoron. The South was so devastated by the war and needed rebuilding. But more important, millions of former slaves, now free, needed help acclimating to their new world and how to access the rights guaranteed to them through the 13th, 14th & 15th amendments - known as the Civil War Amendments, they abolished slavery, granted former slaves citizenship rights and granted voting rights to African American men. The era of Reconstruction lasted from 1865 - 1877. We will discuss more about this period during last period when we meet again today.