“Nothing in all history this wonderful quiet, sudden transformation of four millions of human beings from the auction-block to the ballot-box,” exclaimed veteran William Lloyd Garrison. He describes few of many changes that occurred after the Civil War, including the abolishment of slavery and the African American being granted for the first time in history the right to vote. As the civil war came to an end, the United States began to establish an undivided nation. This era known as the reconstruction era is described as “meaning literally the rebuilding of a shattered nation." Reconstruction’s main goal was to reintroduce the South into the Union and to make sure new laws coming out of the war were being followed. At this time, the country was in such a fragile state that changes needed to be made for the people to come together and form one strong nation. During the Reconstruction era in 1865, even though many may think only African Americans were impacted by the economic changes that were occurring, it altered the country as a whole. At this time, not only in the economy, but laws were modified to also include African Americans. The Reconstruction Era in that affected the economy; the freedom of the former slaves gave them entitlement to the same privileges as the white Americans. Even though few results of the era were permanent, it was the introduction of social, political, and economic equality for all. “Placing us where we could reap the fruit of our own labor, and take care of ourselves, to have land, and turn it and till it by our own labor,” defined Garrison Frazier. The North and South began to redefine the meaning of freedom. If I cannot do like a white manI am not free said Henry Adams. The former slaves realized that freedom not only referred to the white man; they could now gain profit and benefit from their labor. They had a desire to gain better jobs and living conditions. With their property destroyed from the war, the lands worth went down significantly; it was even lower than before. Planters who invested in confederate bonds saw their money vanish. The sequential crop deficiency after the war caused many farmers to begin crop growing and use part of the crops as supplementary payment which is also known as “crop lein." Farmers used this system to pay off their debts but interest rates were high which in the end did them no good. With the absence of free labor many of plantation owners lost crops, money and had to borrow money to cover their debts. Many African Americans now left the plantations in search of job opportunities, which forced former slave owners to either pay for labor, or do the work themselves. Former slaves not only wanted better jobs, they also desired their own land. The Southern blacks felt the only way to be equal to a wh