What was the Compromise of 1877 and its effects?

The Compromise of 1877 ended the Reconstruction era by withdrawing federal troops from the South, affecting racial equality.

The Compromise of 1877 was a pivotal moment in American history, marking the end of the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. The compromise was an unwritten deal that settled the intensely disputed 1876 U.S. presidential election. It resulted in the federal government pulling the last troops out of the South, and formally ended the Reconstruction era. In the contested election, Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was awarded the presidency over Democrat Samuel J. Tilden on the understanding that Hayes would remove the federal troops whose support was essential for the survival of Republican state governments in South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.

The withdrawal of federal troops from the South had significant implications. It marked the end of federal efforts to protect the civil rights of African Americans in the South, leading to the establishment of the Jim Crow laws, which enforced racial segregation. The compromise essentially abandoned the African American population in the South to the mercy of increasingly hostile state governments dominated by white Democrats, also known as the 'Redeemers'.

The Compromise of 1877 also had political implications. It marked the resurgence of the 'white supremacy' in the South and the return of the pre-Civil War Southern ruling class. The Redeemers sought to undo the changes brought about by the Civil War and the Reconstruction, particularly in relation to racial equality. They implemented laws that restricted the rights of African Americans, including voting rights, and enforced segregation.

The effects of the Compromise of 1877 were long-lasting and profound. It marked a significant setback for the civil rights movement and racial equality in the United States. The compromise allowed for the institutionalisation of racism and segregation in the South, which would persist for nearly a century until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It is a stark reminder of the political manoeuvring and compromises that can have far-reaching consequences on the lives of people and the course of history.