What legislation ended the period of Reconstruction in the South?

The Compromise of 1877 was the key piece of legislation that effectively ended the Reconstruction era in the South. This compromise settled the disputed 1876 presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden. As part of the agreement, Hayes was awarded the presidency under the condition that he would withdraw federal troops from the Southern states, which had been a crucial component of Reconstruction efforts. The removal of these troops allowed Southern Democratic governments to regain power, leading to the implementation of laws that would disenfranchise many African Americans and establish systems of segregation.

The Civil Rights Act aimed to protect the rights of citizens, particularly African Americans, but it was passed during the Reconstruction period and did not mark its end. The Homestead Act was designed to encourage westward expansion by providing land to settlers, unrelated to Reconstruction. The Voting Rights Act was enacted much later, in 1965, to combat racial discrimination in voting, well after the Reconstruction period had concluded.