Question

Why did reconstruction apparently fail so badly? was the failure primarily one of immediate political circumstances, or was it more deeply rooted in the history of american sectional and race relations?

Answer 1

The reconstruction failed because the majority of the freed slaves were located in the south, the states that had attempted to succeed from the Union. Now they had the chance to rule the government and had no interest in freeing slaves or offering rights to black people. The race as well as sectional relations was a huge factor when it comes to the failure of the reconstruction.