Reconstruction refers to the period after the Civil War when the United States began rebuilding the South and defining the rights of freed slaves. The North faced economic problems as soldiers returned home, while the South had widespread destruction of infrastructure from the war. The Freedmen's Bureau was established to help former slaves transition to freedom by providing food, jobs, and education. However, Southern states passed Black Codes limiting freedoms, and the Ku Klux Klan emerged to terrorize blacks and white supporters through violence and murder. Debates continued over how to fully integrate freed slaves into society and guarantee their civil rights.