In American history, "Reconstruction" is the term applied to the period 1862-1877, when the United States sought to bring order from the tremendous changes wrought by the Civil War. The Encyclopedia includes coverage of the abolition of slavery, the expansion of governmental power, the rise of the Republican Party, the explosion of northern industry and the national market, and the appearance of new social groups. Further topics covered include who should direct Reconstruction; how the federal government treated conquered states and their soldiers; the role of the freed people in the new republic; and how the war altered the Constitution, the party system, and the American economy, among many others. Many entries describe and analyze the individuals, who shaped the course of Reconstruction. Others deal with: the abolition of slavery, black politicians, black suffrage, economic policies, race riots, scandals, and state constitutional conventions. The Encyclopedia also offers a timeline of Reconstruction, a bibliography of print and electronic information resources, a selection of primary documents, a table of important dates, numerous illustrations, and a detailed subject index.