What was the significance of the Compromise of 1877?

The Compromise of 1877 is significant because it effectively ended the Reconstruction era by leading to the withdrawal of federal troops from the Southern states. This withdrawal was part of an agreement to resolve the contested 1876 presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden. The decision to remove federal troops marked a turning point in American history, as it allowed Southern states to return to self-governance without federal intervention.

The removal of troops had profound implications for African Americans in the South, as it paved the way for the imposition of Jim Crow laws and the systematic disenfranchisement of Black voters. The end of Reconstruction thus set back civil rights progress for decades and institutionalized racial segregation. This event is critical in understanding the long-term implications of federal policy on race relations and governance in the United States.