In 1877, the official end of Reconstruction was signified by federal troops being withdrawn from the South (OA). This event marked the culmination of the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. The withdrawal of federal troops meant the end of the federal government's direct intervention in the Southern states to enforce Reconstruction policies.
As a result of the troops' withdrawal, there was a significant decrease in federal oversight and protection for African Americans in the South. This led to the rise of discriminatory Jim Crow laws, segregation, and the erosion of civil rights gains made during Reconstruction.
The other options provided in the question are not accurate representations of the event that marked the end of Reconstruction. The Freedmen's Bureau, which was an organization established to aid formerly enslaved individuals, did indeed end in 1872, but its closure was not the official end of Reconstruction. Additionally, although there were some African Americans elected to political offices during Reconstruction, the presence of more African Americans than whites in elected offices was not the event that signified the end of Reconstruction. Lastly, it is important to note that African Americans did not achieve equality with whites by 1877; systemic racism and discrimination persisted long after the end of Reconstruction.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is OA. Federal troops were withdrawn from the South in 1877, marking the official end of Reconstruction.
