The Republican Congress was able to pass the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, abolishing slavery and securing voting rights for former slaves, but they could not enforce it in southern states.
One of their biggest opponents was President Andrew Johnson. He vetoed much of their legislation. He was a southern democrat and wanted leniency for the former confederates.
The Republicans lost a majority in Congress in the 1874 midterm elections because of the Panic of 1873 and the economic depression to follow.
