The major conflict that followed the abolition of slavery in the United States was the Reconstruction Era, which lasted from 1865 to 1877. During this period, the federal government attempted to address the challenges of integrating formerly enslaved African Americans into society and granting them civil rights. The conflict arose from clashes between those advocating for African American rights and Southern white resistance, often leading to violence and systemic discrimination. Key issues included land ownership, voting rights, and educational opportunities, leading to the establishment of organizations like the Ku Klux Klan and the eventual imposition of Jim Crow laws, which legally enforced racial segregation.