The finality of the Civil War wasn't reached until Reconstruction was completed. The North had won the war, but the South was not a part of the Nation. In the South, the ideals of slavery and secession ran rampant throughout the area. Difficulties of successfully completing Reconstruction made the era of hardships and problems last longer and longer. One of the consequences of this horrible time period was the Gilded Age. An era that exploited …showed first 75 words of 518 total…

…showed last 75 words of 518 total…take the forum. With this came the evolving idea of changing the focus of prominent men's career choices. During this time period, it became evident to many Americans that the reason the political arena was so convoluted and corrupt was the fact that it did not possess the highest caliber of men. This change in policy would help to end the Gilded Age and redirect the focus of the "best men" in the new century.