What were three things that the government tried to do during reconstruction?

The answer is "13,14,15 amendments".

The Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution formally canceled and keeps on disallowing slavery up 'til the present time.

The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution pronounced that all people born or naturalized in the US are American nationals including African Americans.

The Fifteenth Amendment to the US Constitution precludes every administration in the US from rejecting a native the privilege to vote in view of that native's race, shading, or past state of subjugation.

it was the first amendment

it foreshadows the theme of the paragraph and hints the topic that will be discussed in the paragraph!