Reconstruction, one of the most turbulent and controversial eras in American history, began during the Civil War and ended in 1877. It witnessed America's first experiment in interracial democracy. Just as the fate of slavery was central to the meaning of the Civil War, so the divisive politics of Reconstruction turned on the status the former slaves would assume in the reunited nation.
I recommend that most women can start with an 8 kg/18-lb kettlebell, while fit women can begin with a 12 kg/26-lb kettlebell. A male starting to work out should begin with a 16 kg/35-lb kettlebell, while a fit man can begin with a 24 kg/53-lb kettlebell. This is my opinion, based upon my experiences.
But this isn't always the case because most modern smith machines have the barbell set up on pulleys and this actually reduces the weight of the barbell. How much does the bar on the smith machine weigh? The typical smith machine barbell only weighs about 15 pounds when you factor in the pulley set up. Whereas a free weight barbell weighs 45 pounds. So if you have the same weight plates on a smith machine compared to a barbell it's going to feel lighter simply because you are lifting less weight.