Reconstruction era removed civilian governments in the South, and placed the former Confederacy under the rule of the U.S. Army. The army conducted new elections in which the freed slaves could vote, while whites who had held leading positions under the Confederacy were temporarily denied the vote and were not permitted to run for office. In ten states, coalitions of freedmen, recent black and white arrivals from the North (carpetbaggers), and white Southerners who supported Reconstruction (scalawags) cooperated to form Republican biracial state governments. They introduced various reconstruction programs including: funding public schools, establishing charitable institutions, raising taxes, and funding public improvements
Trying to Fit the Ocean in a Cup the entire project fits together and is an enjoyable experience from beginning to end." Jared Johnson of Allmusic found that it is an album that was "done right in every way." At "Christianity Today", Christa Banister affirmed that "the final product is a taut, highly listenable collection that should hold even the most fickle listener's attention today, and for years to come." Jesus Freak Hideout's Adam Dawson called the release "enjoyable, catchy, and full of relevant Christian themes", which it "may not perfect, occasionally suffering from a bit of overproduction and lack of acoustics", yet vowed that it was a