From the passage about the black codes, it can be inferred that after the Civil War, southern states attempted to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans through a series of discriminatory laws. These laws aimed to control and regulate the behavior and movement of African Americans, limit their economic opportunities, and maintain white supremacy in the post-slavery South. The passage suggests that the black codes were a means to perpetuate racial discrimination and ensure the continuation of a racially hierarchical society.
