Which statement about the Freedmen's Bureau is false?

• A. It was a private charity run by churches.
• B. It provided food, housing, education, and legal support to freedpeople.
• C. It established schools and improved labor contracts.
• D. It faced significant funding shortages and political opposition.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the Freedmen’s Bureau was a federal agency created by Congress during Reconstruction to aid formerly enslaved people, not a private charity run by churches. It was established in 1865, funded and organized by the U.S. government, and operated primarily to provide tangible support in the form of food, housing, medical care, education, and legal help. It also helped establish schools and worked on improving labor contracts between freedpeople and their former owners. Because of limited funding and political opposition in Congress and from some leaders, it faced ongoing struggles to sustain its programs. Therefore, the statement that it was a private charity run by churches is false, while the other described roles and challenges reflect the Bureau’s actual work.