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1A) Lincoln believed that the nation needed to be reunified. This was the first thing on his list. He did not really touch on black rights until shortly before he was assassinated. His 10% plan stated that 10% of the voters in the southern states had to renounce slavery, and those states could start reconstructing their state government. According to the book, when only 10 percent of men who had been qualified voters in 1860 had taken an oath of allegiance, they could organize a new state government. Lincoln’s plan didn’t require ex-rebels to extend social or political rights to ex-slaves, nor did it anticipate a program of long-term federal assistance to freedom. Lincoln sought to restore the broken Union, not to reform it. Lincoln also offered full pardons to ex-confederates, except to high-ranking confederate officers (The American Promise). Johnson’s plan was shaped like Lincoln’s considerably, but there were some differences. According to the book, like Lincoln, Johnson excluded high ranking ex confederates, but he also excluded all ex-rebels with property worth more than 20,000. Johnson recognized the state governments created by Lincoln and declared his own for restoring the rebel states to the union. The citizens of a state had to renounce the right of secession, deny the debts of the confederates were legal and binding, and ratify the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery. Johnson’s plan, unlike Lincoln’s, did not involve a form of black voting. It was obvious that Johnson wanted to normalize relations with the southern states and that he showed a lack of sympathy for the blacks. This led them to instruct military and government officials to return to abandoned land even if were the freedmen. What got Congress outraged about Johnson’s plan was that he gave too many pardons to the ex-confederates. He also allowed the southern states to institute black codes against the black (The American Promise). The Congressional plan was established after Congress almost impeached Johnson, which moved most of the power back to Congress. According to the book, Congressional reconstruction evolved unevenly, but through it all black suffrage acted like a powerful magnet that steadily drew its way. Congress said that 51% of the state had to agree to the terms set down by Congress before any reconstructing of their governments could begin. According to the book, the Military reconstruction act divided the ten unreconstructed confederate states into five military districts. Congress placed a Union general in charge of each district and instructed him to “suppress insurrection, disorder, and violence” and to begin political reform. After the military had completed voted registration, which included black men and excluded anyone barred by the 14 amendment from holding public office, voters would elect delegates to conventions that would make new state constitutions. Each constitution would guarantee black suffrage. When the voters of each state had approved the constitution, the state could submit its work to Congress. If Congress approved, the state’s senators and representatives could be seated and political reunification would be accomplished. Basically, the Congress was concerned with the political side of reconstruction only, and hardly ever helped the blacks. 1B) Reconstruction had some accomplishments. Military occupation in the south was light. It was only five years. Most of the confederates regained their rights by 1873. There were more equal congressional districts. It overhauled the tax structure in the south. It created democratic constitutions in the south. But most of all, it passed the 14th and 15th amendments, which gave nominal voting rights in federal elections to blacks. In the end though, Reconstruction would fail for several reasons. The main reason for the failure of reconstruction was “racism.” It still existed, in force, in the south, through black codes, etc. Ironically, later, the north was seen as more racist than the south. The most degrading to blacks during the period after reconstruction failed was the court case of Plessy vs.
Approximate Word count = 2530
Approximate Pages = 10.1
(250 words per page double spaced)
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