Lincoln's Arguments Over Reconstruction

President Andrew Johnson assumed office following Lincoln’s assassination. Johnson had his own ideas of Reconstruction and tried to take his own course of action in putting the Union back together following the Civil War. A series of bitter political quarrels between President Johnson and Radical Republicans in Congress over Reconstruction Policy in the South eventually led to his impeachment.

Reconstruction is the period of rebuilding the south that succeeded the Civil War (1861-1865). This period of time is set by the question now what? The Union won the war and most of the south was destroyed. Devastation, buildings turned into crumbles and lost crops. The South was drowning in poverty. To worsen the situation there were thousands of ex-slaves that were set free by the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13 Amendment. "All these ex-slaves", Dr. Susan Walens commented, "and no place to put them," The ex-slaves weren't just homeless but they had no rights, unlike white man. The government and congress had to solve the issues present in the south and the whole nation

Another important characteristic of the Reconstruction after the civil war was the creation of the Freedmen’s Bureau. Its responsibilities according to Foner (2014) were related with social work, “ Bureau agents were supposed to establish schools, provide aid to the poor and aged, settle disputes between whites and blacks and among the freedpeople, and secure for former slaves and white Unionists equal treatment before the courts” (p. 562) . Still, the Bureau lasted only until 1870, but made many achievements helping the black community.

Johnson stated that the seven remaining states would be admitted if: they withdrew its secession, swore allegiance to Union, anul Confederate was debts, and ratify the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. The only main difference being that Johnson did not want high-ranking Confederates and wealthy Southern landowners to take the oath needed to vote. The Radical Republicans were infuriated by Johnson’s Plan because it failed to effectively help former slaves. They wanted a plan stricter on the punishment of the Southerners, and one that addressed the land, voting, and protection under the law of slaves. This is why when Johnson pardoned all Southerners the Radicals refused to admit the Southern representatives back into Congress.

Government had brought the seceded Southern states back into the Union, and they ended slavery and they tried their best to protect newly emancipated the slaves. But they rebuilt the nation after a lot more four years of fighting. The reconstruction occurred in 2 phases, the Presidential Reconstruction was very lenient in order Southern states to rejoin the Union quickly, this was initiated by President Lincoln but was carried out by President Andrew Johnson. The Congressional Reconstruction was stricter and protected rights from former slaves and they kept Confederate leaders from regaining power. But, before the Civil War Lincoln proposed his 10% Plan, which was lenient and allowed the Confederate states could re-enter the Union when, 10% of their population had sworn an Oath of Loyalty and they ratified the 13th Amendment ending all slavery. But, the Radicals in Congress had rejected his plan because, it did not protect ex-slaves and didn’t keep them from regaining power, they also wanted to have 50% of the population to swear to an oath of loyalty. But, the states could come back once they ratified the 13th amendment. But, the southern passed black codes in order to keep African- Americans from getting any land, jobs, voting rights, and also protection under the law. Finally, in 1865, the Freedmen's Bureau had been established and offered assistance to former slaves and to protect their new

1) Reconstruction: A plan to reconstruct the society after the Civil War. This divided the south (except Tennessee) into 5 military districts under the control of the U.S. Army. It was the attempt to reconstruct the south, readmit the southern states back into the Union, and change the life of African Americans. (pg. 414)

The Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 lasted for ten years and counted as another very large portion of the success of Reconstruction, even though flaws continuously occurred. “This drastic legislation divided the South into five military districts, each commanded by a Union general and policed by blue-clad soldiers, about twenty thousand all told.” The act enforced all laws passed by Congress including the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. The tactics and maneuvers under this act called for strict rule over the South to insure the equality of blacks. In 1877, the federal troops had to abandon their positions in the southern states leaving the South in almost the same situation it faced previously. Therefore, the Military Reconstruction Act also failed for not keeping black equality rights enforced.

The first president to ever be put on trial for impeachment was Andrew Johnson. Johnson would start out as the running mate for Lincoln and would become his vice president. In 1865, Johnson would take over as president following Lincoln’s assassination. During his presidency his power and popularity would decline massively. Within months of each other he would veto the Freedman’s Bureau Bill and the Civil Rights Bill, but they would be passed over his veto. Riots would soon start to break out. In February 1867, congress would pass the Tenure of Office Act, which would in hopes keep the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, at ease. Johnson would be punished because he violated this act due to suspending and then dismissing the Secretary of War. His impeachment trial began in 1868. The trial began in the Senate and Johnson would be acquitted with a vote of

Reconstruction was the period after the Civil War. During this period, the U.S faced many challenges such as how to reunite the North and the South and put the Civil War behind us. In addition, the nation needed to address the status of four million freed slaves by granting them citizenship, and protecting their citizenship rights. As years passed, many historians went back and forth of whether or not Congress was a success for the freedmen, or a total blowout. These pieces of evidence concludes that the Congress’ Reconstruction was unfortunately a failure for the freedmen rights.

The Reconstruction of the United States was an experiment in interracial democracy. The Civil War victory by the North brought to a close the establishment of slavery but, in turn, opened Pandora's box. The questions and answers pertaining to economical, political, and social equality for freedmen had yet to be addressed on a practical level. The Southern states, still bitter from defeat and economic stresses, strongly rejected the societal transformations thrust upon them. The Northern states' focal point remained on the necessary political powers by which to enact constitutional amendments, therefore empowering the federal government with the capabilities to enforce the principles of equal rights. On paper, slavery was abolished, but in reality, African-Americans were once again enslaved on a ship without the security or knowledge of what the next port held for them. The Civil War had not truly ended. It was still active under the guise of Reconstruction, but now coats and flags of many colors existed, and battles were merely fought on alternate battlefields. A war of ideas lacking in substantial practicality resulted in repetitious battles being won and loss. The motivating forces that set Reconstruction into motion were for the most part the North's quest for unification among states', and the emancipation of slaves. However, the primary objective of Reconstruction was to grant political, economical, and social opportunities for the freedmen. The

The restoration process began with small plans that were put forward by President Lincoln as well as President Johnson. The two president’s main aim was to combine the confederacy with the unions (Flanagan). This fact was called the presidential reconstruction. The Republicans were put into office to ensure that the freed people’s rights were protected as well as to make sure that America was united. The civil rights act was passed and the southern state began to follow the rule. The Congress passed the Ku Klux Klan Act that would ensure that the federal authorities could be able to protect the freed citizens. However, even with the introduction of such laws the African Americans were

After Lincoln was assassinated, vise president Andrew Johnson stepped into office with a goal to change some of the things he believed in. In the article Andrew Johnson it states, “Next they passed measures dealing with the former slaves. Johnson vetoed the legislation. The Radicals mustered enough votes in Congress to pass legislation over his veto--the first time that

Before long, six more conditions of the Deep South Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana revoked their minimized with the United States. This drove four more states Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee to withdraw; they declined to wage war against their Southern siblings and kept up Lincoln had surpassed his established powers by not sitting tight for endorsement of Congress (as Jackson had done in the Nullification Crisis) before pronouncing war on the South (Secession). Four bleeding a very long time of war finished what has been the most noteworthy endeavor by states to withdraw from the Union. While the South was compelled to relinquish its fantasies of another Southern Confederacy, a significant number of its kin have never acknowledged severance was an infringement of the U.S.

Reconstruction was a very hectic time in the U.S.’s history. The northern states were trying to make the nation whole again, while the southern states wanted to stay away. Meanwhile, the Freedmen and Jim Crow laws squared off in their section of the country. The carpetbaggers were taking advantage of the kerfuffle. The scalawags were siding with the northerners and the Republicans.

During this period President Johnson continued his pardons and the 10% plan continued to readmit states to the union. Louisiana, Tennessee, and Virginia were a few of the 10% states readmitted. In opposition to Johnson's readmission policies and his Reconstruction plan, Radicals began to refuse to allow Democrats to sit in Congress. Congress also passes the Tenure of Office Act inhibiting the power of the President.