The Reconstruction era of 1865 was an attempted unify the states of the United States of America after the Civil War. This proved to be terribly difficult and contentious process. The three main issues the federal government had to deal with included how to deal with states as they re-joined the Union, how Southern whites should be treated, and how to deal with the freed slaves. Furthermore, President Lincoln’s reconstruction plan included that states never truly seceded from the Union as this was not legally possible, and therefore they should not necessarily be punished. The plan had two major provisions: Pardons of Southerners who participated in the war if the took an oath of allegiance to the United States and Readmission of a state if 10% of white voters in that state took …show more content…
On the other hand, Congress, most of all Radical Republicans, did not agree with Johnson’s actions. In fact, they would not allow the newly elected Southern representatives and senators from joining Congress in December of 1865. Instead , Congress enacted their own Reconstruction plan which consisted of: Creation of a Freedmen's Bureau to help newly freed slaves, passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 to help protect freedmen from laws such as the Black Codes that were being passed in many Southern states, passage of the 14th Amendment, the purpose of which was to ensure that future legislatures could not revise the Civil Rights Act, passage of Reconstruction Acts that made restoration to the Union more difficult. Seven states were readmitted to the Union in 1868. Furthermore, congress prepared the 15th Amendment in 1868, it required the rest of the states to ratify the amendment to be readmitted and eventually all states were readmitted by 1870. On another note, Andrew Johnson and Congress had multiple disputes throughout his
Although slavery was declared over after the passing of the thirteenth amendment, African Americans were not being treated with the respect or equality they deserved. Socially, politically and economically, African American people were not being given equal opportunities as white people. They had certain laws directed at them, which held them back from being equal to their white peers. They also had certain requirements, making it difficult for many African Americans to participate in the opportunity to vote for government leaders. Although they were freed from slavery, there was still a long way to go for equality through America’s reconstruction plan.
During his presidency, Congress ratified the 13th-Amendment that abolished slavery in 1865. In addition, President Johnson made contributions to the black people by vetoing bills that increased protection offered by Freedman Bureau. His vetoes also nullified the Black Codes and guaranteed full citizenship and equal rights to black people. This brought up the Civil Rights Act of 1866, an act that granted citizenships and same rights that both black and white enjoyed. As a result, the Civil Rights Act set up the basis for the 14th amendments that was also later ratified in 1866.
The Reconstruction of many Southern states from the year 1865 to 1877 is a failure, although reconstruction plans are set up, African Americans still face the same poor treatment they are given prior to the Civil War. The president at the time, Abraham Lincoln, puts in place a reconstruction plan to help rebuild the South in a way it has never been before, without slaves. Lincoln also puts the thirteenth amendment in place, which abolishes slavery. However, after Lincoln’s death, his Vice President, Andrew Johnson takes over and overrules his reconstruction plan, and puts in place his own, which favors the former Confederate states. Johnson fights with congress over the passing of the fourteenth amendemnet, but Congress overrules his vetoes,
Reconstruction Era: Congressional Reconstruction During the Reconstruction Era President Abraham Lincoln introduced the “10 percent plan”. Abraham Lincoln’s plan included allowing Confederate states to rejoin the union once 10 percent of the people swore an oath of loyalty. His plan also included for states to formalize the 13th Amendment to eradicate slavery. Radical Republicans led by Thaddeus Stevens thought that the Reconstruction Plan that was put forth by Abraham Lincolns was too lenient on the Confederate States.
Congress answered them and refused to seat legislators from those states, and advanced legislation to overrule the Southern actions and give the spaces their rights. Johnson denied their bills, and Congress overpowered him, setting a pattern for the remainder of his presidency and his time in the office. Johnson opposed the Fourteenth Amendment, which gave citizenship to former slaves. Then congress created a new act. The Tenure of Office Act.
One plan of Reconstruction that had an impact was Lincoln’s original plan. Lincoln’s plan was named The 10% plan. The 10% plan was the first plan to be used and was favored in the South because it was not severe and very easy. Lincoln’s plan was that 10% of white voters in the South had to take an oath of loyalty to the U.S. to be able to join it again and any Confederates who served would be offered amnesty, this included everyone but the leaders who would get punished but only minimal amount. If the state swore loyalty they would again be a U.S. state which means that they would get a representative in Congress.
They wanted the South to lose their rights and not get back their lands confiscated by the Union. Johnson worked against the Radical Republicans by vetoing the Freedman's Aid Bill, the Civil Rights Bill, and blocking the 14th amendment that gave African-Americans U.S. citizenship. The Freedman’s Act was going to extend the life of the Freedmen's Bureau, a War Department agency that helped African-Americans and white people as well. Congress tried to overturn Johnson’s veto, but they were not successful at doing so. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was a bill that extended citizenship to freed slaves and guaranteed them "equal protection of the laws."
Differences of Opinions between President Andrew Johnson, the so called Radical Republicans, and the Southern State’s resentment provided the country with a difficult challenge for Reconstruction after the Civil War. Without the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, who believed in pardoning the South, bringing the Confederates states back into the Union became a rocky and short-lived process. Many Historians call the reconstruction of the South a failure. Lincoln’s plan for reuniting the Union consisted of factors that ensured a full pardon for war crimes and a restoration of property with the exception of slaves for members of the individual Southern States as long as ten percent of the population of each state took an oath of loyalty to the Constitution
Throughout the era of Reconstruction, President Andrew Johnson and Congress clashed in their views and policies, which can be seen in the way that they responded to one another’s actions. In May of 1865, President Johnson outlined his plan for reuniting the nation. This consisted of Johnson issuing a series of proclamations, one of which offered a pardon to nearly all of the white southerners, with the requirement that they had to take an oath of allegiance to the Union. In addition to this, the proclamations appointed provisional governors and ordered them to call state conventions to establish loyal governments in the South, elected by whites alone.
Republicans were concerned that as the states were re-admitted to the union they would disregard many of these new amendments and acts, and withdraw black suffrage. They decided to add the fifteenth amendment, which denied the states the right to prohibit anyone from voting “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” However, this did not include gender which upset many feminists at the time. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was one of the final congressional reconstruction
Johnson repudiated Confederate war debts, and he also supported Black Codes. Johnson did not protect the rights of the freed black men the way that Lincoln did. He took steps to defend a dependant black work force for the South, and restricted the rights of African-Americans . Freedmen were not allowed to marry interracially, perform jury duty, or give even testimony in court against whites. Johnson’s plan had many issues.
Introduction In 1865, when Reconstruction was going on in Southern of the United States, it was the command topic being spoken. Reconstruction purpose was to restore the South in back to the union. Also to rebuild the southern government, society and political right. The main concern was if the reconstruction was a success or just a waste of time.
In December 1863 Lincoln announced his Reconstruction Plan and decided that any state who seceded could be readmitted to the Union, but only if they accepted Presidential Decisions about slavery and took an oath of loyalty towards the Constitution. He also declared that once one tenth of voters had taken an oath, the state could elect new representatives to the Congress and begin a new government. The Plan was rejected by the Congress. After Lincoln 's death Vice-President Johnson became the President and was in charge of completing reconstruction. Johnson declared in December 1865 that every state whom agreed with the Thirteenth Amendment against slavery could join the Union.
Reconstruction was a period of time dedicated to rebuilding the nation after the Civil War. The war ended with the South being defeated and their economy being devastated. Many Southerners struggled after the war with rebuilding their land and lives. The President and Congress had to decide the terms for which the former Confederate states would be permitted to join the Union. President Lincoln’s plan for reuniting the country was found in the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.
After Lincoln got assassinated, Andrew Johnson became president. During the summer of 1865 Johnson planned his reconstruction plan, and in his reconstruction said that states had to agree with the 13th amendment ( which abolished slavery ). February 1866 Congress passed the freedmen’s bureau and this gives the military responsibility for protecting the blacks, but Johnson vetoed the bill, surprising many republicans. Congress enacts the Civil Rights Act of 1866 on April 1866. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 means… “ it grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and guarantees them equal rights under the law.”