Plans of Reconstruction

Reconstruction Reconstruction was the process of reuniting the nation and rebuilding the southern states without slavery following the Civil War.

Lincoln’s Plan Lincoln wanted to reunite the nation as quickly as possible after the war. He wanted to offer southerners amnesty (an official pardon) for supporting the Confederacy. To receive amnesty, southerners had to take an oath of loyalty to the U.S. and accept a ban on slavery. Once 10% of voters in each state made these pledges, the state would be readmitted to the U.S. This became known as his Ten Percent Plan.

Johnson’s Plan Johnson’s plan established a system for setting up new state governments in the south. He appointed a governor for every state Voters elected new state officials and representatives to U.S. congress in each state Each new state government was required to declare that secession was illegal Each southern state had to refuse to pay Confederate debts By 1865 all southern states except Texas had created new governments and had been readmitted into the U.S., however, Congress refused to recognize that these states had been readmitted.

Radical Republicans Radical Republicans believed that African Americans should have complete political equality. They wanted southern states to change much more than they already had before they could be readmitted to the U.S. They believed that Black Codes were cruel and unjust. They wanted the federal government to be much more involved in Reconstruction because they feared southern leaders would remain loyal to the Confederacy.

Effects of Reconstruction Read about the period of Reconstruction on pages 286-295. On the back of your “Plans for Reconstruction” chart, describe the effects that Reconstruction had on the government/politics, the economy, and society— Government/Politics: (laws, political leaders, etc) Economy: (jobs, money, trade, etc) Society: (life in the United States)