Reconstruction Of The Civil War - 872 Words

After the Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865, there were three different approaches to southern reconstruction. The Lincoln Plan, as outlined by Abraham Lincoln before his death, would: (1) improve the economic and political status of blacks (2) allow southern states to re-enter the Union after 10% of whites had taken oaths of loyalty (3) grant blanket pardons to Confederate veterans after individual pleas to the president, and (4) not allow a loss of property except slaves. At the time, Lincoln’s primary objective was to end the war and bring southern states back into the Union. Ultimately, his dream of abolishing slavery was realized with the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863; however, his long term goal of rebuilding the South was put to a halt after his assassination, and successor Andrew Johnson. Johnson, a southern Democrat, went ahead with Lincoln’s plan but added two provisions of his own: (1) new state government had to repudiate Confederate debts, and (2) state legislatures had to ratify the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery. Democrats embraced Johnson’s plan, but Republicans hated it because it readmitted southern states back into the Union without changing the status of blacks. So even though the nation was unified, Johnson’s plan was undermined by the enactment of Black Codes which disenfranchised African-Americans from 1865 to 1867. This is why/how Congress exerted their power throughout his tenure, by overriding his vetoes and implementing their own planShow MoreRelatedReconstruction Of The Civil War1108 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica’s Mindset Although the end of the Civil War and the beginning of the Reconstruction brought great hope to America’s four million former slaves, the efforts of Congressional Reconstruction ultimately failed to establish equal rights for the freedmen because the racist mindset still dominated American society at the time and Democratic influence steadily overcame Republican control in Congress. Despite the Union’s victory, the end of the Civil War brought many significant national problemsRead MoreThe Civil War and Reconstruction1315 Words   |  5 Pages Reconstruction The main issue between the states that seceded from the Union and those that remained in the former unity was that of states rights, of which the right for citizens to own slaves was of primary concern. It is often argued that one or the other was the main reason for the conflict, but they both played a major part because the people of the Northern United States and the Southern states of the nation lived such different lives. It is true that people in the North had owned slavesRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War951 Words   |  4 PagesHistory 11 7 May 2015 Reconstruction In the beginning of 1865, the Civil War came to a close, abandoning over 620,000 dead and a destructive path of devastating all over the south. The North now was confronted with the task of reconstructing the destroyed and aggrieved Confederate states. On April 11, two days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s submission, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his last public address, during which he designated a merciful Reconstruction plans and encouraged sympathyRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War847 Words   |  4 Pages Microtheme One - Reconstruction The Reconstruction happened in period following the end of the American Civil and the main goal was to reintegrate the Southern Confederate States back into the Union after they had been defeated by the Union (Northern States). As would be expected, the process was met with many challenges as the interests of both groups had to be addressed. There was debate over the terms under which the Confederate States would be allowed back into the Union, and whether it wasRead MoreThe Civil War And Reconstruction977 Words   |  4 Pagescalled the Reconstruction period â€Å"America’s Second Revolution†, his characterization was correct. Reconstruction can be viewed as a revolution because the previous social order, slavery, was replaced suddenly by a more favorable one, freedom for African-Americans. There was a long period of politicization for incorporating free African-Americans into white society. Reconstruction also revolutionized the preconceived notion that the states ha d autonomous power. The Civil War and Reconstruction were revolutionaryRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War1560 Words   |  7 PagesPrior to the Civil War, the United States’ economy was essentially agricultural based; slavery in the South was the key player in its prosperous economy. Hence, it is no wonder the South stood in defense of slavery’s permanence when challenged with the demand for abolition. The Southern proslavery Confederate states fought against the Northern antislavery Union states during the Civil War. The Union prevailed in the war and once the Confederates seceded and left the United States with a new predicament:Read MoreThe Civil War : The Reconstruction1398 Words   |  6 PagesThe civil war ended in 1865 and what followed was a kerfuffle, otherwise known as â€Å"The Reconstruction.† This was a period of violence and turbulent controversy ranging from racial issues to economic problems. In the book Reconstruction, Eric Foner wrote that â€Å"When the Civil War ended, the white South genuinely accepted the reality of military defeat, stood ready to do justice to the emancipated slaves, and desired above all a quick reintegration into the fabric of national life. Before his deathRead MoreCivil War Reconstruction1031 Words   |  5 PagesThe period after the Civil War was a very difficult time in the United States history. This time was known as the Reconstruction period and it was a very controversial time. There were many issues that had to be addressed such as what to do with the free blacks in the south and how states would be readmitted to the Union. This era saw the rise of the Radical Republicans. The government was going through changes, southerners were going through changes, and blacks were going through changes. WhitesRead MoreReconstruction Of The Civil War1054 Words   |  5 Pages As the civil war was ending many people could see that the odds of th e north winning increased dramatically however many people can argue this idea based on the several events that took place during the second phase of the civil war. Carl Schurz concluded, â€Å"The Civil War was a revolution, but half accomplished.†(Roark et al 434) Reconstruction started before the civil war ended until 1877, when people of the United States tried figuring out how to put the country back together. Many people hadRead MoreThe Civil War And Reconstruction1357 Words   |  6 PagesCivil War/ Reconstruction - Following the Civil War, the United States underwent a huge process of reconstruction to unifying and reconstructing the war-torn state. The nation still remained utterly divided between North and South in essentially all aspects of life including religion, race, and government. President Andrew Johnson,who succeeded President Abraham Lincoln enacted various policies in order to unite the country. These policies included friendly policies that pardon ed Southerners while