What Does the South Need to Do in Order to Become Part of the Union Again

A political cartoon referencing Reconstruction - Columbia says: At present, Andy, I wish y'all and your boys would hurry up that job, because I want to employ that kettle right away. Yous are all talking too much well-nigh information technology.

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Reconstruction or Restoration?

Following the Union victory in the Ceremonious War, the nation faced the uncertainty of what would happen adjacent. Two major questions arose. Were the Confederate states yet part of the Spousal relationship, or, by seceding, did they need to reapply for statehood with new standards for access?

Andrew Johnson'due south view, as stated to a higher place, was that the war had been fought to preserve the Union. He formulated a lenient plan, based on Lincoln'south earlier 10% programme, to let the Southern states to begin holding elections and sending representatives back to Washington.

His immunity proclamations, notwithstanding, emboldened former Confederate leaders to regain their old seats of power in local and national governments, fueling tensions with freedmen in the S and Republican lawmakers in the North.

Healy image of Lincoln

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Altogether, several variations of Reconstruction arose:

The Announcement of Amnesty and Reconstruction, or Lincoln's 10 Per centum Programme

Equally Wedlock troops took control of areas of the South, Lincoln implemented this state of war-fourth dimension measure out to re-establish state governments. It was put forth in hopes that it would give incentive to shorten the war and strengthen his emancipation goals, since information technology promised to protect private property, non including slaves.

At its cadre, the plan stated that when 10% of the 1860 voters from a country had taken an oath of fidelity to the U.S. and pledged to abide past emancipation, voters could so elect delegates to draft new state constitutions and establish country governments. Most Southerners, excepting high-ranking Confederate army officers and government officials, would exist granted a full pardon.

This plan would serve equally a platform for whatever postal service-war reconstruction would exist developed.

The Wade-Davis Agreement, or Congress's Response to the Ten Per centum Programme

Congress felt that Lincoln'south measures would allow the South to maintain life every bit information technology had before the state of war. Their measure required a majority in former Confederate states to take an Ironclad Oath, which essentially said that they had never in the past supported the Confederacy. The bill passed both houses of Congress on July two, 1864, but Lincoln pocket vetoed information technology, and information technology never took event.

In the brief menstruum before Lincoln'south expiry, political cartoons surmised how the "rail-splitter" president and "tailor" vice-president might put the country dorsum together once again.

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Johnson's May 29, 1865 Amnesty Annunciation

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Presidential "Restoration," or Andrew Johnson's Plan for Reconstruction

Following Abraham Lincoln'due south death, President Andrew Johnson based his reconstruction plan on Lincoln'due south earlier measure. Johnson's program also called for loyalty from ten per centum of the men who had voted in the 1860 ballot. In addition, the plan called for granting immunity and returning people'due south property if they pledged to be loyal to the United States.

The Amalgamated states would be

required to uphold the 13th Subpoena, which abolished slavery; swear loyalty to the Union; and pay off their state of war debt. Then they could re-write their state constitutions, hold elections, and begin sending representatives to Washington.

Under the plan, Amalgamated leaders would

have to apply direct to President Johnson in order to asking pardon. Johnson issued over 13,000 pardons during his administration, and he passed several amnesty proclamations. The last i, issued Christmas Day 1868, granted sweeping pardons to erstwhile Confederates, including former Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Frank Leslie'due south Illustrated Newspapers lampooned the standoff between the President and Congress:

A.J. (Commuter of Engine "President") - "Expect here! 1 of us has got to dorsum!"
Thaddeus (Commuter of Engine "Congress") - "Well it ain't me that'due south going to do it! You bet!"

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Congressional Reconstruction, or the War machine Reconstruction Acts

Passed on March 2nd, 1867, the first Military Reconstruction Act divided the ex-Confederate states into v armed forces districts and placed them under martial law with Union Generals governing. The deed also directed that former Southern states seeking to reenter the Wedlock must ratify the 14th Subpoena to the Constitution to be considered for readmission. The 14th Amendment granted individuals born in the United states their citizenship, including most four million freedmen.

The amendment specifically disenfranchised ex-Confederates, barring them from the ballot box. The Constitution states, "Whoever, owing fidelity to the Usa, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the Usa or elsewhere, is guilty of treason." At the time, their actions were viewed every bit treasonous. The Confederate States of America'southward leadership lost their correct to vote considering they lost their citizenship by committing treason.

The War machine Reconstruction Act likewise protected the voting rights and concrete prophylactic of African Americans exercising their rights as citizens of the U.s.a..

The Outc ome

Andrew Johnson and Congress were unable to agree on a programme for restoring the ravaged country following the Civil War. There was a marked divergence between Congressional Reconstruction - outlined in the showtime, 2nd, and third Armed services Reconstruction Acts - and Andrew Johnson'due south program for Presidential Restoration (North Carolina's plan shown here).

In the midst of it all was the human aspect.

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, oftentimes referred to equally the Freedmen'southward Bureau, was established by the State of war Department on March 3rd, 1865. The Bureau supervised relief and educational activities for refugees and freedmen, including issuance of food, clothing, and medicine. The Bureau also assumed custody of confiscated lands or holding in the former Confederate States, border states, District of Columbia, and Indian Territory.

Backlash occurred in the South in the grade of the Black Codes. Passed in 1865 and 1866 in Southern states after the Civil War, these Codes severely restricted the new-found freedoms of the formerly enslaved people, and it forced them to work for low or no wages.

Crippling poverty, vast wealth, rampant rumors, fright of insurrection on all levels, assassination, trials - this was the state that all three branches of the Federal government inherited afterwards the war.

The Congressional Programme of Reconstruction was ultimately adopted, and it did not officially end until 1877, when Union troops were pulled out of the Southward. This withdrawal caused a reversal of many of the tenuous advances made in equality, and many of the issues surrounding Reconstruction are still a role of society today.

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Source: https://www.nps.gov/anjo/andrew-johnson-and-reconstruction.htm

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