Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan aimed to quickly readmit Confederate states into the Union, promoting loyalty and pardoning ex-Confederates. The plan required a loyalty oath from 10% of 1860 voters. Military leaders and wealthy supporters were banned from Reconstruction. The plan continued under Johnson but was reversed by Radical Republicans in 1866, who established new local governments composed of African Americans and passed amendments giving them citizenship and the right to vote.
Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan strove to readmit the Confederate states into the Union as quickly and easily as possible after the American Civil War. His plan, known as the 10% Plan, involved promoting the loyalty of Southern states and pardoning as many individuals as possible. Lincoln’s plan continued after his death, but was reversed in 1866 after Radical Republicans gained control of Congress.
It was important to Lincoln that the Reconstruction process proceed quickly. He didn’t want to create a feeling of animosity or punish the Southern states harshly, but he did want them to rejoin the Union without delay. Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan did not provide for any harsh punishment for ex-Confederates. He decided that anyone who took an oath of loyalty and agreed to follow the new rules on slavery would be forgiven for his actions during the war.
One of the main points of Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan involved obtaining a loyalty oath from many ex-Confederates. He expected the oath to be signed by 10 percent of the individuals who voted in the 1860 election that was held just before the war began. It was because of this point that Lincoln’s plan was titled the “10% Plan.” Many in Congress felt this strategy was not stringent enough and wanted harsher punishments for the Confederacy.
The next part of Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan was to ban people particularly active in the Confederacy during the war, such as military leaders, officials, or wealthy supporters, from participating in Reconstruction. They were barred from serving in any new government that was established, at least during the Reconstruction period. As Reconstruction progressed after Lincoln’s assassination, this element of his plan was not followed as strictly.
After Lincoln’s assassination, President Johnson continued Lincoln’s plan to rebuild. The 10 percent Plan was maintained even against strong opposition from Congressmen who called themselves the Radical Republicans. Radical Republicans wanted tougher measures against the former Confederate states. They wanted Confederate leaders punished and wealthy southern landowners to have their land redistributed to newly freed slaves.
Ultimately, Lincoln’s Rebuilding plan was abandoned when the Radical Republicans gained control of Congress in 1866. Under their rule, the South was divided into military districts, in which new local governments were established, composed primarily of African Americans and some northern politicians. Several amendments to the constitution were passed giving African Americans citizenship and the right to vote.
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