Why Was Reconstruction Possible For The Confederate States?

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Even before the Civil War had concluded, Northern politicians were busy making Reconstruction plans for the Confederate States. Reconstruction—the process by which seceded states were to re-enter back into the Union—was a difficult process for the United States for two reasons. Firstly, civil rights had to be secured for the emancipated slaves, against Southern protest; and secondly, the Union needed to be reunited as quickly as possible, with as little “punishment” to the Southern states as possible. Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson made great strides to reunite the Union as quickly as possible, but sometimes overlooked Black civil rights in the process. Once the Radical Republicans in Congress took over the Reconstruction the Blacks gained more civil rights and the Southern states were treated more harshly than before. The definitive goal of Reconstruction was to secure rights for Blacks and reunite the Union as effectively as possible, though there was disagreement as to how best this should be done. …show more content…
His lenient Ten-Percent Plan allowed easy re-entry into the Union for previous Confederate states; when ten percent of the voters who had voted in the Election of 1860 pledged loyalty to the Union, that state would be allowed re-entry. Lincoln’s top priority was maintaining the unity of the nation at all costs. In his most famous speech, he said he wished to bring the nation together “…with malice toward none; with charity for all” to achieve “a just and lasting peace”. Though his top concern was not Black civil rights, he fought for fair treatment of the Southern states and as little “punishment” as possible. Lincoln’s Reconstruction was about maintaining the integrity of the Union; Black civil rights came

Abraham Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan

best to end the war as quickly as possible, and thus keep as many soldiers alive as possible. His goal is to enact the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, also known as the Ten Percent Plan, in order to assimilate back into the Union and strengthen the United States. It would be in our legislature’s best interest to adopt the Presidential theory of Reconstruction, because it will shorten the war and save soldier’s lives and revolutionize the Confederate state’s politics in order to improve…

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Dbq Civil War

handicap that was their economic contribution to the war, coupled with their limited manpower and lack of political skills (Commager and Donald, 1996). The North had the type of economy that thrived from wartime production unlike the South whom suffered due to embargo on the cotton textiles that Washington had imposed on them during the war. As the cash vanished from the cotton production so did the economy of the South which made the civilians suffer and the morale of the Confederate soldiers in turn…

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Lani: Abraham Lincoln and Vice President Andrew Essay

as quickly as possible from the Civil War and planned to reunify the nation quickly. He was assassinated in 1865 only days after Robert E. Lee’s surrender. Plans for Reconstruction were taken over by Vice President Andrew Johnson, who became president after Lincoln’s death. President Andrew Johnson His own presidential reconstruction. The congress had refused to seat legislators from those states and for some reason advanced legislation to over-rule the Southern actions. He was determined in…

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Essay on Reconstruction: Slavery in the United States and State Constitution

History of the United States II Small banks, small business, and working class tended to become democrat. This was because the government at the time was Republican. In the south (whites) would resent the North for winning the war. Therefore, they were probably democrat. REPUBLICAN: At the time, Abe was president (Republican); this was supported by Big business and Big banks, also, the African American community was probably Republican as well. WHY WAS RECONSTRUCTION SO DIFFICULT: FENCE…

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Comparing Blight's Race And Reunion

reunion because over time reconstruction focused more on unity between the North and South than the rights for slaves turned ex-slaves. An example of these lopsided views can be seen in Blight’s Race and Reunion, “On some level, both had to occur; but given the potency of racial assumptions and power in nineteenth-century America, these two aims never developed in historical balance.” (Blight, 3) After the Civil War the popular idea for some time was “Radical Republicanism” This was a desire to help the…

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Ku Klux Klan Essay

it’s the true home to white Christians. The KKK was a horrendous racist organization; they tortured people, fought for superiority and targeted many African-Americans because they think of themselves as superior. They changed a lot of people’s beliefs during this time period as well. The Original Ku Klux Klan was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee during Reconstruction between December of 1865 and August of 1866. The founders of the KKK were all Confederate veterans and were also well educated and from…

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Emancipation Proclamation

stated that the Union was fighting for its conservation. Although he had his own opinions on slavery, the Union would not be willing to fight if that was the goal of the war. As of July 1862, emancipation became an apparent necessity. Slaves were fleeing the Confederacy to join the Union army, and Lincoln saw this as a sign that something needed…

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Civil Rights DBQ Essay

interpretation of the rights enshrined in the reconstruction amendments. As a catalysing and initiating factor, the direct action of African Americans, defined in the…

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EOC Review Part 1 Units 1 3 Essay

EOC REVIEW Part I (1860-1900) TOPICS Civil War & Reconstruction Industrial Revolution & Progressivism The Civil War & Reconstruction Cause/Effects of War Abolition Movement Major Battles Postwar Reconstruction Plans Civil War and Reconstruction 1. Compare North and South Sectionalism ◦ North: industrial, used immigrants for labor, very populated ◦ South: agricultural, depended on slaves for labor, less population States’ Rights (South) v. Federalism (North) Representation in Congress…

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Personal Narrative: The Reconstruction Era

stress-free, all I had to do was work for the family that owned me and nothing else. Word around Virginia is that they are calling this period “The Reconstruction Era.” Now, after being born into slavery 23 years ago, I will have…

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