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Reconstruction, in the history of the United States of America, occurred between 1865-1877 that followed the American Civil War. During the era, several attempts were made to recompense inequities caused by slavery and its social, political and economic legacy. Also, efforts were made to solve all the problems that raised from the readmission to the union of the 11 states that had succeeded before or at the outbreak of the war. Many historians, however, portray the area as the time when vindictive Radical Republicans strengthened the Black supremacy upon the confederacy which had failed. As a result of Reconstruction, American political life has experienced far-reaching changes. At the national level, the definition of American citizenship and the federal system has been changed through constitutional amendments and new laws. To achieve all this, political leaders used different strategies to solve all the major problems of the Reconstruction era, and the result was the establishment of positive constitutional changes.
How they would reincorporate the Confederate States, the newly freed former slaves and their leaders were the key issues that were being aimed in the Reconstruction era. The White South had significantly suffered the consequences of the civil war as the basis of their culture were destroyed together with slavery and the plantation system. The problem of union reclamation and the newly freed slaves in the Reconstruction era was therefore supposed to be dealt with.
Different political leaders formulated different strategies that they aimed at helping solve the problem. Lincoln’s strategy was reincorporating all the states that had been defeated in the possible quickest way. He also insisted that full pardons, the oath of allegiance, opposed harsh punishment and advocated for the restoration of the southern property. Besides, he advocated for the Ten-Percent Plan in which it aimed at uniting the South and South America after the war had ended. In the Ten-Percent Plan, 10% of succeeding state voters were to take an oath of loyalty to the union. Also, they were to create a new state government and a new constitution which abolished slavery was to be adopted. Generally, Lincoln had his perspective based on shortening resistance from the south and also shortening the war.
Despite his effort, Radical Republicans firmly stood to oppose him proposing a fifty per cent which was to change the southern society by forcing racial equality while at the same time eying to gain political opportunity in democratic south. The reason for their opposition was that they thought that the rules placed by Lincoln were not harsh enough to the south as they are the ones who had started the war.
Johnson wanted to keep Reconstruction under the control of the president by circumventing the Congress and even keep the Radical Republicans. President Johnson also began the policy of amnesty restoration of property and pardons. Johnstone implemented a plan that gave white south the freedom to transits from slavery and offered the blacks with no role in the politics of the south. In addition, the Southern state was allowed to be under the control of the former Confederate leadership. He also advocated against slavery and the redistribution of property.
The Radical Republican’s vision was to see the federal government using its power to enforce equality in economics, race and politics. They also wanted the former Confederate leader to receive a harsher punishment. They advocated for voting rights for the black and believed that this was the only opportunity to bring change in southern society. As a result, the southern was able to recognize that slavery was gone but also had believed the radicals were moving too fast. The being at the hem of the Radical Republican the Congress passed the 13th Amendment (1865), which led to the abolishment of slavery, the 14th Amendment (1868), which advocated for citizenship and the 15th Amendment (1870) which was advocating for male voting rights.
After Johnson defied the Tenure of Office Act, he allowed the Radical Republicans to go ahead with the impeachment motion where he survived by a single vote. Reconstruction is assailed as chaos by the democrats and imposition of racial degeneracy by forcefully onto the south. The political leaders were, therefore at stake to imposes restrictions in order to keep the situation under control. As said by the democrat’s reconstruction had rendered the nation into a negro supremacy and a military despotism. Killings and mistreat of people were getting out a hand, and the political leaders had to come up with a strategy to help bring a permanent peaceful environment for existence for the citizens.
After the various laws were amended, more Africans were allowed to exercise the right of voting by getting access to voting registration. Slavery was also abolished and the rights of the slaves, such as political rights and economic issues enhanced. After redeeming the south, democrats began to limit the republican political authority and the black by placing voting restriction and violence. Despite all these efforts, most of the measures of reconstruction failed. It, therefore, come to a close with most of the main goals unaccomplished.
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