what Reconstruction plan was the strictest and required more of the Southern states.
The Reconstruction plan that was considered the strictest and required more of the Southern states was the Congressional or Radical Reconstruction plan. This plan was implemented during the Reconstruction Era following the American Civil War.
The Congressional Reconstruction plan was initiated by the Radical Republicans in the United States Congress and was more strict and demanding towards the Southern states that had seceded from the Union. It aimed to ensure civil rights and political empowerment for freed slaves. Some key features of the Congressional Reconstruction plan included:
1. Military occupation: Southern states were subject to military rule, and the entire region was divided into five military districts controlled by Union generals.
2. Disfranchisement of former Confederate leaders: Individuals who actively supported or fought for the Confederacy were temporarily barred from participation in state politics.
3. Ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment: Southern states were required to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to freed slaves.
4. African American suffrage: Southern states were mandated to guarantee suffrage rights to African American men.
5. Redistribution of land: Some Radical Republicans pushed for land redistribution, including granting land to freed slaves. However, this aspect was not as strictly enforced.
The Congressional Reconstruction plan sought to fundamentally transform the Southern states and ensure the protection of civil rights for freed slaves. However, its strict measures faced resistance and were eventually undermined by Southern opposition and waning Northern support, leading to the end of Reconstruction by the late 1870s.