Explain the purpose of Reconstruction. Describe the difference between Lincolns plan and the plan implemented by the Radical Republicans.
The purpose of Reconstruction was to rebuild and reintegrate the Southern states that had seceded from the Union during the Civil War, and to address the social, political, and economic issues that arose from the end of slavery.
Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction, known as the Ten Percent Plan, was more lenient towards the Southern states. It required only ten percent of a state's voters to take a loyalty oath to the Union in order to be readmitted to the Union. Lincoln also wanted to grant amnesty to most Confederates and avoid punitive measures against the South.
The plan implemented by the Radical Republicans, on the other hand, was much harsher towards the Southern states. This plan, known as the Wade-Davis Bill, required a majority of a state's voters to take a loyalty oath, and it banned former Confederate officials from holding office. The Radical Republicans also wanted to guarantee civil rights and voting rights for freed slaves, and impose stricter conditions on the Southern states before allowing them back into the Union. Ultimately, the Radical Republicans' plan led to the passage of the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, which divided the South into military districts and required the states to approve new constitutions that granted civil rights to African Americans before they could be readmitted to the Union.