How did the presidential plan for reconstruction differ from Congress's plan?
http://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/presidential-and-congressional-reconstruction-plans/
To understand how the presidential plan for Reconstruction differed from Congress's plan, we need to look at the historical context. Reconstruction was the period following the American Civil War (1861-1865) when the United States sought to rebuild and reunite the country after the secession of the Southern states.
1. Presidential Plan for Reconstruction:
The presidential plan, also known as President Abraham Lincoln's plan or the Ten Percent Plan, was introduced in 1863 and applied to states that had seceded. Its main components were:
a. Amnesty: The plan granted full pardons and restoration of property, except for slaves, to almost all Confederate soldiers and officials who took an oath of loyalty to the Union.
b. Provisional Governments: Once 10% of a Confederate state's voting population had taken the loyalty oath, they could establish a new state government and send representatives to Congress.
c. Emancipation: Lincoln's plan did advocate for the gradual emancipation of enslaved people; however, it did not address their civil rights or provide them with suffrage.
2. Congressional Plan for Reconstruction:
Congress, primarily influenced by radical Republicans, had a different approach to Reconstruction. They believed that the South needed a more thorough restructuring to ensure the rights of freed slaves and prevent former Confederates from regaining political power. Their plan, often referred to as the Radical Reconstruction, included the following features:
a. Wade-Davis Bill: In 1864, Congress passed the Wade-Davis Bill, which required 50% of voters in Confederate states to take an "ironclad" oath of loyalty. It also demanded stronger protection for freed slaves, such as granting them suffrage and land ownership rights.
b. Military Reconstruction: Congress sought to enforce its policies through military oversight. They divided the South into five military districts, each commanded by a Union general. These military districts ensured the protection of rights for African Americans and supervised the formation of new state governments.
c. Civil Rights: The Fourteenth Amendment, passed in 1868, was a central component of Congress's plan. It granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including African Americans, and guaranteed equal protection under the law.
In summary, the presidential plan focused on a relatively lenient approach to reconstruction, focused mainly on restoring the Union quickly, while the congressional plan was more radical and aimed to ensure the rights of freed slaves through military enforcement and legislation.