Reconstruction of the American Civil War
...pond when his or her better judgment is proven wrong by his or her enemy? The reintegration of the Southern States into the Union was a difficult process. In the plans for reconstruction, both President Lincoln and President Johnson wished to leave the cruelty of the Civil War behind and find solutions that would lead to passive unification between the North and the South. Johnson’s reconstruction plan had minimal difference with Lincoln’s plan. They believed that once 10% of the population of a southern state would take an oath of loyalty, it could be readmitted into the Union. Lincoln and Johnson’s reconstruction plan, permitted the white southerners to maintain their land properties and political rights. Many believed that Lincoln and Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan was too easygoing seeing that it didn’t contain restriction against the Black Codes (laws against the freedom of the African Americans) and had no consideration whatsoever to the possible economical conflicts the freedmen would go through. On the other hand, the Radical Republicans wished to punish the people of the south (whites) for beginning the war. In their plans, they grant full support to the former slaves. The Radicals’ Plan made certain that the freedmen would have a place in society. They provided the freedmen with basic needs and education that they needed and passed an act that gave the freedmen full equality, citizenship and the right to vote. More importantly, the Radicals passed the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments which, in short state that any person born in the United States is considered a citizen and must be treated equally and bans Confederates leaders from government. Many of the resolutions passed by the Radicals were over Johnson’s veto. These differences of o...