The Radical Republicans saw serious flaws in Civil War—era southern society and were adamant that the South needed full social rehabilitation to resemble the North.
Many Republican Congressmen also aimed to improve education and labor conditions to benefit all of the oppressed classes in southern society, black and white. In the end, Radical Republicans in the House impeached President Andrew Johnson in because he repeatedly blocked their attempt to pass radical legislation.
Had Lincoln remained alive, he might have been in the same position himself: he wanted Reconstruction to end quickly and did not necessarily favor progressive legislation. Indeed, Lincoln had made it clear during the Civil War that he was fighting to restore the Union, not to emancipate slaves. It is likely that Lincoln thus would have battled with Congress over the control of Reconstruction, blocked key Reconstruction policies, and met as vindictive a House as Johnson did All three thus played a role in ending Reconstruction.
The executives bribed dozens of Congressmen and cabinet members in Ulysses S. The scheme was eventually exposed, and many politicians were forced to resign.
When the Depression of struck, northern voters became even less interested in pursuing Reconstruction efforts. Unemployment climbed to 15 percent, and hard currency became scarce.
With pressing economic problems, northerners did not have time to worry about helping former slaves, punishing the Ku Klux Klan, or readmitting southern states into the Union. The Resumption Act reduced the amount of currency circulating in the economy in an effort to curb inflation caused by the depression. Although the act improved economic conditions in the long run, it made for harder times in both the North and South in the short run.
One of the first people who came up with a blueprint for Reconstruction was the president at the time, Abraham Lincoln. To rejoin, a state had to have ten percent of voters both accept the emancipation of slaves and swear loyalty to the union.
Also, those high ranking officers of the state could not hold office or carry out voting rights unless the president said so. Well, sadly enough, Honest Abe was assassinated at Fords Theatre on April 14th, , before he could put his plan to the test.
After his death, several other political leaders emerged with plans in hand. These men were of the Republican Party, and they called themselves Radicals. First, they were mad at the south, blaming them for the Civil War that had just ended.
Ergo, they wanted to punish them and make them pay. Secondly, they wanted to help all of the near four million slaves who were now free men after the war. There were three main Radical Republican leaders.
Thaddeus Stevens was a very political man, holding a place in the House of Representatives. His main concern was the economic opportunity for slaves.
Thinking almost on these same lines was Charles Sumner. He was a senator who fought mainly for political rights for African Americans, as well as for their citizenship. Well, for men that is. Finally there was President Andrew Johnson. In Andrew Johnson was impeached. All though he was not removed from office at this time, he was basically without authority.
It was at this point that Congress really stepped in with their own plan of Reconstruction. The Reconstruction Act finally passed by congress had two main points to it. First, troops were required to move in and take up residence in the confederate states of the south. Secondly, any state that wanted back into the union was only allowed to do so when and if they changed their 14th amendment. Join Opinion on Facebook and follow updates on twitter.
What can be done to create a public memory of Reconstruction? Kidada E. Jamelle Bouie, Slate magazine. Thavolia Glymph, Duke University. Emily Blanck, author, "Tyrannicide". Allyson Hobbs, author, "A Chosen Exile".
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